Hate groups on the rise

CNN reported this morning a KKK rally at the battlefield of Antietam. It was a small rally by any standard- with only about 30 Klansmen and sympathizers. However, I think this event was a part of a larger trend that is largely off American's radar screens.

Hate groups have been in the midst of a resurgence for many years now- perhaps a couple of decades. What has been fueling this growth?

Some of the fuel is provided by cultural issues and events. The political disputes over affirmative action, gay marriage, and gun control play a major role. Reports of the US nearing a tipping point where 'whites' will no longer be in a majority have caused some to become sympathetic to the arguments of hate groups. Of course September 11, with the portrayal of the event as the US under attack by members of another "race" and religion, has been important.

By far, in my view, the most important reason for resurgent hate groups in the US is the internet. Only 30 will go to a rally, but untold numbers will visit a website. Hate groups- whether the Klan, militia groups, Christian Identity groups, whatever- have used the Web as the means of spreading the message and attracting new members and sympathizers (I simply lack a better word to use, but am aware of the irony of the use of a word rooted in sympathy when discussing hate groups). In researching this matter, I have even found that many race-based hate groups have pages within their sites devoted specifically to children, including games.

The paragraph above is not an attack on the internet. That would be a little too ironic for a blogger. It is simply a warning to all of us. Hatred is "out there" and easily spread on the internet. There is no editor to limit the message of hate. As the message spreads, the threat of people taking that message and converting it to action is very real. Long term, for our nation I am as concerned about home-grown terrorism as I am about Al-Qaeda. There are more Timothy McVeigh's out there in the US heartland. Their hate is being fueled by these websites. Their anger is growing. They are feeling more secure in coming out from their hiding places and protesting at national landmarks.

While these groups often cover themselves in the flag, and certainly use the Constitution's protections, we must recognize that while they are entitled to those protections, they ultimately represent the antithesis of what America is about- justice, fairness, equality, freedom of faith and conscience. While President Bush often mischaracterizes the Al-Qaeda terrorist as being motivated by their hatred of our freedoms, those types of statements may actually fit the home-grown hate groups better.

In our justifiable concerns about the terrorists who come from around the world, we must not neglect to be aware of the serious threat posed by the terrorist next door.

GP