Southern Poverty Law Center x Modernist: Confronting Hate and Authoritarianism
With Portland still buzzing from the historic No Kings protest just days before, we were thrilled to co-host an event with Southern Poverty Law Center here at Modernist HQ. We’re big fans of their work and their role in the history of American civil rights movements.
Georgia and the team were joined in this timely and critical conversation by Rachel Carroll Rivas and Michael Lieberman. Rachel leads SPLC’s Intelligence Project, which tracks hate and extremism with projects like Hate Watch and research-proven tools that prevent extremism from occuring. Michael is the SPLC’s Senior Policy Counsel in Washington D.C., his work focuses on countering hate and extremism, and prior to joining SPLC he served thirty seven years as the Anti-Defamation League’s Washington counsel.
We learned about SPLC’s Hate Watch and their efforts to combat the rise of hate crimes, extremism, and bias-motivated violence. They also provided resources for folks to build community resilience against extremism.
Here’s What We Learned About The Problem:
The far right is well organized throughout institutions in our civil society
They’re participating in all levels of government and utilizing sophisticated philanthropy tools like Donor Advised Funds, foundations, and 501c4 donations to fund their hate-based movements.
Youth are particularly vulnerable to hate speech as they are still forming their social identity.
They’re targeted by social media influencers and experience online echo chambers and subcultures that reinforce bias. We were told that it is less effective to tell them why they’re wrong, but rather to encourage questioning and critical thinking about the messaging they’re encountering.
To counteract these alt right online influences (male supremacy, hate, anti-government), a great question to ask: “Why do you think someone would want you to think that?” This question recenters their agency within their flow of information and influence.
Anti-tax narratives are anti-democratic messaging.
Learn more about the alt right Sovereign Citizen Movement that aims to undermine the rule of law from refusal to pay for local parking, to gun laws, to a recent 2025 murder here in Portland. We’re especially concerned about recent talk about not paying taxes as a form of resistance, as it echoes and reinforces the goal of undermining tax revenues which makes it even more compelling to change policy to reduce funding for health care, food stamps, housing, etc. And, of course, it is also illegal.
Here's what we learned about solutions:
We absolutely can’t normalize what’s happening.
Organizing is crucial! Apathy in the face of authoritarianism supports the erosion of the democratic state.
We need more civil workers and leaders to speak up and be loud in opposition.
As Timothy Snyder put it: “Remember professional ethics… It is hard to subvert a rule-of-law state without lawyers, or to hold show trials without judges. Authoritarians need obedient civil servants.”
Critical work is being done, and we need to support it.
Rachel Carroll Rivas leads research at Intelligence Project and her team’s research enables Michael Lieberman to pursue policy reform through legal channels. They’re working to stay one step ahead of the hate groups.
Forgo a deduction to fund political and policy change.
Support organizations like the SPLC with contributions to their 501c4* partner organizations. These donations enable them to use their money to advocate for policy change, lobby and influence legislation, support candidates working for the same goals. Consider that the NRA is a 501c4, which is part of how they have been so effective at controlling America’s gun legislation.
Important Tax Planning Note: Donations are NOT tax deductible, since they’re driving political work. You may not be able to deduct your donations anyway, so donating to a 501c4 is a win!
Donate to the SPLC Action Fund (their 501c4) to fuel policy change and forgo a deduction.
We’re now reflecting on these questions:
How do we counter anti-tax narratives that, at their core, are anti-democratic narratives?
How do we learn to love in a world that teaches hate?
How do we support the civil servants who are still working for our common good?
TOOLS & RESOURCES
SPLC’s Hopewatch - good news about anti-hate resistance movements
SPLC’s Tools and Guides to work for Justice.
Western States Center envisions inclusive democratic movements and societies rooted in justice and equity. The folks from SPLC were in town as speakers at their annual conference: AMP: Activists Mobilizing for Power
