The Year in Hate 2008

Issue Number:

133

Spring

2009

The number of hate groups rises to a record 926; far-right commentators blame minorities for the subprime mortgage crisis; "nativist extremist" groups continue to grow; and the sovereign citizen movement gains momentum.

In This Issue

926 Hate Groups Active in 2008

Number of Hate Groups Tops 900

By David Holthouse
Illustration by Sean McCabe

Fueled by immigration fears, the economy, and the rise to power of a black president, hate groups in America rose again last year

HUD Debunks False Statistic About How Many Bad Mortgages Illegal Immigrants Hold

Immigrants Blamed for Mortgage Crisis

By Larry Keller

Far-right commentators are blaming immigrants and minorities for the subprime mortgage crisis. They're not telling the truth

Jim Gilchrist Admits Nativist Movement Growing with ‘Sinister Intentions’

Hard Core of Nativist Movement Growing

By David Holthouse

The hard core of the anti-immigration movement is growing

Sovereign Citizens Movement Resurging

Resurgence of Far-Right Movement Reported

By Casey Sanchez

The 'sovereign citizens' movement, big in the 1980s and again in the 1990s, is making another comeback. And officials are worried

More Features

Nativist Backlash Happens Amid Progress on Diversity Editorial By Mark Potok, Senior Fellow Barack Obama, the son of a white mother from Kansas and a black father from Africa, is a symbol of the rich diversity of our nation, his election a sign of how far our nation has come in embracing that diversity. But there are other signs of just how far we have to go.	Klan Wizard Ron Edwards Defeated in SPLC Lawsuit Victim Awarded $2.5 Million in SPLC Lawsuit By Sonia Scherr A case brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center results in a $2.5-million judgment against the Imperial Klans of America
Center for Immigration Studies Continues to Produce Anti-Immigrant Studies By Heidi Beirich, Intelligence Project Director The Center for Immigration Studies says it's an 'independent' think tank seeking to expand knowledge. It's more than that.	The Westboro Baptist Church Debates The Last Word By Larry Keller Women of the gay-bashing Westboro Baptist Church say they're just ‘loving their neighbor' when they predict he'll burn in hell
NumbersUSA’s Ties to Federation for American Immigration Reform Founder John Tanton By Heidi Beirich, Intelligence Project Director The founder of a leading immigration-restriction group says he's no racist. But his close ties to a key nativist raise questions.	Racist Backlash Greets President Barack Obama Racist Backlash Greets New U.S. President By Larry Keller Even as many celebrated, the election of America's first black president provoked a furious backlash from some angry whites
Skinhead Profiles Journey from Hate to Hope in New Book A former racist skinhead recruiter describes his violent life in the movement, and how he came to leave it all behind	'Patriot' Groups Active in the Year 2008 The Intelligence Project identified 149 "Patriot" groups that were active in 2008, up from 131 in 2007.
Minuteman Political Action Committee Criticized for Failure to Spend Nativist Group Criticized for Failure to Spend By Sonia Scherr A key nativist group's political action committee spent only 9% of recently raised funds on candidates, angering former supporters	Bajo la Máscara Por Heidi Beirich El Centro de estudios de Inmigración dice que es un grupo de expertos "independientes" que busca expandir sus conocimientos. Es más que eso.
Malas Compañías Por Heidi Beirich El fundador de un destacado grupo partidario de restringir la inmigración dice que no es racista. Pero sus vínculos cercanos con un nativista clave suscitan dudas	La crisis: ¿culpa de las minorías? Por Larry Keller Aunque el HUD de inmediato desmintió el dato falso, éste se dispersó rápidamente en blogs populares, programas de radio de agencias de noticias y las principales cadenas de cable.
El dinero y los Minutemen Por Sonia Scherr El comité de acción política de un grupo nativista clave destinó sólo 9% de los fondos recién recaudados a los candidatos, algo que enojó a ex partidarios	'Intenciones Siniestras' Por David Holthouse A mediados del año pasado, Jim Gilchrist, uno de los arquitectos principales del movimiento nativista moderno, parecía un hombre lleno de arrepentimiento.
Los asesinatos por nativistas afectan áreas anti-inmigratorias El asesinato de Lucero hizo que mucha gente sugiriera que los debates acrimoniosos recientes del condado de Long Island sobre las leyes inmigratorias locales y los jornaleros latinos han creado un clima que fomentó la violencia.	Hate in the Mainstream Quotes From the Right A collection of quotes regarding race and hate
Incident List: 'Sovereigns' and the Law So-called "sovereign citizens" are notorious for engaging in a variety of schemes involving money, false identification documents and the courts — scams that land them in criminal trouble with remarkable regularity.	Sovereign Ex: Participant Tells His Story Interview conducted by Casey Sanchez Photography by Mark Wallheiser David Kanz, imprisoned for 'paper terrorism,' describes how he got into — and out of — the 'sovereign citizens' movement.

Briefs

Nativist Murders Suggest Effect of Rhetoric Anti-Immigrant Hate Crimes Nativist murders hit areas known for anti-immigration politics	Tony Alamo Faces New Underage Sex Charges Anti-Catholic Groups Arkansas cult leader arrested on underage sex charges	Austrian Nativist Leader Dies in Car Crash Xenophobic leader dies, and a long-held secret spills
Helpers in NH Standoff Handed Stiff Terms Tax Protesters Standoff abettors get stiff prison terms	Woman Murdered After Trying to Quit Klan Ku Klux Klan Oklahoma woman murdered for trying to quit Klan	Fox News Uses Radical Anti-Semite as Expert Extremism in the Media Fox News uses radical anti-Semite as 'free-speech' expert
New Charges Against Neo-Nazi Bill White New federal charges lodged against supremacist leader	Arizona Reelects Hard-Core Nativist Politician Hate in the Mainstream Forced out as an Arizona state representative after eight years because of term limits, immigrant-bashing legislator Russell Pearce was elected to the state Senate in November. A Republican from Mesa, Pearce defeated his Democratic opponent by getting 56% of the vote.	Racist Skinheads at Walt Disney World Dec. 7-8, 2008 A crew from the American Front, a Sacramento, Calif.-based gang of racist skinheads led by David Lynch, traveled to Walt Disney World in Florida, where they doubtless shocked other visitors as they sieg-heiled their way down the Splash Mountain flume ride.
VDARE: GOP Should Concentrate on Whites Academic Racists According to Peter Brimelow, the most important issues in the presidential election were not the war in Iraq and the economic crisis, but immigration and race.	Holding Klan Leaders Accountable By Richard Cohen, President The Klan leader didn't know his followers attacked a young man while on a recruiting mission. So how can he be held responsible?	Moscow Skinheads Murder 20 Immigrants After a closed-door trial, a Moscow court found seven teenaged racist skinheads guilty of murdering 20 immigrants during a yearlong killing spree.
British Extremist Membership List Leaked A spreadsheet containing the names and personal information of British National Party members was leaked on the Internet, causing a major embarrassment for the neofascist political party. Nick Griffin, the BNP's longtime leader, called the leak "a nasty piece of intimidation."	Holocaust Deniers May Face New Prosecutions At age 70, David Irving, the world's most infamous and intransigent Holocaust denier, continues to flirt with more prison time in a series of European nations over his revisionist claims about World War II. And he is not alone.	Los arizonenses reeligen a un político nativista conservador Obligado a dejar su cargo como representante del estado de Arizona después de ocho años debido a los límites del mandato, el legislador crítico de los inmigrantes, Russell Pearce, fue elegido como Senador del estado en noviembre.
The Blotter: Spring 2009 Updates on Extremism and the Law