Reviewing the changing state of hate in Tennessee with WPLN’s Paige Pfleger

This week, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a report indicating the number of active hate groups in Tennessee has dropped over the past year. However, this doesn’t mean that hateful attitudes and extremism is decreasing across the state. 

“A lot of this hateful ideology is becoming more mainstream, so people don’t have to become a card-carrying member of a hate group anymore to express those perspectives,” said WPLN News reporter Paige Pfleger.

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

Pfleger spoke to This Is Nashville host Khalil Ekulona on Friday about her story on the SPLC’s annual “Year in Hate and Extreme” report, as well as what’s contributing to changing attitudes and how they are influencing politics in Tennessee.