The Atlantic | (Video News Report) | – –
“According to research by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of hate groups has been increasing rapidly since 2000. Heidi Beirich, director of the Center’s Intelligence Project, links the rise in recruitment to the 2000 census that predicted whites would be a minority by 2042. Beirich says there’s been another spike following the election of Donald Trump, particularly among alt-right organizations who have attached themselves directly to the current president. In an interview filmed at the 2017 Aspen Ideas Festival, Beirich says that Trump’s limited commentary on hate crimes shows his lack of concern.
The hate has always been there, but stupid, childish Trump has given the hate legs simply to gain supporters.
Trump and the GOP want to move the discussion away from their support of neo-Nazis and white supremacists to civil war monuments. The Democratic party could counter this pivot with discussions about Nazi marches, associations, and symbols. Some countries have already acted on these associations. Unfortunately the Democrats have no pro-active leaders.