Hate-watch group's divisive labeling

Regarding Arlington Heights Parade's inclusion of a "controversial group." In reality, the critic was the controversy: the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In 2018, SPLC had to pay $3.375 million to a group they called "anti-Muslim extremists." A Christian group they labeled a "hate group" was attacked by a domestic terrorist, wanting to shoot, kill and rub Chick-fil-A sandwiches in their employees' faces. He relied on SPLC's Hate Map.

A joint statement by 50+ defamed groups, calls on editors, CEOs and citizens to not be complicit with SPLC's attack on innocent, fellow Americans. Among them, are mainstream conservative voices like PragerU, Eagle Forum, Family Research Council, radio host, Sandy Rios, Gary Bauer and Ken Cuccinelli. SPLC even put Ben Carson on their "Extremist Watch List" and the town of Gurnee on their Hate Map.

Reprimanded by Obama's DOJ, articles in The Wall Street Journal and elsewhere call SPLC a "hate group" and a "hate mongering scam," and repeating their slurs "journalistic malpractice." There's even a website keeping track: splcexposed.com.

The FBI disavowed the SPLC and 2019 brings employee claims of sexual harassment and racial discrimination. Co-founder, Morris Dees stepped down, with past president, Cohen and two directors. Shockingly, this isn't new. First reported by a Montgomery paper 25 years ago, an Atlanta paper now calls their workplace problems "systematic and widespread."

Here's the $500 million question (the amount in SPLC's war chest): Why are we repeating claims from this dangerous, disgraced smear machine? Similarly, why tie Act for America to "whiteness and racism?" Its founder, who immigrated here, is female, "brown" and of Arab descent. You'd think opposing her would put you on the Hate Map.

The public is tired of divisive labeling by unchallenged people claiming moral high ground. Instead, let's insist on credible critics and an informed and civil dialogue.

Paul Hurst

Vernon Hills