The Southern Poverty Law Center reported this week that the number of hate groups and members of hate groups are on the rise, with the biggest uptake being anti-Muslim groups inspired by the current political climate.
In the rise of Trump, many associated with hate groups became more emboldened, acting out more in public and making their extreme views known online and in their communities.
From the New York Times:
“According to the SPLC, the number of American hate groups has been climbing steadily for most of the past 30 years, but the new arrivals to the SPLC’s list in 2016 were predominantly characterized as white nationalist and anti-Muslim groups.”
The report noted that the largest increase, by far, was those devoted to working against Muslims in America.
“The report says hate groups in the United States nearly tripled, from 34 in 2015 to 101 last year.”
One of the newly-established groups claims Michael Flynn, Trump’s disgraced NSA advisor, as a board member.
Critics may try and explain away these reports, saying that an online gathering of racists does not a hate group make, but the SPLC only includes groups that interact in the real world, handing out pamphlets or holding meetings, in their study. If they were to include online forums and organizations, those numbers would skyrocket further.
You can read more about the study from the New York Times.
