Should Aryan Nations - White Supremacists – Neo Nazis-have IRS tax exemptions revoked

JANFU · Aug 29, 2017

Should Aryan Nations W Supremacists – Neo Nazis- have IRS tax exemptions revoked?

Yes - Why

No -Why

Other -Pls Explain

Revoking could open a slippery slope- Detailed explanation- substantiate your opinion?

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/29/...-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region

We suspect that many Americans would also be shocked to learn that a number of white supremacist groups — including the New Century Foundation, which hosts an annual conference that has included neo-Nazis, white supremacists, Ku Klux Klan members, Holocaust deniers and eugenicists — are exempt from taxation. (The National Policy Institute, directed by Richard Spencer, was another, until it lost its tax-exempt status this year after failing to file federal tax returns.) A recent Associated Press report said that over the past decade, four prominent white nationalist groups alone received over $7.8 million in donations.

Like museums, churches and schools, these groups do not have to pay taxes on a majority of their revenue. Donors to these groups can deduct their gifts, and real estate that the groups own is generally exempt from property taxes. In addition, in the eyes of the organization and the public, being tax-exempt confers a certain legitimacy.

The I.R.S., the agency in charge of enforcing these rules, must decide whether groups qualify for tax exemptions. It makes that decision impartially, meaning that organizations that, say, promote racist ideology are generally eligible for nonprofit status as long as they are organized for a qualifying purpose and otherwise meet the criteria for exemption. For many white supremacist groups, that claim is on educational grounds (established by I.R.S. criteria). After all, many on the far right, like Mr. Spencer and the operators of organizations like VDare, declare that they do not hate others but rather promote whiteness.

In 1983, the Supreme Court declared an extra-statutory rule for tax exemption — the “fundamental public policy” doctrine. In Bob Jones University v. United States, the court held that the I.R.S. could constitutionally revoke the tax exemption of a religiously affiliated university because its racist policy violated a “fundamental public policy.”

Link to SCOTUS decision

https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/461/574

(c) The IRS did not exceed its authority when it announced its interpretation of § 501(c)(3) in 1970 and 1971. Such interpretation is wholly consistent with what Congress, the Executive, and the courts had previously declared. And the actions of Congress since 1970 leave no doubt that the IRS reached the correct conclusion in exercising its authority. Pp. 596-62.
(d) The Government's fundamental, overriding interest in eradicating racial discrimination in education substantially outweighs whatever burden denial of tax benefits places on petitioners' exercise of their religious beliefs. Petitioners' asserted interests cannot be accommodated with that compelling governmental interest, and no less restrictive means are available to achieve the governmental interest. Pp. 602-604.
(e) The IRS properly applied its policy to both petitioners. Goldsboro admits that it maintains racially discriminatory policies, and, contrary to Bob Jones University's contention that it is not racially discriminatory, discrimination on the basis of racial affiliation and association is a form of racial discrimination. P. 605.

Ikari · Aug 29, 2017

Re: Should Aryan Nations - White Supremacists – Neo Nazis-have IRS tax exemptions rev

They really have tax-exempt status?

Well I suppose if they have met the requirements, and hell Scientology is a "religion" I suppose.

JANFU · Aug 29, 2017