The media is starting to tell it like it is, and the Nativists are getting even more restless.
In “Leader says FAIR is no hate group,” FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform) President Dan Stein takes issue with a recent article by the Frederick News-Post Online, chronicling the quiet—but sinister—rise of hate groups across the country.
The piece cited the latest report by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which argues:
As a result of rising animosity, spawned by the national debate over illegal immigration, the economic recession and the election of President Barack Obama, the number of national hate groups is increasing in America, according to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The report, which tracked hate groups by state, noted that the number of such groups in the U.S. rose from 602 in 2000 to 926 in 2008. The number of hate groups rose about 4 percent from 2007 to 2008, according to the report, released Thursday.
Stein, the leader of FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform), challenged the reporting of his group’s status, saying, “FAIR stands behind 30 years of constructive and highly ethical conduct for what we believe is proper immigration reform.”
In addition to “30 years of ethical conduct,” here are some other highlights of FAIR’s work:
- FAIR was founded by a supporter of eugenics, John Tanton, with funds from the Pioneer Fund, a foundation committed to the belief that some races of people are genetically and intellectually superior to other races. Tanton continues as a leader of FAIR and sits on its board of directors.
- FAIR employed and continues to employ known anti-Catholic bigots, including Rosanna Pulido, who said of the Catholic Church in the United States: What better way to fill your pews and fill your offering coffers than with inviting in and giving sanctuary to illegal aliens? . . . What is being passed off right now by the Catholic Church is not Catholicism. It has nothing to do with Christianity or the Bible.
- FAIR’s Executive Director Dan Stein has been an author and editorial board member for the Social Contract Press. FAIR Board member Sharon Barnes has also been on the editorial advisory board. Social Contract publishes the work of numerous white nationalists such as John Vinson, who wrote that God prefers racial separation and that the South should secede from the United States to protect white people.
- FAIR has well-documented connections to the racist hate group Council of Conservative Citizens, formed out of the old White Citizens Council. The Council of Conservative Citizens has described black people as “a retrograde species of humanity.” FAIR staffer Rick Oltman has spoken at Council events, as did FAIR field coordinator Dave Ray. Similarly, Council leaders Sam Francis and Jared Taylor have spoken at FAIR run forums.
Clearly nothing to be concerned about here!
For more information, check out Southern Poverty Law Center’s new interactive map, which charts the rise of hate crimes, and race-based violence across the country. You can add your name to take a stand against hate.
