Thursday, March 8, 2012

Hate Groups are on the Rise in America


America is getting hateful by the minute it seems. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, more hate groups are popping up:
The center, which has kept track of such groups for 30 years, recorded 1,018 hate groups operating last year. 

The number of groups whose ideology is organized against specific racial, religious, sexual or other characteristics has risen steadily since 2000, when 602 were identified, the center said. Antigay groups, for example, have risen to 27 from 17 in 2010. 

The report also described a “stunning” rise in the number of groups it identifies as part of the so-called patriot and militia movements, whose ideologies include deep distrust of the federal government.
In 2011, the center tracked 1,274 of those groups, up from 824 the year before. 

“They represent both a kind of right-wing populist rage and a left-wing populist rage that has gotten all mixed up in anger toward the government,” said Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center and the author of the report. 
It's scary to think about the Anti-Gay groups that are appearing. We need to be ready for this.


3 comments:

Roger Poladopoulos said...

Given the bigoted rhetoric of the GOP presidential race, it's hardly surprising to see this alarming increase. It's almost as though everyone is wearing their hatred and exclusion as a badge of honor. Forwarned is to be forarmed and you're absolutely correct in your assertion that we need to remain vigilant. Good post!

Writer said...

Are we getting more hateful? Or are the small groups who already hate feeling desperate in their hate and therefore mounting a backlash against progressive gains?

Stan said...

No surprise these hate groups are probably and mostly based in the South.

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Viktor is a small town southern boy living in Los Angeles. You can find him on Twitter, writing about pop culture, politics, and comics. He’s the creator of the graphic novel StrangeLore and currently getting back into screenwriting.