CNN (Again) Gives Credibility to 'Hate Group' Label for FRC
CNN already understands
why the Family Research Council (FRC) was labeled a "hate group" by the
liberal Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). On Saturday, CNN gave more
credibility to the SPLC as anchor Randi Kaye cited the group as a
credible source on "hate groups" in the U.S. right after quoting their
explanation for the FRC's "hate group" label.
"Statistics show hate groups are on the rise in this country. The
Southern Poverty Law Center counted more than 1,000 known hate groups
operating in the U.S. last year, and the FBI reported nearly 7,000 hate
crimes," reported Kaye during the 10 a.m. hour of CNN Newsroom.
First, Kaye had aired the FRC's Tony Perkins lashing out at the SPLC
for their "reckless" use of the "hate group" label, thereby giving last
week's FRC shooter a "license." She then quoted the SPLC's response of
why they said the FRC was a "hate group."
That was followed by CNN's report on white supremacists in the
military. "Just take a look at this chart, it shows really what we're
talking about, hate groups in America in the last decade," Kaye cited
the SPLC's research. "You see it right there, a disturbing trend, which
is why we're putting 'Hate in the U.S.A.' in focus this morning."
[Video below. Audio here.]
A transcript of the segment, which aired on August 18 on CNN Newsroom at 10:14 a.m. EDT, is as follows:
[10:14]
RANDI KAYE: The man accused of shooting a building manager at the
Family Research Council in Washington will not be released on bond.
Instead, he'll be given a mental health evaluation. But there's an
interesting debate going on right now, who is to blame for Wednesday's
shooting. Here's what the head of the Family Research Council, Tony
Perkins, had to say.
(Video Clip)
TONY PERKINS, president, Family Research Council: Corkins was given a
license to shoot an unarmed man by organizations like the Southern
Poverty Law Center that have been reckless in labeling organizations
hate groups because they disagree with them on public policy.
(End Video Clip)
KAYE: [The Southern] Poverty Law Center calls Perkins' accusation
outrageous. The group released a statement, saying in part, "The SPLC
has listed the FRC as a hate group since 2010 because it has knowingly
spread false and denigrating propaganda about lesbian, gay, and bisexual
people – not, as some claim, because it opposes same-sex marriage."
The attack at the Family Research Council wasn't just a random act of
violence. You'll recall just two weeks ago, a lone gunman went on a
shooting spree at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, killing six. We later
learned that gunman, army veteran Wade Michael Page, was a white
supremacist. Statistics show hate groups are on the rise in this
country. The Southern Poverty Law Center counted more than 1,000 known
hate groups operating in the U.S. last year, and the FBI reported nearly
7,000 hate crimes.
Just take a look at this chart, it shows really what we're talking
about, hate groups in America in the last decade. You see it right
there, a disturbing trend, which is why we're putting "Hate in the
U.S.A." in focus this morning. This hour we want to discuss the presence
of white supremacy groups on our military bases. Some say it's more
prominent than you might think.
