Hate Group Downfall

Hate groups can be defined as organizations or movements that practice hatred and/or violence towards certain members of society based on sexual orientation, race, color, religion etc. Many factors can affect hate groups. According to Steven Chermak, a lead investigator affiliated with The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terror (START), some of these factors include funding, age of organization, size of organization, and military members (Chermark, 196-7). The more they have of these and the older and more experienced the members are make a more powerful and notable hate group. Furthermore, a crime motivated by a hate group is called a hate crime. According to Zyad Wright, a researcher in the Social Sciences and Humanities states "examples of ‘hate crimes’ would include racist cross-burnings to incite fear amongst African-Americans, and assaults against gays." (Wright, 57). Both these are top example of hate crimes that has been seen many times. Hate crimes continue to be an important problem in the United States, though as of 2015 all but five states passed various laws punishing hate crimes (Wright, 58). But will this really create a downfall …show more content…
The Anti-Defamation League, an organization that aims to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, states that "the number of hate groups that are believed to be operating in America has risen by 48% since 2000" (Browner, 138). Part of this is due to widespread access to the internet and more people and new means of being able to communicate, such as in Hateforum.com, a web site for hate group members to exchange ideas and experiences in private. With more ways to hide identity, it makes it less likely for these members to distinguish. Along with increased hate groups come increased hate crimes and "four specific hate crimes account for almost 92% of total hate crimes: aggregated assault, simple assault, intimidation, and vandalism." (Wright,