Latest news with #MargaretHuang
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hate group numbers dipped because their beliefs became mainstream, new report warns
[Source] While the number of hate and extremist groups in the U.S. decreased slightly in 2024, a new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) claims the decline reflects the growing mainstreaming of their ideologies — not a reduction in their influence. According to the SPLC's annual 'Year in Hate and Extremism' report, released May 22, the total number of active hate and anti-government groups dropped by 5% to 1,371. However, the organization warns that many extremists now feel less need to organize separately, as their views are increasingly echoed in government policies and political rhetoric. Entering the mainstream 'After years of courting politicians and chasing power, hard-right groups are now fully infiltrating our politics and enacting their dangerous ideology into law,' said Margaret Huang, SPLC president and CEO. Trending on NextShark: The report cites the adoption of anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment into state legislation as examples of extremist positions becoming normalized. As these ideas gain traction within political institutions, some former hate groups have disbanded or become less visible, according to the SPLC. Anti-government and male supremacist groups While the overall number of hate groups declined, the report found a rise in anti-government extremist organizations, which increased to 838 in 2024. These groups, which include militias and self-identified sovereign citizens, often characterize the federal government as oppressive and illegitimate. Trending on NextShark: The SPLC also noted a surge in male supremacist groups, which grew to 16 last year. These groups espouse misogynistic ideologies and strict gender hierarchies. The report links their increased visibility to political developments during the 2024 election cycle, including the candidacy of Kamala Harris. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
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The Independent
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
The number of hate groups in the US is shrinking — but their voice is growing louder
The number of white nationalist, hate, and anti-government groups in the U.S. declined slightly in 2024, not because their influence is fading. Many believe that racist ideologies and narratives of Christian persecution are becoming more accepted in government and mainstream conversations - allowing their voice to grow while the number of groups shrinks. The Southern Poverty Law Center reported a 5 percent decrease in hate and extremist groups in its annual 'Year in Hate and Extremism' report released Thursday. The nonprofit organization attributes the decline to a reduced need for formal organization, as hateful beliefs have increasingly permeated politics, education, and general society. According to the report, the influence is evident in efforts to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, restrict books and protest drag story hours. 'After years of courting politicians and chasing power, hard-right groups are now fully infiltrating our politics andenactingtheir dangerous ideology into law,' said Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the SPLC. 'Extremists at all levels of government are using cruelty, chaos and constant attacks on communities and our democracy to make us feel powerless. We cannot surrender to fear. It is up to all of us to organize against the forces of hate and tyranny. This report offers data that is essential to understanding the landscape of hate and helping communities fight for the multiracial, inclusive democracy we deserve.' In 2024, there were 533 active hate groups, including those promoting anti-LGBTQ+, anti-immigrant, antisemitic and anti-Muslim views. This figure has been gradually decreasing since peaking at a record high of 1,021 in 2018, according to the report. "The trends have slightly sort of gone up and down but let's just say generally, since our tracking, have increased. And that's not just on a total numbers level but also on a per capita," said Rachel Carroll Rivas, interim director of the SPLC's Intelligence Project. According to the Montgomery, Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of anti-government groups increased to 838 in 2024. These groups, which include militias and self-identified sovereign citizens, often view the federal government as "tyrannical." The SPLC also noted a growing presence of male supremacist hate groups, documenting seven new ones in 2024 for a total of 16. These groups promote misogynistic views and rigid gender roles. Their increased visibility happened in a historic election year with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris becoming the first woman of color nominated for president by a major political party. While not directly attributing it to Harris's candidacy, SPLC researchers found 'intense vilification' of her in white supremacist chat rooms, along with claims that women are unqualified for leadership. Additionally, some far-right groups promote the belief that white Christian culture is under threat due to a so-called "demographic crisis," including declining birth rates. "Politicians, pundits and provocateurs on the right have turned toward demonic language to tar those who disagree with them," the report states. Last year's report found record levels of white nationalist and anti-LGBTQ groups in 2023. It detailed how far-right organizations sought to undermine democracy through disinformation, conspiracy theories, and threats against election workers. The report also highlighted how advocates of Christian supremacy used these issues to rally support for authoritarian goals. The SPLC is a liberal advocacy group that tracks hate groups, files justice-related lawsuits, and runs educational programs to combat prejudice. It has faced criticism from conservatives and legal challenges over its classification of certain organizations as hate groups.
The Hill
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Thousands of Confederate symbols still standing, report finds
Thousands of Confederate symbols are standing in public spaces around the nation despite ongoing efforts to have them removed or renamed. More than 2,000 Confederate symbols, including 685 monuments, are still standing, according to the latest bi-annual report 'Whose Heritage?' from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Other symbols include government buildings, schools, military property, and streets and highways named after individuals who have been associated with the Confederacy. The report, released Thursday, includes data and a map tracking Confederate symbols in public spaces. The fourth installment comes as some states acknowledge Confederate History Month. 'As the Trump administration escalates its efforts to rewrite our history, we cannot let up in telling the whole, true story of our nation,' Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the SPLC, said in a statement. 'Our report explores the tremendous harms of glorifying white supremacy in monuments and memorials, from keeping false narratives of racial hierarchy alive to propping up ongoing systemic discrimination. We need spaces of public memory that capture the full truth of our history, especially the struggle for freedom and civil rights.' Activists have pushed to have municipalities remove any symbols related to the Confederacy, particularly from schools and federal buildings where many non-white Americans learn and work everyday. While supporters of the symbols claim such monuments honor Southern history and culture, protesters argue the symbols are racist and divisive. The Trump administration has taken its own stance on the issue, recently restoring the names of two military bases that honored Confederate generals. North Carolina's Fort Liberty was reverted back to Fort Bragg, while Georgia's Fort Moore was changed back to Fort Benning. The report includes a detailed history of the confederate flag, including how segregationists resurrected it in the 1950s and 1960s in opposition to the Civil Rights Movement and the recent resurgence of its use. The report also directly links Confederate symbols, including the Confederate flag, to President Trump, pointing to how some of his supporters have flown the flag at his rallies. The report notes that at no point during the Civil War did any Confederate symbol come within six miles of the U.S. Capitol, but during the Jan. 6 insurrection, Trump supporters carried the Confederate flag into the Capitol building. The report also argues that the Lost Cause mythology — or the idea that romanticizes slavey and claims the Civil War was a fight to preserve Southern culture — has been central to Trump and his supporters. In 2020, Trump labeled protesters removing confederate statues as an 'angry mob' and said the nation was 'witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values, and indoctrinate our children.' He also said the monuments were 'statues of our founders' and some of 'our most sacred memorials.' Support for Confederate symbols varies drastically depending on race and party. A 2024 poll by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 81 percent of Republicans support preserving Confederate symbols, compared to only 30 percent of Democrats. Meanwhile, 58 percent of white Americans support the preservation of such symbols, compared to only 25 percent of Black Americans. 'We should not honor those who fought to continue slavery and tear apart our democracy,' Huang said. 'It's on all of us to lead efforts in our own communities to promote truth-telling and reconciliation. Our report serves as a tool to support that critical work.'
