According to a report released yesterday by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of domestic hate and extremist groups in this country has grown to record levels. In 2011, there were 1,018 “hate groups” nationally, representing a slight increase from the previous record of 1,002 hate groups tallied one year earlier in 2010. California, the nation’s most populous state, led the nation with 84 hate groups last year; followed by Georgia with 65; Florida with 55 and New Jersey with 47.
While anti-gay and anti-Muslim groups experienced increases, the number of Ku Klux Klan groups actually declined significantly from 221 in 2010 to 152 in 2011. The SPLC also saw a significant decline in extremist groups that engage in confrontational activities beyond mere political organizing, such as harassing undocumented residents or undertaking border patrols.
This is a rhetorical question, but it has to be asked anyway: Any chance this increase in hate speech has anything to do with the current White House residents?
