In case you missed the story, last November 4th a polling precinct in Philadelphia, PA was patrolled by an organization called the New Black Panther Party, a Marxist group that in 2000, was listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a racial hate group. Video footage shot in 2008, show Black Panther precinct workers intimidating white voters. This was covered by the news organizations, and resulted in charges being filed by the Bush Department of Justice, whose job it is to defend and protect the voting rights of all Americans.
What should have been an open and shut case has become something more troubling, after the Eric Holder-led Justice Department dropped charges against the Black Panthers, who supported President Obama. Currently, this decision to drop the charges, is being challenged by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, (an organization with which I am affiliated).
Now this is the part where things really get interesting.
The SPLC has been mum on the issue, despite the fact that in 2000, it included the New Black Panther Party among its annual list of hate groups. In fact, what is most shocking is that the SPLC has spent far more resources hounding conservative organizations, such as the Center for Immigration Studies, and prominent citizens like CNN's award-winning anchor Lou Dobbs, than it has protecting the civil rights of American voters, which includes white people as well as black. The unrelenting attacks on Mr. Dobbs and others are shameless. The once venerable organization wages war against conservative individuals, principles, and organizations. How unfortunate for America. How unfortunate for the organization's founders.
There is a name for what has happened. It is called "mission creep." Mission creep occurs when an organization strays beyond its original purpose and engages in actions antithetical to its goals. Rather than monitoring hate groups, the Southern Poverty Law Center has become one.
Follow Carol M. Swain on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CMSwain
Actually the real trouble does not lie with the SPLC Its agenda is to protect Israel and Jews by protecting any government that is their ally against all IT'S opponents whether they are legitimate or not. And in doing so , rather than engaging in honest reporting, it has painted itself into a corner that it can't get out of. This is because the control of the world and its governments with the exception of a few, is not exercised by the will of the people but rather by a relatively few powerful international financiers.
looks like she is still doing someone's hatchet work. not exactly a fan of splc, but swain's mission creep accusation is just plain STUPID.
What you are assuming is bias, in fact is attributable to the authoritarian personality and the corners in which they hide, the churches they frequent, the paramilitary groups they belong to and the political parties in which they feel most comfortable.
According to Altemeyer's research, hate crimes committed by liberals/progressives is virtually non-existent, given their temperament, beliefs, independence of thought, education and socialization.
I know many Democrats would like to have America's political focus remain George W. Bush, rightfully so, he was a horrendous President.
However, it is no longer Bush who is damaging the country, it is the new folks in town. The Democrats are going to find in the 2010 election that they can't ride Bush's coattails any more, they are going to be accountable for their own actions, and that doesn't bode well for them.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32464936/ "
the conversation goes BOTH ways, rep cons may not be able to rely on their continual obama bashing, sooner or later you have to put forth PLANS TO GOVERN like you are failing to do with healthcare.
Maybe she would have if Dobbs had ever done any of those things.
Have you no shame?
I think the SPLC recognizes full well that a narrowly defined role of whipping up fear among people on the left who have deep pockets but not deep brains may be a lucrative way to make a living, but not an effective way to advance its political agenda.
On the other hand, to attempt to broadly define hate to include anyone, for example, who disagrees with the establishment view on immigration policy, opens the door for the SPLC to have much more political influence.
So far this campaign in my view has had limited success, but it is anything but a foolhardy diversion from the more narrowly-defined objective that the SPLC has pursued in the past.
PTA:
"In fact, what is most shocking is that the SPLC has spent far more resources hounding conservative organizations, such as the Center for Immigration Studies, and prominent citizens like CNN's award-winning anchor Lou Dobbs, than it has protecting the civil rights of American voters, which includes white people as well as black. The unrelenting attacks on Mr. Dobbs and others are shameless."
In 2008 The Family Research Council allowed Mark Whitlock and Bob DeMoss to sell boxes of "Obama Waffles" at their Values Voters' Summit.
The waffles box used the image of Aunt Jemima to demean and stereotype Obama with popping eyes and big, thick lips and a broad smile.
They also demeaned and caricatured Michelle Obama.
CNN'S Lou Dobbs, who was a guest speaker at the Summit posed with a box of Obama Waffles while commenting that his wife would like a box of the mix.
Link to photo: http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/6994/
One of the few African American Conservatives attending the Voter Summit was Rev. Harry Jackson, who is the Senior pastor at Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland and an occasional political/social commentator.
Rev. Jackson took Mr. Perkins, Mr. Whitlock and Mr. DeRoss to task over the blatantly racist product called' Obama's Waffles. He wrote an article at the Conservative Web site; Townhall.com warning the Family Research Council of the negative impact of the Obama Waffles on the organization and its relationship with minority groups.
Carol M. Swain was a appearing as a regular guest on the Lou Dobbs show at the time. She could always be counted on to find fault with then Senator Barack Obama and offer reasons from a black woman's perspective for why he should not be elected POTUS.
Most of the time Professor Swain's comments were merely conjecture and speculation and not fact-based or linked to specific events.
Professor Swain has never criticized Lou Dobbs for his long history of xenophobic commentary, his fear mongering, rumor mongering and smear campaigns against Mexicans.
Professor Swain has never criticized Lou Dobbs or held him accountable for his unethical behavior and unprofessionalism in suggesting that President Obama may be an undocumented alien or for using his platform in media to add legitimacy to the Birther movement.
Now that Lou Dobbs has been called out by Whites and Blacks alike who are sick and tired of the relentless promulgation of race-based, conspiracy theories against America's first African American President, Professor Swain has become a full-fledged apologist for a xenophobe and purveyor or racism.
She has launched a campaign to vilify the SPLC which has a proven record of fighting racism and bigotry of all kinds for all people. She is allowing herself to be used as a shill for Dobbs, et al and a stand-in for attacks against other African Americans; namely; The New Black Panthers.
Follow that KISS rule folks- they have their half a—apology-“we did not do a good job”! This should make up for 8 years of total destruction!
Not good enough folks!
The WORLD blames you – the GOP for GLOBAL DESTRUCTION!
Just like R-CA Rep Issa did on Bill Maher-“he is ashamed of his party”!
Not loud enough – REP ISSA! NOT LOUD ENOUGH!!
Does the GOP understand GLOBAL?
THE WORLD-laughs at your ignorance- Be proud GOP!
The WORLD blames you – the GOP - for GLOBAL DESTRUCTION!
The WORLD is not following your KISS RULE!
Thank God for a GLOBAL World- not half of my fellow citizens!
His rhetoric espouses hate and vilification. I know what hate sounds like no matter how you dress it up.
As to what happened in Philly, all that is on video is a small amount of what happened, there were many witnesses, including a former member of RFK's US Commision on Civil Rights. Anyone who thinks having a billy club swung in their face isn't intimidation, which is what the three members of the NBPP did, needs to get their head examined.