GuideStar agrees to remove ‘hate group’ labels

Charity finance analyst Guidestar agreed Friday to remove “hate group” designations temporarily from 46 Christian and conservative nonprofit groups. Guidestar began using the designations issued by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) earlier this year. It describes SPLC as a civil-rights advocacy organization, but the group’s primary purpose is to advance the gay rights agenda. It uses its “hate group” labels to describe any individual or organization that holds to Biblical definitions of marriage and gender. In a statement issued Friday, GuideStar said it welcomed feedback from groups protesting the use of SPLC’s labels: “We acknowledge there is a deep, nuanced conversation to be had with Americans of all political, cultural, and religious backgrounds regarding how we address—and identify—hate groups.” The organization also claimed initially constructive criticism had turned into “harassment and threats” against its staff. Although the “hate group” labels will come off GuideStar’s website for the time being, they might return. In its statement the company said it does believe SPLC’s assessments are “in line with our mission to provide as much information about nonprofit organizations as possible.”