A secluded settlement in the Ozarks known as Return to the Land has drawn intense scrutiny due to its openly discriminatory membership policies. The group, which operates as a private membership association, reportedly consists of about 40 residents living across 150 acres. Within their compound, they’ve built cabins, roads, wells, a schoolhouse, and a community center.
According to The Independent, the group requires members to be white, Christian, and heterosexual. Jewish individuals and LGBTQ+ people are explicitly excluded.
Now, Return to the Land is attempting to expand its footprint into Missouri. In a promotional video, group leader Eric Orwoll declared, “You want a white nation? Build a white town… It can be done. We’re doing it.”
The video and a subsequent NBC News interview with community members have gone viral, garnering over 10 million views and tens of thousands of comments. Many viewers expressed outrage over the group’s messaging and name, pointing out contradictions in its “return” narrative. One commenter noted, “So are they at least admitting their ancestors were immigrants? Maybe 'return to the land' should be them leaving to go back to Europe.”
Public response has been overwhelmingly critical, with widespread sentiment that the community’s practices should not be permitted. NBC News reports that the Arkansas Attorney General is currently investigating the group’s legal standing.
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