Latest news with #SouthernPovertyLawCenter
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Trump's book bans hurt the chances for reparations
'We are in a moment of anti-Blackness on steroids, and we refuse to be silent,' Pressley said earlier this month during a press conference at the US Capitol. 'We will not back down in our pursuit of racial justice,' she added. 'The antidote to anti-Blackness is to be pro-Black, and we will do it unapologetically. The United States government owes us a debt, and we need reparations now.' A large majority of Black Americans agree with Pressley. Nearly 3 in 4 Black adults support reparations, according to a 2024 Advertisement But the percentage of Americans of other races and ethnicities who back the idea is low. Less than half of Hispanic (47 percent) and Asian American (45 percent) respondents are in favor of reparations. And only about a third (34 percent) of white adults surveyed back the idea. Only 36 percent of Americans overall back the idea, according to The reasons for this vary. Some of it may be rooted in prejudice and bias. After all, Japanese Americans received Advertisement But some of the opposition to reparations is rooted in ignorance. As communities prepare to commemorate the ending of slavery later this month on Juneteenth, the majority of Americans finish high school knowing very little about just how atrocious slavery was. Only 8 percent of high school seniors were able to identify slavery as the central cause of the Civil War, according to a 2018 Southern Poverty Law Center And in 2017, There are long-term consequences for this knowledge gap. Just 1 in 4 adults (24 percent) strongly agree that the legacies of slavery affect the position of Black people in American society today, according to the Princeton survey. And America's ignorance about slavery is likely to become more widespread given that support for book bans has reached the federal level. In an executive order aimed at preventing students from reading books that introduce ideas about privilege and oppression and their relationship to race, President Trump accused schools that teach students books like Advertisement 'Such an environment operates as an echo chamber, in which students are forced to accept these ideologies without question or critical examination,' he It's understandable why Trump, who made white grievance a foundational part of his presidential campaign, believes his effort to silence authors is popular. His return to the White House is largely viewed as confirmation of many Americans' rightward shift — even on matters of race — since the summer of 2020, when people filled the streets across the country to protest anti-Black racism after the police killing of George Floyd. Most Americans But Trump is misguided. Americans may not be in favor of what they consider preferential treatment based on race. But they are not fans of banning books — including those that aim to make a case for the need for that preferential treatment. Two-thirds of Americans oppose efforts to restrict books in public schools, according to a 2024 Knight Foundation While former vice president Kamala Harris was unsuccessful in her attempt to keep Trump from returning to the White House, she seemed much more in line with where most Americans are when it comes to learning about this country's history. Advertisement 'We just need to speak truth about history. In spite of the fact that some people try and erase history and try and teach our children otherwise,' Harris 'We need to speak truth about it in a way that is about driving solutions,' added Harris, who as a senator cosponsored the bill that Pressley recently reintroduced. In a country where
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Moms for Liberty goes to war with New York school over five library books
Moms for Liberty, an ultra-conservative parental rights outfit the Southern Poverty Law Center considers an extremist organization, is fighting to immediately remove five 'obscene' library books from an Upstate New York public school, insisting they are simply too dangerous to keep on the shelves. The body of work being challenged supposedly 'normalizes violence and abuse of women and children, depicts rape, equates violence and pain with pleasure, [and] encourages and normalizes early sexual activity among minors,' according to a petition filed this week in Wayne County Supreme Court by Moms for Liberty and an area evangelical pastor. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is set to appear Friday evening at an event hosted by the group. In their petition, the ardent culture warriors claim the books expose kids to 'obscene depictions of sexually explicit acts.' The books in question include People Kill People, a YA novel by bestselling author Ellen Hopkins about the deleterious effects of gun violence; It Ends With Us, a romance novel by Colleen Hoover that was made into a Hollywood film starring Blake Lively; All Boys Aren't Blue, a 'memoir-manifesto' by journalist and LGBTQ activist George M. Johnson about his struggles growing up as a gay Black man; Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold, a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood centered on female empowerment; and Julia Scheeres' Jesus Land: A Memoir, a New York Times bestseller about the author's unpleasant childhood experience at a fundamentalist church camp. Jonathan Burman, a spokesman for the New York State Education Department, told The Independent that leadership 'stands 100 percent behind' state education commissioner Betty Rosa for keeping the five books on the shelves in the face of past challenges. In April, Rosa ruled that Moms for Liberty had 'failed to demonstrate that the challenged books here lack 'literary, artistic, political, or scientific value,' and suggested they had not even read the books they said they found so objectionable. To that end, some of the passages Moms for Liberty claimed were sexually explicit in fact had 'nothing to do with sexuality,' Rosa wrote in her ruling. But Moms for Liberty now argues that Rosa's decision was 'arbitrary, an abuse of discretion, and based on a misapplication of the First Amendment,' and are seeking an injunction to rid the library of the books while a lawsuit to ban them permanently winds its way through the courts. Attorney Abigail Southerland, who is representing Moms for Liberty and serves as senior litigtation counsel at the American Center for Law and Justice, a Christian nonprofit run by former Trump impeachment lawyer Jay Sekulow, did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. The case was first reported locally by the Finger Lakes Times. Local chapter head Jennifer Williams told the outlet she would not comment until the case had been fully adjudicated. Moms for Liberty's attempts to remove books from school libraries have spurred vehement backlash across the nation. The battle began in early 2023, when Rev. Jacob Marchitell, who heads up the Christ Community Church in Clyde, New York, filed a formal request with the school board to have the books removed from the Clyde-Savannah Junior/Senior High School library. A committee appointed by the board reviewed the books and found them to be perfectly acceptable, according to the petition. But when Marchitell increased the pressure, the board yanked the books anyway. The school librarian and a teacher there filed an appeal, but the board reversed itself before a decision was handed down, the petition explains. Marchitell, now with Moms for Liberty on board, appealed the move, unsuccessfully, and in April 2024, Rosa ordered the books to remain on the shelves. Moms for Liberty became involved because, according to the petition, 'at least' five registered members of Moms for Liberty have children enrolled in the district and 'will be exposed and/or have access to these lewd and sexually explicit materials when they visit the District's Jr./Sr. High School Library.' A dozen or so more parents are members of the private Moms for Liberty page on Facebook, the petition states. This week's petition, which initiated what is known as an Article 78 proceeding, runs a whopping 165 pages and includes specific examples of what Moms for Liberty and Marchitell find objectionable. In addition to sex, Moms for Liberty's petition says People Kill People 'contains at least 137 profanities,' It Ends With Us 'contains at least 105 profanities,' and All Boys Aren't Blue 'contains numerous profanities.' The petition flags no problematic profanity in Red Hood , but says it contains 'numerous' instances of pornography, and that Jesus Land contains 'several examples of sexually explicit content and profanities.' '[T]he sexual content contained within these books is excessive and severely undermines any asserted literary value for the students given access to the school library,' the petition alleges. Moms for Liberty, which last year helped ban a book about book bans, has come out in favor of Project 2025, a right-wing blueprint for a potential Trump administration that has been accused of veering into authoritarianism. In a statement issued following Rosa's April decision against Moms for Liberty, New York Library Association President Lisa Kropp said, 'The intimidation tactics used here are being repeated in classrooms and public libraries across the state and the country. As the voice of the library community in New York, NYLA will not allow this tactic to go unnoticed, unremarked, or unchallenged.' Trump, who has vowed to eliminate the US Department of Education if reelected, is making his appearance Friday evening with Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice at the group's yearly meeting in Washington, D.C. It will be the second time in two years he has shown up at the annual confab.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New report finds over 1K hate groups in US: Here's which ones are in Southern Colorado
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — A new report by the Southern Poverty Law Center found there were over a thousand hate and antigovernment groups in the United States in 2024, and 33 of them were in Colorado. Two of the organizations FOX21 spoke with in our region say being on the list is a badge of honor. Southern Poverty Law Center is a nonprofit, civil rights organization that releases an annual Year in Hate & Extremism report that looks into hate and antigovernment extremist groups in the United States as well as their influence on local, state, and national government. Hate groups in the US decline but their influence grows, report shows 'These groups use political, communication, violent, and online tactics to build strategies and training infrastructure to divide the country, demoralize people, and dismantle democracy,' the report said. Over 2024, the report found there were 1,371 hate and extremist groups in the United States, a 5% decline. However, the number of hate and extremist groups in Colorado has been slowly increasing, based on the new report. The report outlines 33 groups across Colorado on its 'Hate Map,' all of which are said to be hate and antigovernment groups. 10 groups are located in Southern Colorado in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and Fountain. Here's which groups across Colorado are on the list and what Southern Poverty Law said is their ideology: Group Ideology Location Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform Anti-Immigrant Lakewood Family Policy Alliance Anti-LGBTQ Colorado Springs Family Research Institute Anti-LGBTQ Colorado Springs Focus on the Family Anti-LGBTQ Colorado Springs Gays Against Groomers – Colorado Chapter Anti-LGBTQ Denver Generations Anti-LGBTQ Elizabeth The Pray in Jesus Name Project Anti-LGBTQ Colorado Springs Colorado Eagle Forum Antigovernment General Brighton Constitution Party – Colorado Antigovernment General Statewide Faith Education Commerce (FEC United) – Northern Colorado Antigovernment General Northern Colorado Freedom First Society Antigovernment General Colorado Springs Moms for Liberty – Boulder County, CO Chapter Antigovernment General Boulder County Moms for Liberty – El Paso County, CO Chapter Antigovernment General El Paso County Moms for Liberty – Larimer County, CO Chapter Antigovernment General Fort Collins Moms for Liberty – Mesa County, CO Chapter Antigovernment General Mesa County Moms for Liberty – Weld County, CO Chapter Antigovernment General Weld County Parents Involved in Education – Colorado Antigovernment General Statewide Tactical Civics – Colorado Antigovernment General Statewide Tactical Civics – Colorado Springs, CO Antigovernment General Colorado Springs Tactical Civics – Fountain, CO Antigovernment General Fountain Tactical Civics – Weld County, CO Antigovernment General Weld County Tactical Civics -Longmont, CO Antigovernment General Longmont We Are Change – Denver, CO Antigovernment General Denver Scriptures for America Worldwide Ministries Christian Identity Laporte American Freedom Network Conspiracy Propagandists Johnstown Northern Kingdom Prophets General Hate Pueblo Colorado Mountain Boys Militia El Paso County Asatru Folk Assembly – Colorado Neo-Volkisch Statewide The American States Assembly – Colorado Sovereign Citizens Movement Statewide Colorado State Assembly Sovereign Citizens Movement Statewide Peoples Operation Restoration Sovereign Citizens Movement Statewide Team Law Sovereign Citizens Movement Grand Junction Patriot Front – Colorado White Nationalist Statewide Focus on the Family says its mission is to support healthy and thriving marriages, but they've also advocated conversion therapy for gay people. The Director of Family Studies says if that lands them on a hate list, then they'll wear it with pride. 'Our big focus now is family, marriage, and parenting,' Glenn T. Stanton, the Director of Global Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family, explained. 'From day one, it has been like Dr. Dobson, who founded the organization, said let's put up a shingle and let's just trust God and see who shows up and need our help, and that's exactly what we do and we'be been doing that every day since the mid seventies.' Focus on the Family made the list for an anti-LGBTQ ideology, while El Paso County's Moms for Liberty was labeled as anti-government. 'When did we start considering families and parental rights and people who want the government to get out of their household as terrorists or hate groups? And that's how far we've come,' Darcy Schoening, Member of Moms for Liberty, explained. 'So, you know, people like me, Moms for Liberty, we have to keep standing up.' Lawsuit filed over Kelly Loving Act Moms for Liberty is among several groups suing the state of Colorado over the Kelly Loving Act, which expands transgender protections in Colorado. Those behind the suit claim it violates free speech and parental rights. 'We're just asking for the government to stay out of our business and not to trans our kids behind our backs,' Schoening said. Although the total number of hate and extremist groups may have dropped in the country, it continues to rise in Colorado. Previous reports tracked 30 groups in 2023 in Colorado, 31 in 2022, 18 in 2021, and 17 in 2020. During the start of the report in 2000, the Hate Map only noted seven groups in Colorado. While the number of white nationalist, hate, and anti-government groups around the U.S. dropped in 2024, the report said this isn't because of the shrinking influence. The report attributes the decline to the lesser sense of urgency to organize because these beliefs have entered politics, education, and society. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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!
Sky News AU
7 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
‘Neo-Marxist Kool-Aid': Southern Poverty Law Center puts youth group on hate map
Newsweek Senior Editor-at-Large Josh Hammer reacts to the Southern Poverty Law Center putting conservative youth group Turning Point USA on their hate map. 'They've paid up a lot of money in defamation lawsuits over the years for things exactly like that,' Mr Hammer told Sky News host Rita Panahi. 'This organisation, to put it mildly, they have lost their way. 'The problem is that, like so many once liberal institutions, they drank the woke identitarian identity politics neo-Marxist Kool-Aid with every ounce of their being. 'They have turned into the very monsters that once upon a time, very long ago, they opposed.'
