Sons of Confederate Vets face war between traditionalists, those aligned with racist groups
The Sons of Confederate Veterans, founded 112 years ago to protect all that is noble about the South, is itself racked by angry divisions these days.
Since the 1990s, clusters of Sons members have aligned themselves with "heritage groups" like the League of the South and the Council of Conservative Citizens, both considered hate groups by the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center. The center says the Sons itself may have been taken over by extremists.
"We had this group that looked like it had really radicalized to the right," said the poverty law center's Mark Potok. "But as we looked more closely, we realized that this was really a battle from within."
In response to just such charges, the Sons' Florida commander in 2002 sent interracial pornography to a female researcher at the center. John Adams later apologized, but he remains with the organization.
Today, he is co-chairman of the effort to install Confederate flags across Florida. The Sons say they intend to permanently install a giant one near the junction of Interstates 4 and 75 to counter what they consider increasing slights to Southern heritage.
Read entire article at Chicago Sun-Times
Since the 1990s, clusters of Sons members have aligned themselves with "heritage groups" like the League of the South and the Council of Conservative Citizens, both considered hate groups by the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center. The center says the Sons itself may have been taken over by extremists.
"We had this group that looked like it had really radicalized to the right," said the poverty law center's Mark Potok. "But as we looked more closely, we realized that this was really a battle from within."
In response to just such charges, the Sons' Florida commander in 2002 sent interracial pornography to a female researcher at the center. John Adams later apologized, but he remains with the organization.
Today, he is co-chairman of the effort to install Confederate flags across Florida. The Sons say they intend to permanently install a giant one near the junction of Interstates 4 and 75 to counter what they consider increasing slights to Southern heritage.