Covering extremist groups in your community

By Catherine Komp, Engagement Director

Dozens of extremist groups operate across North Carolina, including militia, white nationalist and groups with vague names like Moms for Liberty and North Carolina Parents Involved in Education.

They all have different forms and strategies; some are more underground while others endorse and appear with lawmakers and candidates. But they all have something in common, says Journalist Kyle Spencer: using “the other” to leverage campaigns of fear and anxiety.

“They create some group of people that they will decide– whether it’s people who are marginalized, members of the LGBTQ community, people of color, women, non-whites, non-Christians, they create an other and then their philosophy is essentially there is this other and we must go after this other, we have to annihilate this other, we have to disempower this other and that’s kind of the cycle of right wing extremism and extremism in general,” said Spencer.

There’s been some notable coverage from NC news outlets on some extremist groups and candidates which we’ll round up below. But it can seem daunting to cover these movements: some are violent, many are in the shadows, and following the money and support behind them is tangled.

Through Reporting Right, Spencer helps equip newsrooms with the guidance, tools and data they need to report on anti-democratic threats to their communities. She’s also the author of Raising Them Right: The Untold Story of America’s Ultra-Right Youth Movement and Its Plot for Power and has ties to NC, where she reported for The Daily Tar Heel and later for the News & Observer.

Last week, Spencer led a training on covering extremist groups for the US Democracy Day 2024. That initiative provides training and resources for journalists, newsrooms and educators in the lead-up to September 15, International Democracy Day, when newsrooms across the country publish pieces on democracy. (Find out more on how to participate here.)

Spencer provided a lot of valuable information during the training (including sharing this reporting guide), so today we’re going to recap some of her guidance. Spencer focuses on the radical right, but says these approaches apply to all forms of extremism.

Track the groups operating in your community

Spencer recommends using the SPLC Hate Map and researching groups’ digital footprints to understand their ideologies. As many are trying to influence local government, attend school board and other local government meetings to understand who’s connected or adjacent to extremist groups. To follow the money, Spencer says you often need to work backwards, identifying the wealthy funders and foundations that may be adjacent to extremist groups. Then, use sources like ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer, the Center for Media & Democracy and DonorsTrust to see who they’re giving money to. (Here’s a good example from Open Secrets.)

Spencer acknowledges some of the criticisms of SPLC. She recommends journalists and newsrooms have conservations about how to define hate groups and share what they’ve agreed on with their audiences, emphasizing don’t be afraid to use the term “hate group” or call out racism, white nationalism, Christian nationalism, xenophobia and other forms of hate.

Understand the Overton Window

Spencer has a good explainer on the Overton Window and how extremist groups use it to “radicalize government policy — on the local and national level — by manipulating news gatherers, thought leaders, and public intellectuals.”

“We need to be very, very mindful that we are not starting to normalize certain things that were never considered okay inside a democracy,” said Spencer.

To counter shifts to the Overton Window, Spencer says watch out for efforts by sources to present radical, anti-democratic ideas as within the norm; avoid quoting sources who cite misinformation, historical inaccuracies, or lies; and be an explainer that provides historical context.

Stay alert to extremist branding versus the truth

Spencer points out that many groups have innocuous sounding names; Family Research Council, Moms for Liberty and the Honest Elections Project are a few examples. They also use misleading terms like “traditional values” and “pro-family,” and fabricated, derisive terms like “cancel culture” and “woke agenda.”

Spencer says avoid those phrases and as soon as you name these groups in your coverage, provide a precise description of their beliefs and/or activities. For example, “Moms for Liberty, a leading book banning organization,” or the “Family Research Council, which has funded anti-LGBTQ research.”

“We all work within the rubrics of our editorial boards. But whatever wording that you feel comfortable using, it’s really important when you name these extremist groups that you immediately explain if there’s misinformation in the name, that you call it out and explain it,” said Spencer.

Focus on process stories

Spencer warns to steer clear of coverage like the much-criticized NYT “Nazi next door” story, as this is the kind of coverage radical groups want to bolster their recruitment.

Instead, Spencer says focus on process.

“You want to outline extremist tactics, contextualize these groups inside the larger right-wing ecosystem, highlight the way these groups influence policy and public opinion, and write stories about people that have been impacted by these extremist groups,” said Spencer.

You can also write about political networks and public officials who are connected to these groups, as well as the experiences of victims and organizations and leaders who are opposing them. Spencers points to this Daily Dot series as a good example of covering the tactics groups use and the disruption it causes to communities.

Protect yourself

As many extremist groups are violent or engage in online harassment, you and your newsrooms should take appropriate steps to stay safe. A few of Spencer’s recommendations:

• Keep your personal and family information off the web. (INN’s offer of a free subscription to Delete Me may still be available to members)

• Use encrypted emails and avoid using personal accounts.

• Be judicious about emails and texts. (Assume they will be used against you.)

• Make wise decisions about whether or not to attend meetings, events, gatherings or interviews alone.

• Inform the authorities if you are being threatened or harassed.

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