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Updated 10/21/2010 03:32 PM

New report alleges racism in Tea Party movement

By: Ashley Porter

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An extensive report, released Wednesday, reveals possible ties between Tea Party organizations and radical groups.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights are both worried about what they call "racist elements" outlined in the report Tea Party Nationalism.

"This is not intended to be an indictment of the Tea Party," Texas NAACP president Gary Bledsoe said. "In fact, there are huge numbers of good, honest, decent people who do not ascribe to the racism that gives us serious concern."

Some of the findings outlined in the 94-page study turned to websites like Stormfront.org, a white nationalist community where online forums talking about Tea Party rallies suggest that "nothing is better on July 4 than to convert people to the cause," as one member writes.

New report alleges racism in Tea Party movement
Other examples in the report said some Tea Party leaders across the country have ties to white nationalist and anti-Semitic groups.

"There are a number of actions that we know personally where there have been people accosted and approached and told demeaning things about themselves by people who are said to represent the Tea Party," Bledsoe said. "Those things are potentially explosive, and so, we're very much concerned about them."

Nationally, the Tea Party Movement has called the claims ridiculous, and said less than two weeks ahead of Election Day they'll be focusing on the issues, not the attacks.

"What we're asking the Tea Party to do is to take an honest look at what the findings are and do a more thorough job in eliminating racist elements," Bledsoe said.

The groups say they don't intend to accuse the entire party of racism, and that most supporters are sincere people. According to the report's numbers, Austin has one of the highest levels of Tea Party supporters in the country.