The far right runs in the blood, it seems.
Joshua Norman Haldeman, born on November 25, 1902, in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, USA, was not just the maternal grandfather of Elon Musk; he was a figure whose life and political views have cast a long, controversial shadow over his family's legacy. Moving from the United States to Canada at a young age, Haldeman's life took a path that would later intertwine with some of the most divisive political ideologies of the 20th century, notably his support for apartheid in South Africa.
Haldeman trained as a chiropractor, following in the footsteps of his mother, who studied chiropractic to treat his father's diabetes. His career took him from the United States to Canada, where he established one of the largest chiropractic practices in Regina, Saskatchewan. However, it was his political involvement that would define his legacy in a less favorable light.
In the 1930s, Haldeman joined the Technocracy movement, a group advocating for a society run by engineers and scientists rather than by democratic means. This movement's authoritarian leanings were evident, with its members sometimes adopting numbers instead of names and practicing quasi-military salutes. His involvement with Technocracy led to his arrest in Canada during World War II, as the movement was seen as a threat to national security due to its opposition to fighting Hitler (The Atlantic).
Haldeman's political journey took an even darker turn when he moved to South Africa in 1950, shortly after the country formalized its apartheid policies. His move was not one of necessity but of ideological alignment. According to multiple sources, including interviews with Musk's father, Errol Musk, Haldeman was drawn to South Africa because of its apartheid government. As Errol Musk stated, "They were very fanatical in favor of apartheid... They used to support Hitler and all that sort of stuff" (NationalWorld.com).
"They were very fanatical in favor of apartheid... They used to support Hitler and all that sort of stuff"
Haldeman's writings and public statements in South Africa leave no doubt about his stance. He was quoted in 1951 defending apartheid, saying, "The natives are very primitive and must not be taken seriously... Some are quite clever in a routine job, but the best of them cannot assume responsibility and will abuse authority" (Wikipedia). His support for the apartheid regime was not passive; he actively propagated racist, anti-Semitic, and antidemocratic views through his writings and speeches.
One of his more notorious works, "The International Conspiracy to Establish a World Dictatorship and the Menace to South Africa," self-published in 1960, was a direct response to the Sharpeville massacre, where South African police killed 69 black protesters. In this tract, Haldeman defended the apartheid government's actions and warned against what he described as an "International Conspiracy" led by Jewish bankers to overthrow white Christian civilization (The Atlantic, The New Yorker).
His life ended tragically in a plane crash in 1974 while practicing landings, but his legacy, particularly his political leanings, continues to be a point of discussion. Elon Musk was only two years old at the time of his grandfather's death, and while there's no direct evidence of Haldeman's influence on Musk's ideologies, the family's history with apartheid and racial theories has been a topic of interest, especially given Musk's own controversial statements and actions regarding racial issues and free speech on his platform X.
Haldeman's story is a reminder of how personal legacies can be marred by political ideologies that history has judged harshly. His support for apartheid, his conspiracy theories, and his anti-Semitic views are not just footnotes in his biography but central to understanding his character and the impact of his beliefs. This history serves as a critical examination of the personal and political influences that can shape a family's narrative, long after the individuals themselves are gone.
Sources:
Wikipedia: Joshua N. Haldeman - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_N._Haldeman
The Atlantic: "Elon Musk’s Anti-Semitic, Apartheid-Loving Grandfather" - www.theatlantic.com
The New Yorker: "The World According to Elon Musk’s Grandfather" - www.newyorker.com
NationalWorld.com: "Was Elon Musk's grandfather a Nazi?" - www.nationalworld.com
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