The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is at it again. The left-wing propaganda outlet has published its annual “Year in Hate and Extremism” report, which is aimed mostly at smearing conservatives as ruthless bigots seeking to oppress marginalized communities.
This report, released on June 5, highlights the addition of even more right-leaning organizations on its “Hate Map,” including Gays Against Groomers and medical professionals and organizations that oppose using “gender-affirming care” on children.
These organizations are now on the SPLC’s list of hateful organizations, along with the Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazis, and others.
The Southern Poverty Law Center released its “Year in Hate and Extremism” report Tuesday, warning about encroaching “theocracy” and an “authoritarian takeover” as part of the “organizational infrastructure … upholding white supremacy in the United States.”
As I explain in my book “Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center,” the SPLC gained fame by suing the Ku Klux Klan into bankruptcy. It later took the project it used to monitor the Klan and weaponized it against mainstream conservative and Christian nonprofits, putting them on a “hate map” along with Klan chapters.
The Southern Poverty Law Center was initially started to fight actual bigotry and to advocate on behalf of marginalized groups. The group was known for bankrupting the KKK through lawsuits. But now, it is nothing more than a propaganda apparatus for the hard left. Its primary role is to discredit those who disagree with progressive ideas by deceptively labeling them as bigoted, hateful entities.
It is critical to understand what the SPLC is trying to do here. The organization is trying to label groups like Gays Against Groomers in a way that makes them appear as horrible as the KKK. Gays Against Groomers is an openly gay organization with individuals working to fight against the sexualization of children. They oppose efforts to indoctrinate minors into progressive gender ideology. One can disagree with their positions, but the notion that they are motivated by hate is absurd.
The same holds true for medical professionals and organizations who oppose the use of “gender-affirming care,” which includes puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and even surgery on kids. Many have brought up reasonable arguments against these treatments and have pointed out how they are harmful to many children – especially after they become adults. Indeed, the United Kingdom recently abandoned the “gender-affirming care” model for kids. Will the SPLC put the United Kingdom on its hate list as well?
The SPLC’s actions are problematic for a slew of reasons. For starters, it dilutes the seriousness of actual bigotry in America and elsewhere. By expanding the definition of “hate” to include anyone who does not buy into progressivism, they are downplaying groups like the KKK and others.
Secondly, this approach, as intended, stifles legitimate debate and discussion about these matters. The groups the SPLC is targeting are not advocating for violence or discrimination. They are voicing valid concerns about the sexualization and indoctrination of children.
Lastly, this propaganda initiative has real-world consequences. By tricking the public into believing these are actual hate groups, they can cause a loss of funding, social ostracization, and even violence against the members of these organizations. Indeed, over a decade ago, a gunman carried out a shooting at the Family Research Council, a Christian conservative organization. The assailant was inspired by the SPLC’s hate map.
The bottom line is that the SPLC’s propaganda operations are a threat to a free society in which people are able to express their views without being unduly punished. It is an authoritarian approach intended to coerce people into aligning with a certain political ideology and should be condemned.
