General Discussion

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts) Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:05 PM Jul 2015

Regarding Hate Groups And A Little Context on the Apparent Trend

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Poverty_Law_Center

The SPLC has been criticized for using hyperbole and overstating the prevalence of hate groups to raise large amounts of money. In a 2000 Harper's Magazine article, Ken Silverstein said that Dees has kept the SPLC focused on fighting anti-minority groups like the KKK, whose membership has declined to just 2,000, instead of on issues like homelessness, mostly because the former issue makes for more lucrative fundraising. The article claimed the SPLC "spends twice as much on fund-raising -- $5.76 million last year -- as it does on legal services for victims of civil rights abuses."[33] Harper's pointed out that more than 95% of hate crimes are committed by lone wolves without any connection to militia groups the SPLC speaks of.[33]

The SPLC reported that 784 hate groups were active in the United States in 2014, down from 939 in 2013[5] and 1,007 in 2012.

186 separate Ku Klux Klan (KKK) groups with 52 websites
196 neo-Nazi groups with 89 websites
111 White nationalist groups with 190 websites
98 White power skinhead groups with 25 websites
39 Christian Identity groups with 37 websites
93 neo-Confederate groups with 25 websites
113 black separatist groups with 40 websites

90 additional groups divided by the SPLC into categories such as anti-gay, Holocaust denial, white power music, radical traditionalist Catholic, among other categories for designated hate groups,[97][98] which maintained another 172 websites.[99] Only organizations active in 2013 were counted, excluding those that appear to exist only on the Internet.[5]

J.M. Berger, writing for Foreign Policy, disputed the 2012 numbers and said that after merging separate groups of similar names "the list of 1,007 becomes a list of 358".[100]

Whether you believe the Southern Poverty Law Center's numbers or that of J.M. Berger, the trend seems to be going downward.

24 replies

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Highlight:

Regarding Hate Groups And A Little Context on the Apparent Trend (Original Post) Uncle Joe Jul 2015 OP

I believe this may be due in part to the Internet gradually enlightening the people Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #1

And it isn't just race being affected, the same holds true for the recent acceleration Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #2

The Internet; is also giving politicians cover as being a direct Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #3

The internet may also allow larger groups spread out over larger areas to form and consolidate. DemocraticWing Jul 2015 #5

If they consolidate, they become more vulnerable. Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #7

One other point when they consolidate, I would wager, they lose members Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #16

Perhaps you have forgotten about the RW-censored Fedeal report on the rise of RW domestic terrorism hlthe2b Jul 2015 #4

Then you support the SPLC but you don't believe their numbers? Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #6

The RW blocked the Obama administration from releasing it. Do you REALLY not remember that?!!!! hlthe2b Jul 2015 #8

I believe SPLC's numbers more than your anonymous wiki reference hlthe2b Jul 2015 #9

Do you have a direct link to the SPLC's numbers? Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #10

You know, there is this thing called google and I'm sure it will bring you the SPLC website hlthe2b Jul 2015 #11

You disputed the Wikipedia "anonymous" source of the SPLC's numbers and yet provided no evidence Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #12

Reread my post. hlthe2b Jul 2015 #13

I will do better, I will repost it. Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #14

Your attacks on SPLC are based on RW memes. End of discussion. hlthe2b Jul 2015 #20

Since you couldn't bring yourself to do it, here is a confirmation of the Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #15

One final point Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #17

Disseminating RW memes.... hlthe2b Jul 2015 #22

I'm disseminating my own meme, it's called critical thought. Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #23

P.S. That would post be #17 the one you wouldn't respond to and which confirmed the Wikipedia Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #24

"...after merging separate groups of similar names..." Nevernose Jul 2015 #18

I am as well, Nevernose, Uncle Joe Jul 2015 #19

Exactly... hlthe2b Jul 2015 #21

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

1. I believe this may be due in part to the Internet gradually enlightening the people

Reply to Uncle Joe (Original post)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:17 PM

Jul 2015

by connecting disparate peoples, accelerating the increased homogenation of the nation.

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

2. And it isn't just race being affected, the same holds true for the recent acceleration

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #1)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:23 PM

Jul 2015

of gay rights and drug law reform.

The Internet is gradually creating a national synergism or "higher consciousness" across the board.

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

3. The Internet; is also giving politicians cover as being a direct

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #2)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:30 PM

Jul 2015

connection to the peoples' pulse through, around or over the corporate media.

DemocraticWing

(1,290 posts)

5. The internet may also allow larger groups spread out over larger areas to form and consolidate.

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #1)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:51 PM

Jul 2015

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

7. If they consolidate, they become more vulnerable.

Reply to DemocraticWing (Reply #5)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:54 PM

Jul 2015

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

16. One other point when they consolidate, I would wager, they lose members

Reply to DemocraticWing (Reply #5)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 05:28 PM

Jul 2015

at least that happens to pretty much every industry that I know of.

hlthe2b

(102,525 posts)

4. Perhaps you have forgotten about the RW-censored Fedeal report on the rise of RW domestic terrorism

Reply to Uncle Joe (Original post)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:50 PM

Jul 2015

I do not believe there has been the suggested trend of "LESS" hate groups and I support the SPLC.

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

6. Then you support the SPLC but you don't believe their numbers?

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #4)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:53 PM

Jul 2015

Do you have a link to the Federal Report?

hlthe2b

(102,525 posts)

8. The RW blocked the Obama administration from releasing it. Do you REALLY not remember that?!!!!

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #6)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:55 PM

Jul 2015

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/19/politics/terror-threat-homeland-security/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/14/homeland-security-report_n_186834.html
Homeland Security Report Warns Of Rising Right-Wing Extremism

Funny,.. SPLC was VERY vocal about the failure to release this report and now THEY are under attack by some Brookings Institution conservative fellow?

hlthe2b

(102,525 posts)

9. I believe SPLC's numbers more than your anonymous wiki reference

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #6)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:56 PM

Jul 2015

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

10. Do you have a direct link to the SPLC's numbers?

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #9)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 04:59 PM

Jul 2015

hlthe2b

(102,525 posts)

11. You know, there is this thing called google and I'm sure it will bring you the SPLC website

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #10)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 05:01 PM

Jul 2015

I really have no intention of arguing RW memes with you.

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

12. You disputed the Wikipedia "anonymous" source of the SPLC's numbers and yet provided no evidence

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #11)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 05:03 PM

Jul 2015

to substantiate your contention.

hlthe2b

(102,525 posts)

13. Reread my post.

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #12)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 05:05 PM

Jul 2015

It stands for any further discourse on rw memes you bring here.

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

14. I will do better, I will repost it.

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #13)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 05:11 PM

Jul 2015

"I believe SPLC's numbers more than your anonymous wiki reference"

and from this post.

"It stands for any further discourse on rw memes you bring here."

Did you not automatically assume that the Wikipedia source was a "rw meme?"

Does Wikipedia not have left wing or neutral editors to correct an error or misinformation?

hlthe2b

(102,525 posts)

20. Your attacks on SPLC are based on RW memes. End of discussion.

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #14)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 06:13 PM

Jul 2015

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

15. Since you couldn't bring yourself to do it, here is a confirmation of the

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #13)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 05:26 PM

Jul 2015

Wikipedia's numbers directly from the SPLC's web site.

http://www.splcenter.org/hate-map

Active U.S. Hate Groups
Stand Strong Against Hate
Join people across the nation who are standing strong against the hate. Add yourself to our map as a voice for tolerance.

The Southern Poverty Law Center counted 784 active hate groups in the United States in 2014. Only organizations and their chapters known to be active during 2014 are included.

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

17. One final point

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #13)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 05:41 PM

Jul 2015

If you think that I'm "rw" then you have no idea what you're talking about.

hlthe2b

(102,525 posts)

22. Disseminating RW memes....

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #17)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 06:15 PM

Jul 2015

is what I said. You seem to have difficulty with reading comprension. Perhaps that is why you are so ready to deride SPLC based on a Brookings Institute conservative fellow's attack.

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

23. I'm disseminating my own meme, it's called critical thought.

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #22)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 11:24 PM

Jul 2015

Furthermore, I have no idea where you get the impression that I'm deriding SPLC, I listed their own figures from their website which you refused to do.

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

24. P.S. That would post be #17 the one you wouldn't respond to and which confirmed the Wikipedia

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #22)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 11:44 PM

Jul 2015

numbers in the OP.

Nevernose

(13,081 posts)

18. "...after merging separate groups of similar names..."

Reply to Uncle Joe (Original post)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 05:48 PM

Jul 2015

This may be a major flaw with his methodology: assuming that the SPLC is composed of experts on domestic hate groups, maybe there's a reason they're counted separately?

The Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have very, very similar names, both groups speak Korean, both groups advocate for the unification of the Korean Peninsula. They're counted separately for a reason, and I'm willing to give the SPLC the benefit of the doubt in their accounting methods.

Uncle Joe

(58,548 posts)

19. I am as well, Nevernose,

Reply to Nevernose (Reply #18)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 05:57 PM

Jul 2015

considering they make their living fighting against such groups.

P.S. One of the things that struck me was the KKK only having 2000 members.

hlthe2b

(102,525 posts)

21. Exactly...

Reply to Nevernose (Reply #18)

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 06:14 PM

Jul 2015

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