The FBI has, for years, paid far to much attention to "hatewatchers"—12 years ago, Sam Francis wrote

So-called "watchdog" groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith rake in millions every year for the purpose of "tracking" what they call "extremist" activities—usually perfectly legal if sometimes bizarre political groups that the FBI and cops can't touch unless they're suspected of committing crimes.

Guess Who Wants To Help Big Brother? October 28, 2002

Recently, the FBI has taken a step that looks like waking up, according to Katie McHugh in the Daily Caller:

FBI severs ties with liberal, domestic terrorism-inspiring Southern Poverty Law Center

By Katie McHugh, Daily Caller, March 26, 2014

The Federal Bureau of Investigations removed links to the Southern Poverty Law Center from the civil rights division’s web page last week, breaking ties with the group that inspired a would-be mass shooter with its “Hate Map.”

The SPLC — and the Anti-Defamation League, an outfit dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism — are no longer identified on the FBI’s hate crimes page as partners.

“Upon review, the Civil Rights program only provides links to resources within the federal government,” an FBI spokesman told The Daily Caller. “While we appreciate the tremendous support we receive from a variety of organizations, we have elected not to identify those groups on the civil rights page.”

But the ADL is furious — the FBI reportedly did not inform the group they planned to cancel their affiliation.

“We are shocked, surprised and disappointed that this would be done without any consultation with groups such as ours who have been working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on issues of hate crime. We look forward to having further conversations with them on this issue,” Abraham H. Foxman, the national director of the ADL, said in a statement.

The SPLC has a torrid relationship with the domestic terrorism it claims to condemn.

Back in 2012, 28-year-old Floyd Corkins II used the SPLC’s Hate Map, which lists groups ranging from the Klu Klux Klan to pro-traditional marriage nonprofits as “active hate groups,” to locate the Family Research Council based in Washington, D.C. Armed with one hundred rounds of ammunition and 15 Chik-Fil-A sandwiches, he planned to “smother in [the] faces” of his victims. Corkins ended shooting up FRC’s lobby and wounding a security guard. [More, links in original]

Instapundit, seeing a headline that said "Anti-hate group blamed for inspiring Family Research Council gun attack dumped by FBI" linked to it with the headline changed to "Hate group blamed for inspiring Family Research Council gun attack dumped by FBI.", and the note "Fixed it for you.."

Inspired by either that, or similar complaints, the Washington Examiner actually changed the headline—it's now "'Shocked' Anti-Defamation League slaps FBI 'diss on hate crimes", [By Paul Bedard, March 26, 2014]

It's a fact that anti-hate groups are dangerous, and there have been many attacks on people considered racist, or far right, and many threats against them.

See Tinley Park Attack: Anarcho-Tyranny In America and Little Green Footballs, The SPLC, Persecution Politics…And Real Persecution.

There's a separate issue for the FBI—in 2002, Sam Francis quoted an interview with David Friedman of the ADL's Washington Office.

Unlike some civil rights groups that might scoff at the notion of police tapping into their resources, the ADL says it has welcomed the interaction with the FBI and other officials.

The ADL's comprehensive database on extremist groups includes international terrorist organizations, such as al Qaeda and Hamas, as well as domestic terrorists, including neo-Nazi and white supremacy groups. It would be difficult for the law enforcement officials to track the movements of all these groups, which is where the ADL offers its help, Friedman said.

Jewish Group Claims Its Database Helps

FBI Combat Terrorism, By Robert B. Bluey, CNSNews.com Staff Writer, October 15, 2002

As Sam pointed out, it wouldn't just be difficult for the FBI to track what the ADL and SPLC call hate groups, it would be illegal. What both American Renaissance and the Family Research Council do is harmless education and advocacy, and post-Watergate reforms to the FBI forbid the FBI from spying on domestic political groups.

If the FBI wants a page to link to for people to find out about the SPLC, on the other hand, I suggest VDARE.com.