On Thursday’s CBS "Early Show," host Harry Smith had on the founder of the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center, Morris Dees, to discuss "...the ugly news about nooses. Why this symbol of bigotry is suddenly back." Smith then went on to ask: "Is there some way to account for this resurgence in seeing this as a symbol? We've done an internet search. It's popping up all over the place." I think we are all impressed with Harry’s extensive research skills.
Beyond the recent noose controversies at Columbia University and in the Jena Six case, Smith and Dees launched into a litany of examples of racism in America and declared a rise in such sentiments:
SMITH: "You've monitored hate groups for decades now. Do you have a sense that they're flourishing, floundering? Are we -- is there a resurgence? Might this be a symbol of some resurgence?"
DEES: "Well I think definitely it is. In the last five years, we've seen a 30% increase in the number of hate groups. We're tracking at the Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Project some 844 hate groups in the United States, and we see that a large percentage of them, the motivation for their increase has been Latino immigrants in the United States."
It is interesting to note that one such "hate group" listed in the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project is the conservative student organization known as Young Americans for Freedom. Not to be confused with the Young America’s Foundation, Young Americans for Freedom was founded in the 1960's and had former President Ronald Reagan as member of its Advisory Board and he remained an "Honorary Chairman" of the organization decades after. Last time I checked, Ronald Reagan was not a leading member of a hate group.
To drive the point home, Smith and Dees continued the segment with this exchange:
SMITH: "Wow, so Latinos in California. There were, certainly was a rise in the number of hate crimes against Muslims. We come back to sort of the original, one of the original hate crimes in the United States, is violence against blacks. Is -- do you trace this back to Jena, or is there something larger going on?"
DEES: "Oh, I think it's something larger. We have systemic built-in racial bias and prejudice all across the United States."
I guess Harry Smith feels we are getting back to basics with our "original" hatred of minority groups. To Dees’ credit, at the very end of the segment he did mention instances of fabricated racist displays:
We've seen a lot of these hoaxes perpetrated...So, I think we have to look at it and not jump to conclusions. Just because you see a noose, you think it's something that has been done against the victim.
At that point, Smith was suddenly very tight on time and ended the segment.
Here is the full transcript of the segment:
7:15AM TEASER:
HARRY SMITH: "Ahead this half hour, the ugly news about nooses. Why this symbol of bigotry is suddenly back."
7:18AM SEGMENT:
SMITH: "Good morning again. I'm Harry Smith. This is "The Early Show" on CBS. Here in New York, students protested at Columbia University after a noose was found hanging on the office door of an African-American professor. In the last two months, we've seen at least a dozen incidents involving nooses around the country. Apparently copycats of the Jena Six case in Louisiana. Morris Dees, founder and Chief Legal Counsel for the Southern Poverty Law Center has been tracking racial incidents like these for more than 35 years. He joins us this morning. Good morning, Morris."
MORRIS DEES: "Good morning, Harry."
SMITH: "You know, the noose in and of itself is such a vile symbol, and it represents the wanton killing of human beings, of racism at its most base form. Is there some way to account for this resurgence in seeing this as a symbol? We've done an internet search. It's popping up all over the place."
DEES: "I think maybe Jena, Louisiana, possibly has caused some copycat situations. There are no real database you can go to check on this, and we've seen nooses and flame crosses and swastikas used over the last 10, 15 years all over the United States, not just in the south."
SMITH: "If you want to get a message to somebody, though, this is a pretty clear message sender, isn't it?"
DEES: "It certainly is. It's a fearful message. I noticed in the last couple of weeks we've seen in Long Island, New York Police Department, a noose was put in the break room. And in Pittsburgh, we saw it in a bus station. So, I think this is a thing that's going all over the United States, not just in Jena and the south."
SMITH: "Yeah. Also in the Coast Guard Academy. I mean, really, you need to Google it and you'll see it pop up all over the place."
DEES: "Right."
SMITH: "You've monitored hate groups for decades now. Do you have a sense that they're flourishing, floundering? Are we -- is there a resurgence? Might this be a symbol of some resurgence?"
DEES: "Well I think definitely it is. In the last five years, we've seen a 30% increase in the number of hate groups. We're tracking at the Southern Poverty Law Center intelligence project some 844 hate groups in the United States, and we see that a large percentage of them, the motivation for their increase has been Latino immigrants in the United States."
SMITH: "Right."
DEES: "In fact -- in fact, California's the leading state with the largest number of hate groups of nearly 60. And Pennsylvania has 27 hate groups. They're in Texas and Florida, also have large numbers."
SMITH: "Wow so Latinos in California. There were, certainly was a rise in the number of hate crimes against Muslims. We come back to sort of the original, one of the original hate crimes in the United States, is violence against blacks. Is -- do you trace this back to Jena, or is there something larger going on?"
DEES: "Oh, I think it's something larger. We have systemic built-in racial bias and prejudice all across the United States. But I think we also have to be real careful and look at each individual noose situation or cross burning on its own. At Duke University not too many years ago, a black doll was found hanging from a tree on campus with a sign that says "Duke has not changed." And a few days later, three African-Americans pleaded guilty for doing it. We've seen a lot of these hoaxes perpetrated. In fact, one college professor was claimed that racial epitaphs were painted on his car, and he did it himself. Right? So, I think we have to look at it and not jump to conclusions. Just because you see a noose, you think it's something that has been done against the victim."
SMITH: "Got it. Alright, Morris Dees, thank you so much."
—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Is It Hate?
October 11, 2007 - 13:13 ET by NoMoreClintonsWould the National Association of Black Journalists be considered a hate group? No. But why not? They hate Imus (among other White things).
If there were one, would a National Association of White Journalists (or White anything) be considered a hate group?
You bet.
Anything with black in the name can't be considered a hate group by the PC Police but anything advocating white in the name would almost certainly be considered one. Can anybody give a reasonable explanation for this hypocritical double standard??
"hate" groups?
October 11, 2007 - 15:35 ET by TruthMongerwhy do we call these groups "hate groups?"
hate is a natural, healthy emotion
Democrats hate the religious right - doesn't that make them a hate group then?
A service of the new NB respect police
Is it Hate?
October 11, 2007 - 23:00 ET by merlin61Its the MSM who keep stirring the pot and trying
to make racism more than it is. They are the ones
who keep saying integrated schools are not
integrated anymore. Neighborhoods are
segregated, anything they can put in articles to make
it look like segregation is back in vogue. Then,
they wonder what's happening? They're the
innocent ones. They have nothing to do with
stirring up the races. Look what they are doing
with immigration. The poor illegal immigrants.
We are picking on them. Saying nothing about
their illegality.
Racemongers to blame
October 11, 2007 - 13:19 ET by mattmIf racism is on the rise (which I doubt) the race-mongers are at least partly guilty. The head-counters, the diversity crowd, politicians, lawyers and pundits, and anyone else who plays the race card whenever it benefits them, have worsened racism, or at least helped slow down its demise.
I would be happy to have
October 11, 2007 - 15:18 ET by TruthMongerI would be happy to have the MSM bring up our nation's rampant racism...
The racist left is the sole problem and is long overdue on being confronted. I hope the rest of the nation takes the time to start addressing this with us...
Maybe we need to set up White Entertainment Television, Ivory magazine, National Association for the Advancement of White People, The United Caucasion College Fund, etc to get the ball rolling...
Check out a local "black pages" or hmong directory, etc and start writing letters - let's get down to business and END RACISM ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!
A service of the new NB respect police
Reagan Tried
October 11, 2007 - 15:27 ET by mattmReagan tried to promote a "colorblind" society that would reflect MLK Jr.'s dream that people would not be judged by color, but by character.
The Left scoffed, howled and ridiculed this while continuing to promote racial strife for political and financial gain.
well at least we're not
October 11, 2007 - 15:32 ET by TruthMongerwell at least we're not racist on the right - we must be a shining example for the left...
A service of the new NB respect police
Oo -oo -ooh! Me! Me!
October 11, 2007 - 13:21 ET by dervish"Is there some way to account for this resurgence in seeing this as a symbol?"
Can I guess that it's because every frickin' time one is found somewhere, it's blared in every media outlet for weeks at a time?
Goverment built-in biases
October 11, 2007 - 13:23 ET by Daniel BakerWe have systemic built-in racial bias and prejudice all across the United States.
Yes we do. Can anyone name some of these goverment built-in biases?
_______________________________
Learn about "the best choice for people of faith" http://www.evangelic...
If only Mr. Smith would
October 11, 2007 - 13:29 ET by Roger the ShrubberIf only Mr. Smith would Google "furry porn", he would get 1.75 MILLION hits. Where's the outrage, CBS? Their Pro-Furry Bias is so obvious!
racism
October 11, 2007 - 13:31 ET by bsmarjWhen SPLC sez that being anti-illegal immigrant is being racist I tend to not believe to much of what they have to say. I am sure there is still racism around but I also see the definition of what racism is has changed.
When I saw the story of the
October 11, 2007 - 13:34 ET by DarkseanWhen I saw the story of the noose at Columbia and then the corresponding "response" being meetings to discuss more minority hiring and student acceptance, etc., my first thought was that it was a hoax.
All a minority/activist would have to do is throw a noose or a burning cross hither and yon and suddenly affirmative action is going full tilt again.
Did anyone else think it was a hoax?
Professor Hoaxes of Racism
October 11, 2007 - 13:49 ET by mastersofdeceitWouldn't be the first time. Here's the case of Claremont McKenna Prof. Kerri Dunn. Check it out.
http://clusty.com/se...
Oh, right! I remember
October 11, 2007 - 14:14 ET by DarkseanOh, right!
I remember one at my alma matter too, right after 9/11. A muslim student fabricated an attack.
I suppose it's very cynical of me to instantly think of a hoax, but then again who would benefit most from "moral outrage"?
Phony Soldiers, Phony Flyers, Phony Rape, Phony Nooses
October 11, 2007 - 14:17 ET by RJThe left is well known for "creating" phony hate symbols.
Also, until this guy openly lays out his criteria for "hate groups", his whining has no value.
Except that the drive-by media will love every minute of it....and will only give the corrections a fraction of the same air time.
Morris Dees
October 11, 2007 - 14:48 ET by ricklailI thought that Morris Dees had been exposed years ago? I haven't heard much from him ever since he started all the hoopla over militias after the OKC bombing. You need to sit down and do some research on the man. He is not lilly white like he wants everyone to believe. His organization is just as bad as Moveon or any of the others.
Southern by birth, Tarheel by the grace of God!
rick... You are right on
October 11, 2007 - 14:55 ET by bigtimerrick...
You are right on target with the despicable Morris Dees and his group.
I have not missed seeing/hearing this lousy enemy within for a long long time...
He makes me fume.
Thanks, rick, but Dees isn't worth the time
October 11, 2007 - 15:00 ET by RJI've already put him in the category of "liberal with agenda...probably lying."
If I tried to research every lying, whining liberal with an agenda, I'd wind up screaming "so many lying, whining liberals....so little time!" :^)
15 Minutes Up Yet?
October 11, 2007 - 15:00 ET by NoMoreClintonsIt wouldn't surprise me in the least to learn that this so-called professor is involved in perpetrating a hoax to draw attention to herself. Maybe she should call in "Tawana" Sharpton.
RJ and all of the above -
October 11, 2007 - 15:33 ET by drillanwrThanks for saving me all that typing ...
Darksean...Simply
October 11, 2007 - 14:28 ET by bigtimerDarksean...
Simply answered, YES...
First thing that came to my mind listening to the pure BS, which I still think it is.
Just another agenda from the leftists before the elections...sure there will be more to come.
All votes count for them, no matter how they achieve their goals.
Im Glad
October 11, 2007 - 13:38 ET by deerjerkydaveI'm glad to see liberals angry about something. I'm still waiting for them to get angry about radical Islam for the 3,000 Americans who were killed on 9/11/01 and the 3,000+ troops who have been killed by them since.
It's white boy Bush's fault
October 11, 2007 - 15:28 ET by mattmya know...
David Duke and I
October 11, 2007 - 14:17 ET by danboDavid Duke and I unfortunately went to college together. I remember him in Free speech alley in his klan robe and Nazi uniform. I think I learned a bit about racism.
According to the Revellie back then. David was publishing black power books under an assumed name. Then pointing to them. And screaming about the blacks.
Unfortunately I think we may be seeing the same thing going on sometimes. When black churches were supposedly burning. You rarely heard that there was no increase in numbers. Nor did we hear about those that were burned by the pastor because he wanted the insurance. Rather we only heard about "racism".
I for one will wait to see the real numbers. I'm not sure if it's always an issue of racism or someone wanting to scream racism.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of racist. But then racist are not all conservatives nor are they all white. But we only hear about one kind of racist.
"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT
I don't know if it is on the rise
October 11, 2007 - 14:18 ET by american-americanBut racism is strong in the Atlanta area. But, not just whites hating blacks, it is equally blacks racist remarks towards whites.
an example: My husband is a member of a union (ugh, I hate that fact) and a couple months ago a white man and a black man had an argument. The black man called the white man a redneck cracker (racist insult), the white man called the black man a boy (racist insult). Guess the outcome.... The white man was fired, the union did nothing to help him. There was no action taken against the black man for calling the white man a redneck cracker.
Double standards are what is fueling the race fire.
The first 22 years of my
October 11, 2007 - 14:27 ET by Clear thinkerThe first 22 years of my life was spent living up north, the last 29 years I have spent living in the south. I found there was a heck of alot more racism up north.
Get Email updates from Fred http://socialnet.imwithfred.com/email_alert_july_26.html
My sister in-law comes
October 11, 2007 - 14:29 ET by danboMy sister in-law comes from an old hispanic family. (They became Americans when Texas was absorbed into the union.) Being she's hispanic someone suggested she join the minorities society for her profession. When she showed up. She was told, she was a member of the wrong minority.
"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT
Why are they using nooses all of a sudden?
October 11, 2007 - 14:45 ET by KC MulvilleProbably because the news media puts them on TV. All the hoaxers and the haters know they'll get first-story attention if they use a noose. TV practically advises them which symbol to use, to gain their maximum effect.
hate groups in the United States..
October 11, 2007 - 14:38 ET by Gary Hallhate groups in the United States.. When I get a moment, I'll have to go take a peak at their 800+ groups.
Will I find, Air America, Pacifica Radio, Move-On.org, Truthout, The Daily KOS, Huffington Post, Code Pink, etc.?
And Cindy Sheehan: "..pull our troops out of occupied New Orleans.."
I attended desegregated
October 11, 2007 - 14:43 ET by Republic1I attended desegregated schools and currently live in a majority black neighborhood, and I can honestly say I have encountered quite a number of racist black people. Many of the libs and multi-culturalists will steadfastly claim it is impossible for someone who is black to be racist. As for Dees, he is a radical, irresponsible alarmist who is constantly implying that the Klan and the Nazis are about to start marching en masse in the streets and overturn the civil rights movement. I'll give him this, he's good at stirring up fear and controversy to increase fundraising for his bogus watchdog organization.
"Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him." -Muhammad
Sort of related... Last
October 11, 2007 - 14:57 ET by Clear thinkerSort of related...
Last night I watched a program called "Kid Nation". This is the first time I have ever watched the program, but understand that it was the 2nd or 3rd show. The premise so far seems to be to inject a controversial subject each week and let the kids deal with it. Last night caught my attention because the subject was religion. I'm hoping that one of the future episodes deals with racism.
In case you are wondering... I love the experiment they are trying with this program.
Back to racism.... racism has been with us since the dawn of mankind* (*yes I know that word is un-PC, tough cookies) and I don't see it ever being solved. Why you may ask.... because their is only one way to stop it and it ain't gonna happen. The societies that are successful at dealing with it are the ones that will thrive, but it will never go away!
Get Email updates from Fred http://socialnet.imwithfred.com/email_alert_july_26.html
Try
October 11, 2007 - 15:45 ET by mattmI will agree with you that racism will never go away but only after the "colorblind" society idea (which Reagan was ridiculed over though it was merely a reiteration of Dr. King's remarks) is actually given a chance to work. If it fails, then fine - racism will never go away. But we won't be able to know that until we try.
I have been a practicing
October 11, 2007 - 15:48 ET by Clear thinkerI have been a practicing "color blind society" member since early childhood. It would be great if everyone was raised the way I was, buuuuuuttt..........
Get Email updates from Fred http://socialnet.imwithfred.com/email_alert_july_26.html
What A Complete Jerk
October 11, 2007 - 15:07 ET by NoMoreClintonsThere were, certainly was a rise in the number of hate crimes against Muslims
Is this liberal jerk forgetting the hate crime committed BY muslims on 9/11/01? Anything else pales by comparison.
NMC... AS far as I can
October 11, 2007 - 15:16 ET by bigtimerNMC...
AS far as I can tell the leftists seem to be in a real self-induced la-la land of a dream world...
They act as if 9/11 never happened, you have to remind them, then they go ahead and just skip over it or say it was our fault to begin with....blah blah blah....
Gee, help me out here
October 11, 2007 - 15:52 ET by drillanwrGee, help me out here ...
Does this fall into any, oh, I dunno, hate catagory?
http://video1.washingtontimes.com/fishwrap/2007/10/talladega_public_health_risk.html
NASCAR cooties
House Homeland Security Committee staffers are on a peculiar mission to study "public health issues at events involving mass gatherings," which has personally insulted Rep. Robin Hayes of Concord, North Carolina.
The event: NASCAR.
The rub: the requirement that the Democrat and Republican staffers attending first be immunized against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria, and influenza.
"I have never heard of immunizations for domestic travel, and as the representative for Concord, North Carolina, I feel compelled to ask why the heck the committee feels that immunizations are needed to travel to my hometown," Mr. Hayes, a Republican, said in a letter to Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi Democrat and committee chairman.
"I have been to numerous NASCAR races, and the folks who attend these events certainly do not pose any health hazard to congressional staffers or anyone else," Mr. Hayes said.
A committee staffer says that the Republican staffers have declined the shots but that two Democrat staffers were immunized before attending the race at Talladega last weekend.
A phone call to the committee spokesman was not returned.
— Audrey Hudson, Homeland Security reporter, The Washington Times
drill.... Is this the
October 11, 2007 - 17:07 ET by Clear thinkerdrill....
Is this the dumbest thing to come along or what?
If there was a war in this country, or an incredible natural disaster I want to be right next to these very same NASCAR people in the trenches.
Get Email updates from Fred http://socialnet.imwithfred.com/email_alert_july_26.html
Racism is on the rise, when
October 11, 2007 - 15:57 ET by Chris NormanRacism is on the rise, when you stop and consider how the Black "leadership", the liberals, and the liberal media have stretched the definition of racism to include so many more things, some pretty innocuous. By their definition, disagreeing with Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton might be considered "racism"...
By their definition,
October 11, 2007 - 16:03 ET by bigtimerBy their definition, disagreeing with Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton might be considered "racism"...
Throw in Tavis Smiley and we agree Chris!
LOL!
Consider Smiley thrown in,
October 11, 2007 - 16:05 ET by Chris NormanConsider Smiley thrown in, BT. :)
Since the MSM never reports
October 11, 2007 - 16:00 ET by nicksmith112Since the MSM never reports crimes against Caucasians committed by minority's or will even state the race of a perp that is a minority it safe to assume that whitey is the root of all evil racism in the country.
How is the crime rate in New Orleans and the surrounding city's that acquired a huge chunk of N.O. residents?? Is that a racist question??
I'm a refugee from the Democratic Party.
The drive-by media is
October 11, 2007 - 16:33 ET by jdhawkThe drive-by media is flogging their favorite liberal meme - one-way racism - it can only happen to women and minorities.
This constant floggin is working, though. At corporations around the country, preferential treatment of women and minorities is the norm for hiring practices and promotion.
I work at one of the largest banks in our country. A couple of years ago a new CEO took over. About a year later, he "volunteered" us to take "diversity" courses. For employees this meant taking a day long course in what amounted to hate whitey in an indoctrination style recognized by anyone that has study communism methods. Managers got a two day sentence of the same, but more intense.
Shortly after this program got underway, the CEO announced that women and minorities would be given preferential treatment regarding promotion to the rank of SVP and above. Moreover, at any regularly scheduled meeting of a team or division, a diversity topic must be discussed.
Meanwhile, our stock price, despite an otherwise outstanding economy, has floundered in a trading range for over three years.
Is there a connection? I chaulk it up to poor morale due to constantly flogging a topic that doesn't strenghtened our core competencies as a company, wastes millions of employee work hours, and just pisses people off.
If there is a racism
October 11, 2007 - 17:01 ET by mostlymoderateIf there is a racism epidemic in America it can be attributed to groups like the Congressional Black Caucus, NAACP, Association of Black Journalists, Black-Only scholarship funds, RAP music, the over-reacting to people like Don Imus, and the way caucasions have to be politically "correct" to the point of nausea.
Honestly, there is so much reverse-racism in America that it was BOUND to create some tension. Affirmative Action? Reparations? Give me a break.
844 hate groups in America?
October 11, 2007 - 22:14 ET by m4ster chiefOh wait...I suppose one could reach that number when you include hate groups such as Boy Scouts, American Legion, Christians, the NRA, the Anne Coulter Fan Club, Liberty University, the Minutemen, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the U. S. Marine Corps, Republicans, white people, Australians...
(takes a deep breath and continues:)
...Faux News Channel, the Michelle Malkin Fan Club, registered NewsBusters and WorldNetDaily readers, Sheriff Joe & his Deputies, Rush Limbaugh's audience...yeah, I could reach 844 easily!