Which Is It: "Utah Legislator In Ties To Hate Group" Or "Hispanic Journalist In Utah Thinks SPLC Is Credible"?
12/20/2010
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Utah immigration legislation now being considered was drafted by the Immigration Reform Law Institute,("America’s only public interest law organization working exclusively to protect the legal rights, privileges, and property of U.S. citizens and their communities from injuries and damages caused by unlawful immigration") and now opponents are whining that IRLI is evil. A typical headline for this would be something like "Utah Legislator In Ties To Hate Group" but it should really be "Hispanic Journalist In Utah Thinks SPLC Is Credible."

David Montero of the Salt Lake Tribune apparently hasn't heard of the SPLC's "'unscholarly and unethical' efforts to cast doubt on Armenian genocide" or he would never have quoted it as an authority, because once a group is accused of something they lose all credibility, don't they?

Utah immigration bill alleged to have ties to extremist groups By David Montero
The Salt Lake Tribune December 19, 2010
The legal affiliate of a designated ”hate group” provided assistance for Rep. Stephen Sandstrom’s enforcement-only Arizona-style immigration bill – a partnership that has raised a red flag for those who see the measure as racist. The Immigration Reform Law Institute is the legal arm of the Federation for American Immigration Reform – commonly referred to as FAIR. FAIR was listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center three years ago on the strength of writings, quotes and correspondence made by FAIR’s founder and board member, John Tanton.[More]
Sandstrom is being apologetic and defensive (check out the photograph) which doesn't help. Politicians and political organizations should absolutely not play this game.

FAIR tried being apologetic and defensive and "distancing" itself from anything that could be smeared as hateful, and got "designated" itself —FAIR On The SPLC: Nice Guys Get Smeared Some More.

I see that some groups are now fighting back:

Sometimes the most effective way to deal with a bully is to simply pop him in the chops. While it may not shut him up entirely, it usually gives him pause before he resumes flapping his toxic jaws. It also has the effect of showing the other kids in the schoolyard that they have nothing to fear. Though the bully struts about projecting the tough-guy image, he's typically the most insecure pansy on the block.

Such is the case with the bullies over at the fringe-left Southern Poverty Law Center. Having been recently "popped in the chops," if you will, for a series of hyperbolic and disingenuous "anti-gay hate group" slurs against a dozen-or-so of America's most well respected Christian and conservative organizations — the SPLC now finds itself publicly struggling, outside of an extremist left-wing echo chamber, to salvage a modicum of mainstream credibility.

In response to the SPLC's unprovoked attacks, a unified coalition of more than 150 top conservative and Christian leaders across the country has launched a shock-and-awe "Start Debating, Stop Hating" media blitz to educate America about the SPLC's ad hominem, politically driven smear campaign.

The mainstream pro-family conglomerate already includes presumptive Speaker of the House John Boehner, former presidential contender Mike Huckabee, four current U.S. senators, three governors, 20 current or newly elected members of the House of Representatives and many more.[SPLC: Medical science, Christianity = 'hate', By J Matt Barber, WND, December 20, 2010]

Of course, this  resistance, featuring Mike Huckabee, now only comes when the $PLC has started "designating" Christians for believing gay sex is wrong. Huckabee was definitely on their side when they were attacking politicians who wanted to enforce immigration laws—he was making the same attacks himself.
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