SPLC investigates Vermont secessionist group

(More important than you might think at first blush. Having a good deal of familiarity with the issue, I decided to promote this essay to the FP. In order to do that, I had to move a bunch of it under the fold.   – promoted by kestrel9000)

Crossposted at iBrattleboro, Green Mountain Daily and Five Before Chaos.

The Southern Poverty Law Center is a well-known organization known for tracking hate groups and/or hate crimes around America. Many of you may remember the recent controversy regarding the Second Vermont Republic (SVR), Vermont’s secessionist movement. John Odum of Green Mountain Daily pointed out SVR’s ties to groups and individuals being tracked by the Southern Poverty Law Center and as a result, SVR came under greater scrutiny. Now the SPLC released their much anticipated report on the Second Vermont Republic and the report includes a revealing anecdote on former SVR board member and Vermont impeachment hero, Dan DeWalt.

The authors write:

“… playing footsie with neo-Confederates has cost SVR, as several members have left the group or distanced themselves from it in recent years. Former executive director Jane Dwinel quit the group in 2006, telling the Report later that she had had sharp disagreements with Naylor. John McClaughry, a supporter of decentralization, told the Report that SVR has “shaded over to hating America.” According to the Vermont Secession blog, Dan Dewalt, a former SVR advisory member, was dismissed from the group for merely raising irksome questions about Naylor’s connection to groups including the league.

Even many of those who remain Naylor’s colleagues are worried by SVR’s new Southern friends. “You’ve got to watch whose conference you go to. There’s no doubt about it,” SVR advisor Frank Bryan told the Report. Added longtime SVR ally Jim Hogue, “If [Naylor] was very flattering toward the League of the South, and they’re racist, that was probably a bad idea.”

In the face of these criticisms, Naylor remains defiant. “I don’t give a shit what you write,” he told the Report. “If someone tells me that I shouldn’t associate with the League of the South, it guarantees that I will associate with the League of the South.”

It’s easy to support the Second Vermont Republic. They believe in a sustainable economy, a sustainable environment, and despise anything to do with empire. But truth be told, their connections to racist groups are as easy as looking them up in the yellow pages.

For more on the complete story visit Vermont Secession. Or watch the following video clip from the Glenn Beck Show…

…. and here’s the rundown on Tom Naylor’s buddy Michael Hill.