Comments on: FAIR Chairman Sings Praises of Racist Founder John Tanton http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/09/09/fair-leader-sings-praises-of-racist-founder-john-tanton/ Hatewatch is a blog of the Southern Poverty Law Center Fri, 24 May 2013 18:34:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: ModerateMike http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/09/09/fair-leader-sings-praises-of-racist-founder-john-tanton/comment-page-1/#comment-323497 ModerateMike Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:45:20 +0000 http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?p=7797#comment-323497 Yes, I do sometimes forget that people tend to be swayed most by arguments that touch them on an emotional and/or personal level. Yes, I do sometimes forget that people tend to be swayed most by arguments that touch them on an emotional and/or personal level.

]]> By: skinnyminny http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/09/09/fair-leader-sings-praises-of-racist-founder-john-tanton/comment-page-1/#comment-323078 skinnyminny Sat, 10 Sep 2011 14:51:12 +0000 http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?p=7797#comment-323078 ModerateMike, I'm no expert on this, but, that's one thing you can't do, and that's 'lose your message.' This, by no means, is being rude or trying to ridicule. But, it's all in the message you are trying to convey, while sizing up your audience (knowing your audience), and presenting it in a way that will sell. In this case, their response, such as, well aren't they just trying to press...here is where you either have to use analogies, or find a better way to present a stronger message. Sounds like you have a few listeners who are hard to convince on certain issues. I find most people are easily convinced by things which are too good to be true, things that are bad for them, i.e., what's too good to be true - get rich quick schemes, things that are bad for them - chasing after relationships they know won't work. A good idea may be to bring in guests, or present stories/incidents of which these groups were involved which resulted in victims - sometimes, it takes a story of a bad incident to get peoples attention. Yet, this will take careful delivery of the message in order to not cause legal issues down the road. Good luck! ModerateMike,
I’m no expert on this, but, that’s one thing you can’t do, and that’s ‘lose your message.’ This, by no means, is being rude or trying to ridicule. But, it’s all in the message you are trying to convey, while sizing up your audience (knowing your audience), and presenting it in a way that will sell. In this case, their response, such as, well aren’t they just trying to press…here is where you either have to use analogies, or find a better way to present a stronger message.

Sounds like you have a few listeners who are hard to convince on certain issues. I find most people are easily convinced by things which are too good to be true, things that are bad for them, i.e., what’s too good to be true – get rich quick schemes, things that are bad for them – chasing after relationships they know won’t work.

A good idea may be to bring in guests, or present stories/incidents of which these groups were involved which resulted in victims – sometimes, it takes a story of a bad incident to get peoples attention. Yet, this will take careful delivery of the message in order to not cause legal issues down the road. Good luck!

]]> By: ModerateMike http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/09/09/fair-leader-sings-praises-of-racist-founder-john-tanton/comment-page-1/#comment-322711 ModerateMike Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:23:34 +0000 http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?p=7797#comment-322711 "All of this information about Tanton’s extremism seems lost on Porter and others in leadership positions at FAIR." I doubt if Tanton's extremism is lost on anyone within FAIR; everything that SPLC has reported about FAIR indicates that it is using the current immigration system to engage in racial/ethnic cleansing. But Tanton's racism, and that of FAIR in general, certainly seems to be lost on the general public. I talk about this organization with everyone whom I can get to listen, and so far, not one person has ever even heard of FAIR or Tanton. Moreover, even my more compassionate listeners are inclined to say things like, "Well, Mike, you're calling what they're doing racism, but aren't they just pressing the government to enforce the law?" It's tough to convince people that racist organizations are behind the current immigration policies without sounding like a paranoid nut. “All of this information about Tanton’s extremism seems lost on Porter and others in leadership positions at FAIR.”

I doubt if Tanton’s extremism is lost on anyone within FAIR; everything that SPLC has reported about FAIR indicates that it is using the current immigration system to engage in racial/ethnic cleansing.

But Tanton’s racism, and that of FAIR in general, certainly seems to be lost on the general public. I talk about this organization with everyone whom I can get to listen, and so far, not one person has ever even heard of FAIR or Tanton. Moreover, even my more compassionate listeners are inclined to say things like, “Well, Mike, you’re calling what they’re doing racism, but aren’t they just pressing the government to enforce the law?” It’s tough to convince people that racist organizations are behind the current immigration policies without sounding like a paranoid nut.

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