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THE SACRAMENTO BEE:
Racists, fascists use modern recruitment techniques

Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Scripps-McClatchy Western 

(April 19, 1998 5:37 p.m. EDT http://www.nando.net) -- Despite a prosperous
economy that typically mitigates against malice, hate groups and hate
crimes seem to be growing in the United States these days. Authorities
believe use of the Internet and more sophisticated recruitment of young
people are contributing to the growth.

While there has always been a disturbing background of organized hatred in
the country, the activity tends to be highly cyclical. The flourishing and
subsequent decline of the Ku Klux Klan is a classic American example.

But today it is growth of existing Klan chapters and other established
groups such as Christian Identity that fuel the rise in observed hate
groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) - a private organization in
Montgomery, Ala., that tracks hate groups - says it monitored 474 hate
groups and chapters engaged in racist behavior last year. Based on previous
observations, that represents about a 20 percent increase from the year
before.

FBI statistics also show increases in hate crimes, reporting 8,759 crimes
motivated by bias in 1996 compared to 7,947 in 1995. (Because accurate
reporting of hate crimes is new for many police agencies in the country,
it's impossible to tell whether those figures represent an increase in
incidents or simply better reporting of incidents.)

Private and government observers agree that the Internet - particularly
sites on the World Wide Web - is a factor in the growth. "Just as it has
helped Wall Street and the media industry, it has also helped hate groups,"
says FBI Special Agent James Cavanaugh, who is investigating a Birmingham
bombing. "Before they were isolated. Now it's easier for them to see
like-minded bigots. The country has shrunk."

SPLC observers have spotted 163 Web sites advocating racial hatred,
according to their report. The sites have proliferated since the first
Klan-member neo-Nazi site was observed three years ago.

In addition, hate groups also piggyback on the popularity of racist and
anti-Semitic rock groups in recruiting young people nowadays. Mark Potok,
editor of the SPLC's report on hate groups, says bands such as "No Remorse"
and "Bound for Glory" can sell up to 50,000 copies of recordings that
use incendiary lyrics to advocate violence against minorities. "The hate
movement in the United States has done very poorly in recruiting young
people, by and large. ...it may be turning the corner."

That would be a tragic turn of events. Hate crimes and organized hate
movements flourish when society allows demonization of minorities, for
whatever reason. Pressure against that behavior likewise filters through
society and shows up in the values in young people. Vigilance by
organizations such as SPLC and constant reinforcement from us all are small
prices to pay to counter the messages of hate.
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