Even if the crumbling and increasingly dubious Jussie Smollett hate crime story is false, it still indicates the level of racial “menace” and “fear” in the United States. That was the claim of the Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart on Thursday, doubling down on comments from last week. He even cited a survey as the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as proof.
As evidence mounted that the actor’s claims are a hoax, Capehart called the story “sad on so many levels.” He insisted, “There is an atmosphere, as I said last week, and it remains true today, an atmosphere of menace and fear that is felt by African-Americans and LGBTQ, the anti-Semitism that we've seen.”
Referencing the SPLC, he highlighted that the “Southern Poverty Law center released a report talking about the rise of hate groups in the country.” Last week, Capehart insisted that the rush to judgment and justified the “rush to judgment by saying that the dubious claims fit the “narrative” of “menace” in the Trump era.
Over on CBS This Morning, co-host Bianna Golodryga credulously repeated the claims from the far-left SPLC:
The number of hate groups operating in America hit a record high, according to a new survey. Researchers at the Southern Poverty Law Center said there were 1,020 hate groups in the U.S. last year. That's up about 30 percent since 2014. The increase followed three consecutive years of decline during President Obama's time in office. The center says, quote, “Enlivened American hate movement coincides with President Trump's campaign and presidency.”
However, she at least admitted, “Some organizations on the list have sued over the hate group and labeled and accused the center of bias against conservatives.”
No mention, of course, of Floyd Lee Corkins, a far-left individual who violently attacked the Family Research Council in 2012 after getting the inspiration from the SPLC’s “hate map.”
Transcripts are below. Click “expand” to read more:
CBS This Morning
2/21/19
7:13AM ETBIANNA GOLODRYGA: The number of hate groups operating in America hit a record high, according to a new survey. Researchers at the Southern Poverty Law Center said there were 1,020 hate groups in the U.S. last year. That's up about 30 percent since 2014. The increase followed three consecutive years of decline during President Obama's time in office. The center says, quote, “Enlivened American hate movement coincides with President Trump's campaign and presidency.” However, some organizations on the list have sued over the hate group and labeled and accused the center of bias against conservatives.
MSNBC Live
2/21/19
10:09AM ETJONATHAN CAPEHART: This is sad on so many levels. When I was hear last week, we were talking about this, that if it does turn out to be true that this is indeed a hoax, leave aside the damage Jussie Smollett has done to his career. The damage he has done to the African-American community, the LGBTQ community. I think it was Danny who brought up, I think it was Danny, think about the African-American trans community. There is an atmosphere, as I said last week, and it remains true today, an atmosphere of menace and fear that is felt by African-Americans and LGBTQ, the anti-Semitism that we've seen arise in the Southern Poverty Law center released a report talking about the rise of hate groups in the country.
