SPLC Responds to RNC Resolution

WASHINGTON — Southern Poverty Law Center President and CEO Margaret Huang issued the statement below following the Republican National Committee's approval of a resolution challenging SPLC’s identification and condemnation of hate groups:

“This Republican National Committee's resolution is an attack on the SPLC's definition of hate groups in order to excuse the Trump administration's history of working with individuals and organizations that malign entire groups of people — such as Black Lives Matter advocates, immigrants, Muslims and the LGBTQ community — with dehumanizing rhetoric.

“While the Republican Party approved this resolution, notably, it did not denounce organizations that promote antisemitism, Islamophobia, neo-Nazis, anti-LGBT sentiment or racism. It only criticized the SPLC for challenging hate groups that have found a place in the Republican Party.

“From the moment that Donald Trump ran for president, he welcomed the support of hate groups like the Family Research Council and the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). Once in office, Trump actively hired and consulted alumni and allies from FAIR, an anti-immigrant hate group that has ties to white supremacist groups and eugenicists. They include Julie Kirchner, Kris Kobach, Jeff Sessions, and most notably Stephen Miller.

“The resolution comes at a moment when Trump will argue at the Republican National Convention that he will combat hate and bigotry. In addition to this resolution giving comfort to hate groups, we have recently seen other evidence of hate groups and extremists making inroads into the Republican Party. Some in the party welcome QAnon into the GOP’s fold. The indictment of Stephen Bannon in recent days is a reminder of the extremism that he sought to embed in the Republican Party. And the SPLC has shined a light on OANN’s Jack Posobiec, a reporter at Trump’s favorite 'news' network, who is aligned with white supremacy and has used his platform to further hate speech and propaganda.

“Now, Trump and the GOP are doubling down with QAnon and partnering with hate groups that are seeking to muzzle anyone who stands in their way of furthering their agenda and hurting communities that we care about.

“But we’re not going to back down from calling out white supremacists and hate groups or pushing back against their dehumanizing rhetoric.”

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