The Dark Side Of The Southern Poverty Law Center
- SPLC listed Jacobson as a 'white supremacist' despite his past donations to the organization
- Jacobson found no evidence of a Klan group in Rhode Island that SPLC claimed existed
- Indictment alleges SPLC paid $3M to fund hate groups, leading to a surge in donations
The Dark Side of the Southern Poverty Law Center: A Conversation with William Jacobson
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has long presented itself as prominent voice in the fight against hate groups and white supremacy. However, recent allegations have raised questions about the organization’s true intentions. Tony Katz is joined by William Jacobson, a Cornell Law professor and the mind behind Legal Insurrection, to discuss the SPLC’s alleged involvement in promoting and funding hate groups.
William’s expertise on the subject is unparalleled, having written over 50 posts on the SPLC over the past decade. He shares his personal experience with the organization, recalling how he was listed as a “white supremacist” by the SPLC. In the late 1970s, when he was a college student. “I did donate to them, not big dollars, twenty dollars here, thirty dollars there,” he says. “They had an extremely effective mail solicitation program, which makes sense because Morris Dees, the founder of SPLC, was made his fortune in direct mail solicitation.”
William’s investigation into the SPLC began in earnest in 2010, when he noticed that the organization was listing a “Klan group” in Rhode Island, where he is from. “I’m saying, wait a second, I’ve never heard of this,” he says. “I looked into it, and I could find no substantiation that there was a real-life Klan group in Rhode Island.” This was just one of several instances where William questioned the SPLC’s claims, leading him to write extensively about their alleged deceptions.
The recent indictment from the Department of Justice has shed new light on the SPLC’s alleged activities. According to the indictment, the organization paid out $3 million to fund hate groups, which led to a significant increase in donations from $50 million to $133 million. William believes that this is just the tip of the iceberg. “If this is happening here with the SPLC, for what reason would I not think it’s happening elsewhere?” he asks.
The conversation with William Jacobson is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of the SPLC’s actions. He shares his expertise on the subject, providing context and insights that are both informative and thought-provoking. If you’re curious about the allegations surrounding the SPLC and want to learn more about the implications of their actions, tune in to this episode.
Listen to the “The Dark Side of the Southern Poverty Law Center” discussion in full here:
Listen to the show in full here:
Watch the show here:
Archived episodes here:
ABOUT THE SHOW
Tony Katz Today airs from 12-3pm ET on 93.1 WIBC/Indianapolis
What are we talking about? Politics, breaking news, political theory, art, the markets, food, libations and whatever else may come to mind.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST
Tony Katz Today on Apple Podcasts
