Conffederate
Confederate

August 14, 2009

Source of All Reports that Radical Hate Groups Are Forming on the Right is ONE GUY...

...who is a radical left wing former journalist and Huffington Post blogger, at that.

Mark Potok has made quite the career for himself at the Southern Poverty Law Center finding right-wing hate behind every tree to ensure that donations to his non-profit keep rolling in. But as Sweetness & Light note in the link above, Potok bases his claims that right wing hate groups are exploding by his claims of online growth, even as web traffic to the web sites of hate groups remain remarkably constant and in some cases has regressed.

The truly pathetic thing about Potok is that "news" organizations know very well that Potok is a former journalist with an ideological axe to grind.

They have every reason to suspect that the quality and objectivity of his findings are hopelessly biased and are no doubt heavily influenced by his need to raise funds for the organization, which long ago ceased existing for any reason other than to collect money to regurgitate a continual stream of reports to bring in more donations. The SPLC's reports are nothing more than a vicious circle of predictable fear-mongering trotted out at regular intervals to raise funds.

It's a nice racket, I suppose. Potok gets to get his hate on and get paid for it. In doing so, the left wing radical gives reliably dim reporters like Brian Ross and his peers a canned story to run every so often that validates their own biases and preconceptions. They consider it a "win-win" I'm sure.

And it all comes from one guy, who quite his job as a report and declared himself a civil rights expert.

Must be nice work, if you can get it.

Update: Some of that right wing hate. Dave Chapelle would be proud.

Posted by Confederate Yankee at August 14, 2009 03:41 PM
Comments

Fear for Obama's Safety Grows...

Bart: [low voice] Hold it! Next man makes a move, the n..... gets it!
Olson Johnson: Hold it, men. He's not bluffing.
Dr. Sam Johnson: Listen to him, men. He's just crazy enough to do it!
Bart: [low voice] Drop it! Or I swear I'll blow this n.....'s head all over this town!
Bart: [high-pitched voice] Oh, lo'dy, lo'd, he's desp'it! Do what he sayyyy, do what he sayyyy!
[Townspeople drop their guns. Bart jams the gun into his neck and drags himself through the crowd towards the station]
Harriet Johnson: Isn't anybody going to help that poor man?
Dr. Sam Johnson: Hush, Harriet! That's a sure way to get him killed!

Posted by: Neo at August 14, 2009 04:05 PM

Maybe I'm looking at this too sensibly... So what if "hate groups" are behind the opposition to Obamacare!

The questions which are being asked are still valid! They stand on their own merit! It doesn't matter whether they were asked by a White Knight of the KKK or a New Black Panther!

Answer the "effing" questions!

Posted by: Wolfman George at August 14, 2009 04:35 PM

Good to see this site turning on the SPLC. Perhaps that could be followed by turning on those who would give them more power.

Posted by: More about Potok at August 14, 2009 05:17 PM

These tactics may be new and shocking to some be this is how the fascist left has always operated.

No foreign enemy no matter how strong could have done to America what the American people did last November.

Posted by: Pompey at August 14, 2009 05:23 PM

What makes this important is that this one guy with a left-wing advocacy group is apparently the source for our government's official position on "right wing extremism."

Posted by: Alec Rawls at August 14, 2009 05:25 PM

The DHS has released their sources for April's report; see my name's link. Most of it is from the SPLC, but there are several others.

Posted by: The DHS's sources at August 14, 2009 05:40 PM

Kind of like how Wendell Potter keeps making news as a "former CIGNA executive" (he was top PR flack) but the reporters never ever seem to notice that he's now a highly-paid PR for the left-wing socialist Center for Media and Democracy, and that his anti-corporate stance and stories did not begin until he started getting those CMD paychecks.

Posted by: Tully at August 14, 2009 05:53 PM

You also need to look at the ADL's association with DHS and the many 'fusion center's around the US. Plus, the hold 'training' sessions with other LEO agencies, such as the FBI, state police, etc.

The MIAC Report was taken almost verbatim from the 'seminars' they offer for LEO's around the nation.

Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. Your tax money pays them to do that.

Posted by: Warren Bonesteel at August 14, 2009 06:00 PM

Yes, We have a DHS director named Janet. We used to have an Attorney General named Janet and look what she did with protestors that went actually protesting. That turned out great. PT

Posted by: papatodd at August 14, 2009 06:05 PM

It's truly sad about the Southern Poverty Law Center. Morris Dees effectively bankrupted the Ku Klux Klan and other violent white supremacy groups in America so effectively in past decades, he -- and now Potok -- have taken to exaggerating and manufacturing "hate" where there is only political incorrectness. Why? For the purpose of keeping the dough flowing. No fear of widespread hate groups lurking in every swamp, woods, or valley = no donations from guilty white people to keep it at bay.

An example is how the SPLC in recent years targeted (among others) conservative writer Connie Hair as supposedly being a purveyor of "hate" by degrees of separation. Unsuspecting SPLC donors weren't informed that in 2000, Hair volunteered to assist the Presidential run of the candidate whose philosophy most closely resembled her own -- Alan Keyes.

Keyes is not only a black man, he's blacker than Barack Obama -- BOTH of his parents are black.

Posted by: L.N. Smithee at August 14, 2009 06:05 PM
There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs and the hardships of the Negro race before the public.

Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances because they do not want to lose their jobs.

There is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don't want the patient to get well.
-Booker T. Washington

Posted by: The Monster at August 14, 2009 07:31 PM

Of course, the Muslim hate groups are off-limits. How about this little Muslim "love-in" in Chicago last month...
----------------------------

"A speaker identified by conference organizers as Imam Jaleel Abdul Adil said that "if they offer us the sun, or the moon, or a nice raise, or a passport, or a house in the suburbs or even a place to pray at the job, on the condition that we stop calling for Islam as a complete way of life -- we should never do that, ever do that -- unless and until Islam becomes victorious or we die in the attempt."

Later, the following dialogue ensued between the imam and a member of the audience over whether Shariah or the Constitution should be the supreme law of the land in the United States:

Audience member: "Would you get rid of the Constitution for Shariah, yes or no?"

Imam: "Over the Muslim world? Yes, it would be gone."

Audience Member: And so if the United States was a Muslim world, the Constitution would be gone?"

Imam: "If the United States was in the Muslim world, the Muslims who are here would be calling and happy to see the Shariah applied, yes we would."

Audience Member: "And the Constitution gone. That's all."

Imam: "Yes, as Muslims they would be long gone."

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0709/emerson072109.php3

Posted by: Northern Pike at August 14, 2009 07:46 PM

I'm not yet informed enough to comment on the recent work of the SPLC. This thread tells me that I need to do some new research. And, I will.

However, I'm extremely grateful for the work that Morris Dees and Joe Levin have done in past years. They did a fine job of bankrupting KKK organizations, all within the framework of our legal system. My hat's off to them for their past missions and successes.

I'm very skeptical that they have "sold out", as charged by some in this thread. But, I could be wrong. After I do my research, I'll make my own informed decision.


Posted by: Dude at August 14, 2009 08:08 PM

As for the $33,526,228 that the SPLC received in donations in 2007, a sum of money that size enables them to do some serious litigating, which they do VERY well and with a good track record

.


Posted by: Dude at August 14, 2009 08:15 PM

So Po Lo Co: it takes a lot of clout to be a victim?

Posted by: Mary Jo Kopechne at August 14, 2009 09:38 PM

Anyone visiting this page from Montgomery? Just asking!

Here's an overview of the SPLC in case anyone wants to know some of the things the MSM won't tell you about them.

Posted by: 24AheadDotCom at August 14, 2009 10:02 PM

Dude:

If you really look into the history of the SPLC in general, and Morris Dees, in particular, I think you will be less enamored of the way he chose to deal with the people like Tom Metzger, KKK and Aryan Nations.

He really is the "ambulance chaser" of civil rights attorneys! He goes after easy cases, of questionable merit and gets jurys to hand out big rewards (the principle recipient of which is, not the victim, but the SPLC!)

I'm not defending neo-Nazi, or skinheads - far from it, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out in a legal battle betweem a multi-million dollar law firm (SPLC) and a small time T.V. repairman (Tom Metzger)who is going to come out on top!

Not exactly what one would call a fair fight...

Posted by: Wolfman George at August 15, 2009 12:07 AM

Fair fight? I've read enough of Metzger's trash to know where HE stands and what he supports. The fact is, Metzger does support neo-nazis, skin-heads, white supremacy, etc., even if you don't.

The SPLC can't shut him up but they certainly have made a dent in his finances.

Posted by: Dude at August 15, 2009 12:30 AM

Thank you so much Confederate Yankee for opening up this can of worms. The SPLC with the help of the media, is directly responsible for initiating and fostering hatred of the Confederate Southern American peoples. They created with the help of the media a divide that did not exist before and they continue to foster so called victims. Thanks to their ilk, There has never been a greater divide between our peoples as there is today.

The SPLC misrepresented our stand in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, they distorted the facts and created a following and they continue to demonize us to raise money.

Anytime the US Government steps in and turns a States own National Guard against their very own people all the people's freedom has been dashed.

Posted by: JosephineSouthern at August 15, 2009 03:11 AM

"The SPLC can't shut him up but they certainly have made a dent in his finances."

A distinction that has little difference. If I can sue you into penury for what you say, I damn well control what you say.

Defamation law works that way. If you extend it to political speech, freedom is gone.

Posted by: Spartee at August 15, 2009 07:58 AM

You have to remember, to those on the left "hate speech" is any speech with which they disagree.

Posted by: Capitalist Infidel at August 15, 2009 07:59 AM

In my opinion, hate speech, though disgusting, is protected speech by the First Amendment. What is not protected are criminal actions and violations of other people's civil rights. When people such as Metzger others cross the line from speech to violations of civil rights, organizations such as the the SPLC and the ACLU are there to "take 'em to the cleaners".

The internet has many websites where hate speech flourishes. Let 'em rant.

Josephine Southern: I'm a lifelong Southerner, born and reared in the South and proud of much of my cultural heritage. Of course, I'm not a racist nor a white separatist. Many of my friends and neighbors are people who have moved from other parts of America to the South. I certainly don't feel any hatred from those folks.

When you refer to the Confederate Southern American peoples, exactly to whom do you refer? The CSA, a short lived confederacy of states, ceased to exist in 1865. Please explain your statement, "There has never been a greater divide between our peoples as there is today."

Perhaps you're living in the past. While it's true that there are certainly huge political differences among our population, there are very few people who pit Southerners against the rest of the nation. We are the United States of America.

Exactly what was your stand in the 1960s during the civil rights movement? And, how, specifically, did the SPLC misrepresent your stand?

As Commander in Chief the POTUS has the constitutional authority to nationalize state National Guards to enforce Federal Law, which is exactly what Kennedy did. It is telling that during that time period of our nation's history the Alabama National Guard recognized his authority. It took nearly 100 years after the Civil War and the passage of the 14th Amendment for the federal government to ensure that ALL citizens were entitled to their Constitutional rights.

It's time to move on, Josephine. We have other problems to deal with in our nation now. The CSA is history.


Posted by: Dude at August 15, 2009 10:49 AM

Dude:

Yes, a fair fight! Or had you forgotten that in this country the accused is "Innocent Until Proven Guilty"!

And, let's not forget, "Speech which offends no one need not be protected". I disagree totally with everything Metzger says, but by God I will defend his right to say it!

If they can use law suits to silence people like Metzger and Stormfront etc, they can (and have been trying to) silence people like Rush and Hannity and the Confederate Yankee.

If I may paraphrase an old saying:

When they came for the White Nationalists, I did nothing, because I'm not a White Natioinalist. When they came for the Talk Show hosts, I did nothing because I'm not a talk show host. When they came for the Bloggers, I did nothing because I am not a blogger.

When they came for me, there was no one left to help...

Posted by: Wolfman George at August 15, 2009 10:54 AM

>>"As Commander in Chief the POTUS has the constitutional authority to nationalize state National Guards to enforce Federal Law, which is exactly what Kennedy did."


Which "Federal law" did he enforce? None.

Posted by: Steve at August 15, 2009 01:12 PM

>>"The internet has many websites where hate speech flourishes."


I notice that the $PLC does not actually oppose "hate". it opposes certain kinds of opinion. Most of the groups on the left are dripping with hate, but that's not what the $PLC is concerned with.

Posted by: Steve at August 15, 2009 01:16 PM

Dude - All this liberal hate talk seems to be making a lot of people angry, especially since it's filled with a lot of lies, fabrications, projection, and other B.S. just to further a political agenda. You seem to think you're an important person. Why don't you put a damper on some of this left wing hate speech like a patriotic American?

Posted by: daleyrocks at August 15, 2009 02:31 PM

I, too, defend Metzger's right to say whatever disgusting thing that he wants to say. I also defend the right of others to sue him in civil court for monetary damages if he intentionally incited people to commit murder. A jury of his peers agreed and returned the largest civil judgment against him in Oregon's history.

Steve: The way I read it, the part of Federal Law that Kennedy enforced was the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America and, more specifically, the 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown vs Board of Education that ruled that the separate but equal policy that was in effect throughout most of the South was, in fact, unconstitutional. Of course, I'm not an attorney. That's just my take on it from personal research.

Daley Rocks, No, I'm not an important person. In fact, I'm a nobody who is a somebody only because I realize that I'm a nobody. Most certainly I don't think that I'm an important person, except in the eyes of God, my family, and a few friends. That's good enough for me, in that order.

What have I said that makes you say that I think that I'm an important person? Personally, I have no power to put a damper on hate speech either from the right nor the left. Fact is, I hear much more of it from the right than I do the left.

I do what I can to to encourage people to think for themselves and to learn more about our Constitution and government. Alas, in many cases, it seems hopeless.

One more question: Exactly HOW have "they" been trying to silence Rush and Hannity and the Confederate Yankee? You'll have to bring me up to date, please. I don't even own a television anymore.........wouldn't have one if you gave it to me. I DO read a lot of news and opinion on the net. Of the three people that you mention, CY is the only one that I have any respect for.

Though I frequently disagree with his positions on major issues I do respect the manner in which he presents his "case" and, more importantly, that he provides a forum for dissenting opinion and open dialogue.

As for the other two, I've listened to and watched them in enough in years past to have my fill of their dog and pony shows. To me, they're nothing more than bloviating windbags out to make a buck. If people want to listen to them, fine. I recognize them for what they are.

Posted by: Dude at August 15, 2009 10:00 PM

Obviously, Obama would have to be targeted by a group, any group, on the right because frankly there just aren't any groups to the Left of Obama.
For instance, Obama would never be targeted by a Left wing nut group like "The Weathermen" ... former "Weatherman" Bill Ayers was reported to have "baby sat" the Obama kids.

Posted by: Neo at August 15, 2009 11:16 PM