Tony Perkins Absolutely Outraged That House Dems Oppose Government Subsidized Hate Groups

This Thursday, the House Ways And Means committee held a hearing to discuss the fact that over 60 hate groups have a non-profit status that allows them to be tax exempt, and to consider the fact that it is perhaps a bad idea for the United States Government to be subsidizing literal Nazis.

(2/5): The Vdare foundation, which argues that: https://t.co/yepyNnpBE9

— Ways & Means Committee (@Ways & Means Committee) 1568911639.0 

(4/5): The American Family Association, which has claimed: https://t.co/cFxzQN7zR3

— Ways & Means Committee (@Ways & Means Committee) 1568911641.0 

Naturally, this did not go over too well with most of the worst people in America, particularly those who think that the most important function of government, social media companies, television comedy programs, and, indeed, all citizens, is to elevate the voices of extremely racist and homophobic people. Because freedom of speech.

One of those terrible people was Tony Perkins, of the virulently homophobic Family Research Council, who sent out a letter condemning the hearing and claiming that his group is a "mainstream Christian organization" and that white separatist groups are only the Left's version of hate. He was so outraged, that he sent out an email to whoever it is that is still listening to him that if we take away the tax exempt status of anti-Semitic groups, then the next step is us storming the churches and taking their tax exempt statuses away as well. Sure, why not!

The email, via JoeMyGod :

Thursday's hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee wasn't the first time liberals have tried to use the IRS to do their dirty work — but it might be the most revealing. At a Thursday event that was either unnoticed by the press (or intentionally sidestepped by it), Democrats spent almost three hours bloviating on "How the Tax Code Subsidizes Hate." Their solution? Strip mainstream Christian organizations — and anyone else guilty of the Left's version of "hate" — of their tax-exempt status.

"Our tax code," chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) insisted, "is no place for hate. Groups that propagate white supremacy, anti-Semitism, and hatred for the LGBTQ community, among others, do not deserve a government subsidy through tax exemption. Hate is not charitable…"

This is exactly what conservatives warned about after Obergefell . Before the Supreme Court forced same-sex marriage on the country, President Obama's solicitor general admitted that faith-based organizations would be the single most vulnerable group in America.

Now, Democrats want to weaponize the IRS against Christian nonprofits and others with whom they disagree. But don't think for a second that they'll stop with a list of 60. If they succeed in making the Bible "hate speech," they'll march on to America's churches — and then to anyone with politically incorrect views.

The thing is, at least a few of these hate groups are not actually doing the things they are supposed to be doing as 501(c)3s. For example, white separatist Jared Taylor's New Century Foundation, which publishes the obscenely racist magazine/website American Renaissance, has a 501(c)3 exemption for "Vocational Training." As far as I can tell, they do no vocational training whatsoever — they just publish and aggregate a bunch of racist nonsense.

The VDare Foundation , which was granted a 501(c)3 status under Research Institutes and/or Public Policy Analysis (Educational Institutions and Related Activities), is not really either of those things. All they do, as well, is publish racist, anti-immigrant nonsense from Ann Coulter and the like.

And, uh, shit like this.

It's mostly just a slightly more well written version of The Daily Stormer.

There is really no reason why these groups should be classified as 501(c)3s, and the fact that they've gotten away with doing so for this long is pretty disturbing. The reason why non-profits are tax-exempt is because they provide a public service of some kind. I have to say, I'm not sure how writing about the ridiculous "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory as it applies to comic book movies is providing any kind of public service.

Let's hope the Ways and Means committee is successful in this, because honestly it's pretty damned embarrassing that our government is in the business of subsidizing Nazi websites.

[ Joe My God ]

Wonkette is independent and fully funded by readers like you. Click below to tip us!