The Southern Poverty Law Center’s most recent “hate map” pinpoints the location of 892 “active hate groups” in the United States in 2015. California is home to 68 such groups. Only Texas is home to a higher number of designated hate groups—84. And the numbers are growing. Between 2014 and 2015, the list of groups grew by 14%, and the 2016 map due out next month is expected to be even larger.
“We specifically look at organizations that attack, demonize and rob individuals of their right to equality for an immutable characteristic like race, religion, national origin or sexual orientation,” SPLC’s spokesman Ryan Lenz told the OC Register.
The map includes white supremacists, black separatists, anti-LGBTQ groups, anti-Muslim groups, anti-Immigrant groups, and radical traditional Catholics, among others.
Critics question the list’s validity. Mark Weber, director of the Institute for Historical Review says that his organization does not deny that the Holocaust occurred, as the hate map indicates. It’s difficult to get a group removed once it’s included, says Weber, who questions whether SPLC has set standards for inclusion in the map.
Robin Toma, who heads the Los Angeles Commission on Human Relations, believes the map’s data is useful as LA and California have seen a recent spike in hate crimes. Still, Robin points out that many hate crimes are committed by people not affiliated with hate groups.
Some advocates, like Laura Kanter of the LBGT Center in Santa Ana is grateful that the map shows nearby anti-LGBT groups like the Traditional Values Coalition. “Knowledge is power,” Kanter said. “And it’s good to know we have these groups in our own backyard.”
The Orange County Register’s Deepa Bharath has more on the issue.
The SPLC is such a joke. If someone disagrees with their liberal/socialist/progressive agenda then they are labeled a hate group.
So I guess that all Christians who believe in the bible and teachings of Jesus are a hate group. They even had Dr Ben Carson listed as a hate group.
I don’t believe in hate speech nor advocate it but if we are to believe in the first amendment, then we have to accept it whether you are a liberal or conservative.
Why isn’t Black Lives Matter on there? Maybe they’re too new of a hate group to be listed?
No like button on this blog, so *LIKE*
My like was for Tim’s comment, not for this ridiculous article. The reply choice just looks like another comment, might want to fix that too.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Dear Mr. Pomeranian,
Yeah, it’s confusing. We’re still trying to figure out how some of these functions work too. I’ll see if we can find a way to do something about the “Reply” thingy. Feel free to flag anything else functional, et al, that’s not working or seems illogical, (I mean, apart from “ridiculous articles.”)
Onward.
C.
Total bs, the SPLC has always been an anti-right anti-Christian group and that BLM isn’t on here speaks to what a joke it is. Go into the backgrounds of their founders, videos of some of their meetings, their actions and goals, actions of some of their supporters which is the same criteria the SPLC uses to put groups on their list and there’s no way they shouldn’t be a listed hate group.
Sure Fire: I’m surprised that your name is not on that list. You spew more hatred through this blog than any other regular. Even “Oh Well” can draw a chortle or two as an undercover hater. Your anger defines you. You’re probably turning red right now. Take a deep breath.
That wasn’t any of my friends burning and trashing Berkeley and showing what the new left is all about was it? No more likely some who think and act like you and your kind, now sit down.