www.upi.com
Oct. 21, 2008
WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Scholars and human rights activists warn that white supremacists groups are again trying to make inroads into the U.S. middle class.USA Today said Tuesday that neo-Nazis and other race-baiting organizations are beefing up their Internet prowess and taking advantage of the dip in the U.S. economy to pad their membership roles.
At the same time, such groups are also trying to spruce up their images in order to appeal to a wider audience.
"Many white supremacist groups are going more mainstream," said Jack Levin, a Northeastern University criminologist who studies hate crime. "The groups realize if they want to be attractive to middle-class types, they need to look middle-class."
One high-profile strategy, the newspaper said, is to link illegal immigrants to gangs and crime in predominantly white, working-class communities. The presidential campaign of Barack Obama has also been a point of contention.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/10/21/White_supremacists_court_US_middle_class/UPI-90311224619380/
