From Peter Gadiel
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), has grabbed a very lucrative and seemingly permanent seat on the fundraising gravy train by smearing organizations it claims are "anti-immigrant hate groups."
But recently the SPLC itself attacked an immigrant ethnic minority using the exact same language which, when used by other organizations, it denounces as hate speech and proof that they are nativist "hate groups." The SPLC is going to have to add itself to its list of hate groups!
SPLC's modus operandi for fundraising based on smear is simple, dishonest and vicious. It assumes for itself the authority to define what is a "hate group." It broadens that definition to include political speech—any viewpoint that doesn't strictly adhere to the SPLC's Politically-Correct party line. It adds these groups to a list which already includes the Klan, neo-Nazis, etc in order make the list seem credible and to affirm dissenters' guilt by associating them with those that legitimately qualify as "hate groups". Then it trumpets to its donors that "hate groups" have so proliferated that America is in imminent danger of becoming a fascist dictatorship run by those hate groups —and that giving to SPLC is essential if this rapid descent toward fascism is to be stopped.
Of course, the readers of VDARE.COM already know that, with SPLC's highly elastic standards, anyone and any group that dares speak out against illegal immigration is eligible to be condemned by these witch hunters as "anti-immigrant, xenophobic, fascist, racist, bigoted," etc., etc., etc.
But the SPLC has now posted on its website a vicious anti anti-immigrant screed directed at legal immigrants from Russia. (See it at The Latvian Connection West Coast Anti-Gay Movement on the March By Casey Sanchez, SPLC Intelligence Report, Fall 2007)
Some excerpts:
The SPLC diatribe even quotes one young woman who says that, since these Russians came here, "I get afraid now… I used to consider Sacramento a safe place…to raise a family."
"Now," ominously intones the SPLC, she's "not so sure.…"
Many of the standard techniques that the SPLC deems, when used by others, as "hate speech" are contained in this attack. For example, identifying the targets as "Slav" and "Slavic" would ordinarily result in an SPLC claim that one is trying to isolate the minority and mark them as being different. Identifying the targets as "first or second generation immigrants" would in any other circumstance result in the SPLC claiming this "proves" the speaker is a xenophobe and anti-immigrant.
The SPLC attack also notes that the targeted minority are guilty of speaking a foreign language. Let VDARE.COM criticize someone for not speaking English and SPLC will shout that VDARE.COM is against "diversity," is "racist" and is inciting fear and hatred because it is critical of people who refuse to assimilate and implying that this makes them a threat.
And how about that phrase "Scarf-wrapped babushkas"? How is that for stereotyping? Here's a phrase that drips with contempt for those whose habit of dress is "un-American." .Substitute "burkha-wrapped" and you have the very term which the SPLC would jump on as proof that others are "anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, xenophobic."
The SPLC even quotes a person who appears to be of that most highly suspect hate group, the native-born American: "I get afraid now" because of these Slavic, foreign speaking, scarf-wrapped, immigrants. You can hear the hatred for people who are different!
To lend credibility to its allegation that the targeted minority is dangerous, the SPLC points out that two of them have been "charged" with a crime. Hey, don't La Raza, ACLU and SPLC types always lecture us about how being charged with a crime does not mean one is necessarily guilty? And what ever happened to the idea that just because a few members of an immigrant minority are criminals, that doesn't mean the rest aren't "just here to do the work that Americans won't do?"
It is indisputable that the SPLC language is intended to encourage hatred of Slavs, since it employs the exact phrases and techniques which, when used by others, are denounced by the SPLC as "hate speech." The SPLC's entire marketing plan and income stream are based on attacking speech such as this, and yet here is the SPLC using the very same language. No other conclusion is possible: the Southern Poverty Law Center, according to its own standards, must label itself a hate group.
Supporters of the Southern Poverty Law Center need not read further; you have read all the facts you want to know. Now you can add the SPLC to your personal list of hate groups.
I will address the rest of my commentary to those who don't profiteer from slander and half truths, which is to say those who require all relevant facts before they make a character judgment.
The relevant fact is this: the "Slavic, foreign speaking, scarf-wrapped, immigrants" that SPLC attacks have, it claims, used violence at least once against members of Sacramento's homosexual and lesbian community, and have strongly criticized homosexuality.
If those claims are correct, then these Russian immigrants certainly deserve to be criticized for their actions.
But, recall, the SPLC standard for judging hate groups does not allow for consideration of wrongful acts committed by the immigrant minority; simply criticizing them is an act of hate.
Using this simple standard the SPLC has listed hundreds of groups on its "Hate Watch" whose only crime is opposing illegal immigration.
You say that citizens of foreign nations who choose to immigrate to the United States should do so in accordance with our law? According to the SPLC you're a hater. You dare to speak of the prevalence of gangs, organized violence and drunk driving among illegal aliens? You oppose giving driver's licenses to millions of people who illegally come to the United States? You oppose free education for illegal aliens? Oppose rewarding illegals with citizenship or giving them free medical care, the right to vote, a government backed mortgage, the benefits of affirmative action? Want employers of illegals punished? Don't want illegals hanging out on your streets knocking on the windows of passing motorists? Want fences on our borders to keep out illegal aliens?
Take any of those positions and, according to the SPLC, you and yours qualify as a hate group.
Picture in your mind some Uriah Heep/Joe McCarthy characters combing the newspapers day after day looking for some half truth that can be distorted to fabricate a charge of hate against somebody whose sole crime is holding an opposing opinion. These are the people at the SPLC. The only way to expose them is to confront them directly and aggressively. VDARE.COM has dared to do so. And SPLC, in worst witch hunt fashion, has added it to its list.
The problem for SPLC is that too many Americans have awakened to the dangers of illegal immigration and thus are in agreement with the views that VDARE.COM presents. This overwhelming public opposition to illegal immigration (over 80%) has resulted in more federal and state legislators opposing the SPLC's pro-illegal agenda: more legislative defeats for the open border lobby; increasing media coverage of the damage caused by illegal immigration; and ever-rising number of anti-illegal immigration groups
These factors have forced the SPLC to attack so many individuals and groups that its credibility is disappearing.
It isn't pleasant to be falsely labeled "racist, xenophobe, fascist" even by the likes of the SPLC. But the best defense against such lies is to keep doing what we've been doing—demanding full and equal application of American law regardless of race and national origin.
This will pressure the SPLC, the ACLU, and LaRaza, to cry wolf even more frequently. And remember, the little boy who cried wolf wound up losing his flock.
