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<p>Here is an update on a report that appeared here previously.<br>
</p>
<p><b>One change is that Idaho is now number one in hate groups
count.</b></p>
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</b></p>
<p><b></b><b>States With the Most Hate Groups</b><br>
</p>
<p><b><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://tinyurl.com/y8rdys73">https://tinyurl.com/y8rdys73</a></b></p>
<p><br>
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<p>The number of active hate groups in the United States has
steadily risen over the past several years, from 784 in 2014 to
954 as of 2017, according to the civil rights advocacy group
Southern Poverty Law Center.</p>
<p>A number of factors can act as possible explanations for the rise
in hate group activity in recent years. Many consider President
Donald Trump’s campaign and his first year in office as one such
factor. The ensuing social tensions likely emboldened new and
existing hate groups — not only to speak out but also to attract
new members. Opposition to such widespread adoption of hateful
ideology has also inspired several counter organizations that have
themselves adopted extremist and sometimes superior ideology,
according to the SPLC.</p>
<p>While the number of SPLC-designated hate groups has increased
throughout the nation as a whole, just a small group of states in
the South and West are the hotbed of hate group activity. To
determine the states with the highest concentration of hate
groups, 24/7 Wall St. used data on hate groups in each state in
2017 from the Southern Poverty Law Center and adjusted it for the
population. There are 10 states with more than 10 hate groups and
at least 3.8 hate groups per 1 million residents.</p>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter"
src="https://247wallst.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/idaho-e1454958250739.jpg"
alt="" width="645" height="363"
data-credit="Thinkstock" data-id="313734"
data-caption" style="width: 655px">
<div class="wallst_image_source"><span>Source:</span> Thinkstock</div>
</div>
<p><strong>1. Idaho</strong><br>
<strong>> Hate groups:</strong> 7.1 per million people<br>
<strong>> Number of hate groups:</strong> 12<br>
<strong>> Pct. pop. identifying as white:</strong> 89.7% (7th
highest)<br>
<strong>> Pct. pop. foreign born:</strong> 5.8% (22nd lowest)</p>
<p>One-quarter of the active hate groups in Idaho are overtly
anti-Muslim. Anti-Muslim groups in the state include ACT for
America operating out of Meridian, the Committee to End the CSI
Refugee Center in Buhl, and Pig Blood Bullets in Priest River.
Such groups are known for pressuring lawmakers to introduce
anti-Sharia law legislation. Anti-Sharia law proposals serve
little purpose beyond vilifying Muslims, as the U.S. Constitution
already denies authority to any foreign law. Earlier this year,
the Idaho House passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Eric Redman — who
has warned for years of the potential for Sharia influence in U.S.
courts — banning the application of foreign laws in Idaho courts.</p>
<p>Other hate groups identified by the SPLC in the state include
multiple groups espousing white nationalist ideology and one
Christian identity group.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><b><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://tinyurl.com/y8rdys73">https://tinyurl.com/y8rdys73</a> <br>
</b></p>
<p><b><br>
</b></p>
<p><b>Ken</b></p>
<p><b><br>
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