Southern Poverty Law Center’s Interim CEO Bryan Fair testified before Congress on Tuesday, attempting to answer a myriad of lawmaker’s questions, including charges the Alabama-based group helped fund the very hate they claimed to be fighting.
In addition to Fair, “The Southern Poverty Law Center: Manufacturing Hate, Part II”hearing featured testimony from Dr. Alveda King, Alliance Defending Freedom’s (ADF) Ryan Bangert, and Professor Mary McCord, currently with Georgetown University Law Center.
Pressed under oath, Fair dodged and weaved during the nearly four hours of testimony. When asked about some of the specific charges in the 11-point federal indictment, the SPLC chief repeatedly retreated to a standard deflection talking point. Over and over, he replied, “All the allegations in the indictment will be addressed in the Middle District of Alabama.”
In his opening remarks, ADF’s Ryan Bangert was blunt in characterizing the SPLC’s ideological bullying techniques, including its dangerous “hate list.”
“It makes sense when you understand today’s SPLC as a political hit operation,” he told the committee. “The SPLC has branded ADF and others like us as hate groups solely because it disagrees with our work, grounded in our religious convictions.”
When asked to defend the SPLC’s claim that pro-life groups support the pre-born in order to maintain so-called white supremacy, SPLC’s Fair attempted to trot out the term “reproductive liberty” – a relatively new pro-abortion euphemism designed to reframe abortion from murder to something it is not.
But Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), who was questioning Fair, was having none of it.
“I don’t think that pro-lifers are white supremacists,” said Gill. “Do you? How many babies in the United States that are aborted are black?” pressed the Texas representative.
Fair stared blankly at Gill, not even attempting to answer.
“About 40% of abortions nationwide are of black babies,” replied the congressman. “Blacks represent about 13% of the population. Does that sound like something a white supremacist would oppose?”
Once again, Fair refused to retract or defend the SPLC’s contention that pro-lifers are white supremacists.
“Calling somebody a white supremacist is a pretty serious charge, isn’t it?” asked Gill. “I would think you would be able to defend that if your organization says that. You clearly seem unable to.”
“Mr. Gill, I’m not sure why you would think I’m unable to do anything,” replied Fair.
Rep. Gill shot back, “Does your organization just hurl around epithets like that without any justification?” Once more, Fair refused to answer the question.
With his remaining time, Rep. Gill posed a similar question to Dr. Alveda King, a former state representative for the 28th District in the Georgia House of Representatives, and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Pro-lifers cannot be white supremacists,” Dr. King replied. “Pro-lifers believe in life from the womb to the tomb and beyond. Pro-lifers fight for every baby in the womb regardless of skin color. We have been aborted as blacks in America disproportionately and so the white supremacists are Planned Parenthood who admitted that they do have racist underpinnings with an agenda to reduce the black population by abortion.”
During the hearing, members of the committee turned their attention to the recklessness of the SPLC’s so-called “Hate List.” Just last year, Focus on the Family was placed on it, joining many other Christian groups and individuals unfairly labeled by the designation.
Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) asked why conservative Christian groups were labeled haters but not obvious domestic terrorist groups.
“During the Biden-Harris administration, the SPLC included many mainstream conservative groups in their hate map,” he noted. “To your knowledge, did the SPLC include Antifa, which is an actual domestic terrorist organization and its hate group?”
Fair attempted to dodge the question, but Gooden confirmed that Antifa was not included on the SPLC list.
“Has SPLC labeled the radical left group ‘Jane’s Revenge’ as a hate group?” the Texas representative pressed. “This group has publicly taken responsibility for vandalizing and destroying pregnancy resource centers and Catholic churches since May 2022. Have you all designated that on your hate map?”
Fair then tried to explain the criteria for groups and individuals to be included on the “hate list.”
“So destroying pregnancy resource centers and Catholic churches would not qualify as hate under your definition?” Rep. Gooden asked. “You guys are okay with that. But God forbid, Turning Point holds a rally. That’s considered hate, but destroying a Catholic church or a pregnancy resource is not.”
Rep. Gooden then concluded: “It sounds like you’re really proud of that process. I’ll move on because I frankly think it’s disgusting. You know what? I’d actually ask for you to add me to your hate map. I’d be honored to be on it. It sounds like I’d be in great company.”
The SPLC president smirked.
Please join us in praying that truth will triumph and justice will be rendered in the SPLC case.
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