The demand for white supremacy/hate groups today far exceeds the supply. SPLC noticed this imbalance and decided to manufacture some outrage. It’s very lucrative, which perhaps explains the offshore accounts.
And the ADL??
Honestly, what anyone thinks of SPLC is beside the point here.
I agree with @sue22. If you are not convinced, treat this as a hypothetical–what would you do if you had this knowledge?
@doschicos I am sorry you have this situation. I totally understand your looking for a way to expose these people without risking harm to yourself. If you don’t think there’s a way to do it via social media, I’m not sure what you could do.
Sadly, if doschicos is using SPLC as her guide to determine whom is a hate group or not, without listing the group, I can’t trust that she knows the difference. Using SPLC as an authority, who ironically has had their own share of racist and sexist scandals at the very top, seemingly existing merely to employ lawyers, doesn’t give me confidence. They listed Ayaan Hirsi Ali as an anti-Muslim extremist. Think about that one. I would carefully research the group in concern from other sources.
@Lindagaf
I disagree about the SPLC and I’m not really concerned with whether or not you value my opinion, doesn’t hurt my feelings. As for the AFA, I have read many of their articles and listened to many of their broadcasts and have never once heard or read where they hate gays(or anyone else), so I would view any group with distrust when they list someone as a hate group when they have in fact expressed no hatred whatsoever. Like I said, disagreement does not equal hatred.
Assuming the owners aren’t violating the law, aren’t violent, and without more information, I’m not sure there’s a lot to be done. Suppose the owners are part of a hate movement, like BDS, and own a food truck. In the best case scenario, a social media campaign might cause the food truck to go out of business. In the long run, what did that accomplish?
" I would carefully research the group in concern from other sources."
Been there, done that. I’ve researched extensively from every source available. It’s universal that these groups are bad news (unless you members and supporters), as I’ve stated. Have you even read my posts?
“As for the AFA, I have read many of their articles and listened to many of their broadcasts and have never once heard or read where they hate gays”
Really? Championing to remove any rights for LBGTQ sounds like hate to me just like trying to remove the rights of non-whites is hatred.
https://www.afa.net/the-stand/culture/2019/06/gay-marriage-and-the-date-which-will-live-in-infamy/
https://www.afa.net/activism/action-alerts/2019/afa-statement-on-president-trump-and-the-lgbt-agenda/
https://www.afa.net/the-stand/culture/2019/06/gays-stole-the-rainbow-its-time-to-give-it-back/
https://www.afa.net/activism/action-alerts/2019/walmart-launches-gay-dating-ad/
“As for the AFA, I have read many of their articles and listened to many of their broadcasts and have never once heard or read where they hate gays(or anyone else),”
You don’t think that calling being gay a “ sexual perversion” and saying that gay people don’t have the same rights as straight people ( to marry who they love) is hateful? The only way to argue that it’s not is to ignore the science that says being gay is 1) immutable and 2) causes no harm to others. Once these things are accepted as true advocating against gay people must be viewed as hate.
Your posts have referenced the SPLC repeatedly, and the ADL a few times. Apparently these include “every source available”? I have no idea what the group is, maybe I’d agree. However, if many of the people you associate with would support these groups or not care what they do, either you are making a bigger deal of this than it is, or you live in a special version of hell.
So I recommend you just mention it to your “like minded friends”, as they sound like the only ones who might be concerned. It is unlikely you will be able to ruin the business of these flag and emblem wearers, if many people in the area support them.
MODERATOR’S NOTE: This is turning into a debate, which is not permitted. Please move on.
Publicize the hell out of it on social media. Take screenshots, set your pictures to public, and ask it to be shared. Those things get picked up pretty quickly.
You can post reviews too on yelp and whatnot but those get deleted quite often.
@doschicos I’m in lockstep with you re boycott, spreading the word verbally, and being very reluctant to use social media however effective that may be. Only other thing I don’t remember seeing on this thread would be a way to make my money work against them beyond a boycott if resources were available. Do more business with a competitor? Make a donation to a local or national group they’re working against?
One of my sons discovered openly fascist activity on the part of a merchant whose small business was very highly regarded (city he used to live in, hundreds of miles away from where he lives now). He was really appalled at the behavior, of course, but was also very jarred by the acceptance or indifference to it that he observed in others around the area.
I think we might be neighbor-ish. PM me if you need an ear.
What do the SPLC and ADL (and any other group that has identified the problem business) suggest you do if you agree with them? Are they just publishing the lists to inform community members of the problem and then you must decide what to do, like boycott or tell friends? Are the groups suggesting a more organized protest? Asking you to contact your representatives or the media (not social media, the real media)?
There are a lot of businesses on list that people are asked to boycott for one reason or another. I don’t think the groups that publish the lists expect people who agree with them (like the OP) to do more than she is doing, boycotting the business and telling friends. I do not think that the organizations expect anyone to organize a media (social) campaign against the business, but might be happy if an individual decided to do that.
This may mean more to OP than to others (even likeminded people) because we all have causes that are more important to us than they are to others, and if so why don’t you work through one of the groups? Ask the SPLC what you can do to make this information known, to help stuff envelopes or answer phone calls (emails?) using their phone numbers or accounts.
To answer, OP question, I would report any illegal activities to the authorities. But the real question seems to be how can I do most harm for the owner and his business with least consequences for me. If so, first I would retain a lawyer and get a consultation about Libel, Slander, and Defamation law at my locale. Next, I would research liability insurance products that would cover possible legal and court ruling fees (not sure whether such products exist, but it would certainly be worth checking). However, if my assets exceeded Oberlin College endowment, I would ignore both steps. Then I would start spreading the word in every possible way, as suggested by other posters. I agree I would be very smart and wise to remain as anonymous as possible, not due to personal safety (since OP stated that the group is non-violent), but in order to avoid liability or any other consequences. However, I also agree that staying truly anonymous is nearly impossible in today’s world. And I would be very afraid that like-minded friends may turn out not as like-minded as I hoped, especially if stuff hits the fan, so I would tread very carefully. For all these reasons, acting discretely through other organizations (such as SPLC and ADL suggested above ) may be wiser and more effective, especially if such organizations are already on a mission and have more resources, experience and connections than I do. I would also try to get an assurance that I remain anonymous as their information source, or perhaps inform them via an anonymous letter just to be sure. Hope this helps.
“(since OP stated that the group is non-violent)”
I don’t know of this chapter of the hate group to be violent to my knowledge. Chapters of this group elsewhere in the world have been. Bottomline, I won’t open myself and my family to potential harm by testing them directly. If I knew they were doing more than hateful rhetoric, I think I’d be more emboldened to act to protect those targeted.
HIs own posts refer to his local group as vigilantes and reference the word “fight” plus he has a cache of guns. I’m not messing with these people in any direct fashion, “anonymously” or otherwise. There are plenty of closet racists out there as well.
@doschicos, I’m sorry that I don’t have any suggestions but I live in a liberal area and would be saddened to discover this in my backyard. Certainly I’d boycott and share what I knew with my friends…not sure if I’d go to the media or not although I suspect this would be news in my area. I’m also sad that this thread went south for a bit. Thanks for posting.
I guess I should not be surprised that even here on CC people will try to defend the indefensible.
As business owners, they are no doubt providing a useful service to members of their community. Otherwise they would go out of business.
There are no allegations of actual violence, only badthought. Moreover, many people in the community seem not to care about this alleged hatethink.
On balance, I think I’d ask myself if this community was the right place for me. Could I still indulge my need for goodfeelz, knowing that such crimethink was nearby? I might consider moving.
MODERATOR’S NOTE: I’m going to close this thread. The posts really aren’t in compliance with the Terms of Service.