I recently got to work with journalist Allie Clouse at the Knoxville News Sentinel on her report on how hate groups use social media to promote themselves. Her story was prompted by a sermon by a Tennessee pastor and sheriff who called for the execution of queer people. How did such a nasty argument enter the world of social media? How might social media inspire us to make ever-more ugly arguments in order to stand out in a crowded landscape? Clouse writes, “Combine a polarizing viewpoint with shock value and you’ve got a story. Add a divided political climate and you’ve got a movement.”

Above, the people of All Scripture Baptist Church.

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