How Hate-Filled is Your Home State?

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there were 784 active hate groups operating in the US last year.

What if I told you that easy-going, liberal, blue state California had the most bigots, racists, and general haters of any state in the union? According to a map of active hate groups in each region, created by non-profit Alabama think tank the Southern Poverty Law Center, the gold coast state had the dubious honor of being the most hate-filled (organization-wise) state last year, followed in order by Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Surprisingly, it seems that the tri-state area, despite having one of the largest Jewish populations in the world, is a hotbed of neo-Nazi activity. The only states to be spared from such small minds were Alaska, and Obama’s birthplace, Hawaii. According to their site, the group compiled the list using “hate group publications and websites, citizen and law enforcement reports, field sources and news reports.” To weed out lone wolves, the group left out websites that seemed to be created or run by one individual, making sure to delineate between violent individuals and organized, well-administrated hate groups. As the site mentions, “Listing here does not imply a group advocates or engages in violence or other criminal activity.” It just implies that y’all really hate minorities.

Click map for interactive version

For those that would like to shout down the haters, SPL also gives visitors the chance to “Stand Strong Against Hate” and add yourself to the map. Currently there are more people who stand in solidarity against hate than hate group members. But in many places, especially my neighborohood of Greenpoint, BK, we could always use more.