Hate groups in Tennessee are on the decline, but the Southern Poverty Law Center says that’s only because extremism is becoming more mainstream

The number of active hate groups in Tennessee and across the country has declined, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. But the organization says that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Instead, they say fewer people are becoming card-carrying members of hate groups because extremist ideas became more mainstream.

“Hate and extremist ideas are operating more openly in the mainstream,” says Susan Corke with the SPLC. “With those subscribing to those beliefs running for office and school boards, becoming law enforcement and judges, and leveraging social media to manufacture misinformation.”

In their annual Year in Hate & Extremism report, the SPLC cites the insurrection on Jan. 6 as an example of how misinformation was widespread online and on TV, spurring many people into action.

Among the extremist ideas becoming more mainstream are anti-LGBTQ sentiments. The Southern Poverty Law Center identified 65 anti-LGBTQ groups in 2021, including several in Tennessee.

“[M]ost of them are focused on the state level on creating state level legislation to ban trans-inclusive curriculum, to deny gender-affirming care and to criminalize people who are providing that care,” says Cassie Miller of SPLC.

Tennessee was one of many southern states that introduced legislation targeting trans youth last year. And state lawmakers are still debating proposals that would limit what information or reading materials about race or the LGBTQ community should be allowed in schools.

There were 28 active hate groups in Tennessee last year, according to the SPLC — more per capita than its neighboring states.