Peter Brimelow facts for kids

Peter Brimelow (born October 13, 1947) is a writer and journalist. He is known for his strong views against immigration. He founded a website called VDARE. This website is often linked to ideas like white nationalism and white supremacy. These are beliefs that suggest white people are superior to other races, which is a harmful and discriminatory idea.

Before starting VDARE, Brimelow worked as a writer and editor for magazines like National Review and Forbes. He also wrote columns for Dow Jones' MarketWatch. He describes his own political views as "paleoconservative." This means he holds traditional conservative beliefs, often with a focus on national identity and culture. He has also been described as a leader in the "alt-right" movement. This movement is a far-right political group known for rejecting mainstream conservative politics and often promoting extremist views. In January 2021, a judge dismissed a lawsuit Brimelow filed against The New York Times. He had sued them for calling him a "white nationalist," but the court ruled that the description was not defamatory.

Early Life and Education

Peter Brimelow was born in 1947 in Warrington, England. His parents were Bessie and Frank Sanderson Brimelow. Frank was a transport executive. Peter and his twin brother both attended the University of Sussex in England. Peter earned his Bachelor of Arts degree there in 1970. Later, he continued his studies at Stanford University in the United States. He received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1972.

Career Highlights

After finishing his education, Brimelow worked as a securities analyst. This job involves researching and evaluating investments. He then moved to Toronto, Canada. There, he worked as a business writer and editor. He wrote for publications like the Financial Post and Maclean's.

From 1978 to 1980, Brimelow worked as an aide for US Senator Orrin Hatch. In 1980, he moved to New York City. He continued his career in journalism, working for Barron's and Fortune. In 1990, Brimelow received a Gerald Loeb Award. This award is given for excellence in business journalism. He won it for an article he co-wrote for Forbes magazine.

Views on Immigration and Society

Peter Brimelow is well-known for his strong opposition to immigration. He believes that both illegal and legal immigration are harmful. He has stated that immigration negatively impacts American society and culture. He has also called for a reversal of Brown v. Board of Education. This was a very important 1954 Supreme Court decision. It ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Brimelow's call to reverse it means he opposes the desegregation of schools.

VDARE Website and Its Controversies

Brimelow founded the website VDARE in 1999. It focuses on anti-immigration content. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has described VDARE as a hate group. The SPLC states that VDARE became a meeting place for people with radical right-wing views. They also criticized VDARE for publishing articles by white nationalists. The Anti-Defamation League has also called VDARE a racist anti-immigrant group.

Some sources say that Brimelow believes white people built American culture. He thinks they should protect it from non-white people who might try to change it. This view is part of what is known as white nationalism.

Public Appearances and Associations

Brimelow has appeared on The Political Cesspool. This is a talk radio show that describes itself as "pro-white." After the 2008 presidential election, Brimelow suggested that the Republican Party should focus on "white votes" to win elections.

Around 2010, he was a senior editor at a website called Alternative Right. This website was edited by Richard B. Spencer. Brimelow has also spoken at events hosted by the National Policy Institute. This organization is also run by Richard Spencer.

In 2012, Brimelow spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). He gave a talk titled "The Failure of Multiculturalism." In this talk, he argued that the pursuit of diversity was weakening American identity.

Books by Peter Brimelow

Peter Brimelow has written several books. These books often discuss his views on immigration, education, and national identity.

Alien Nation

One of Brimelow's most famous books is Alien Nation: Common Sense About America's Immigration Disaster. In this book, he criticizes the U.S. immigration policy that began after 1965.

A review in Foreign Affairs magazine acknowledged that the book raised some valid points about immigration policies. However, it also criticized Brimelow for defining American identity based on race rather than culture. The review also noted the "extreme character" of his suggestions. The SPLC has called Alien Nation an "infamous anti-immigrant book."

The Worm in the Apple

Another book by Brimelow is The Worm in the Apple. This book focuses on public education and teachers' unions. He argues that teachers' unions are very destructive. He also suggests that trying to provide universal high school education to everyone is not a good idea.

George Mitchell, a public policy consultant, reviewed the book for Education Next. He wrote that Brimelow shows how collective bargaining for teachers can stop new ideas and risk-taking. He also noted that the rise in power of teacher unions has happened at the same time as student performance has not improved. However, another reviewer, Julia E. Koppich, called the book an "anti-public school polemic" and felt it lacked focus on actual classrooms.

The Patriot Game

Brimelow's book The Patriot Game: National Dreams and Political Realities discusses Canadian politics. In a 2011 article in Maclean's magazine, John M. Geddes said the book offered a strong conservative critique of Canada. He also mentioned that the book helped shape the thinking of former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Personal Life

Peter Brimelow's first wife was Margaret Alice "Maggy" Laws. She was from Newfoundland, Canada. They met in New York and had two children together: Alexander and Hannah Claire. Maggy passed away in 2004 from cancer. As of June 2021, his daughter Hannah is a blogger for a political commentator's website.

In 2007, Brimelow married Lydia Sullivan. At the time, Lydia was 22 years old and Peter was 59. Lydia is now the president of the VDARE Foundation and the publisher of VDARE.com.

See also

In Spanish: Peter Brimelow para niños