States where the most residents are struggling to find their next meal

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Published in Stacker; co-written with Sarah Dolezal

Nearly 12% of U.S. adults reported being hungry sometimes or often during a Census Bureau survey in June 2023.

The longstanding problem does not affect all Americans equally. A Department of Agriculture study examining data from 2019 and 2020 found that children, single parents, single adults, low-income households, people of color, and households in the South were all more likely to experience food insecurity than the national average.

Overall, the country saw a negligible uptick in hunger from June 2022, with less than 1 additional percentage point of adults reporting their household sometimes or often didn't have enough food.

Stacker analyzed Census Bureau data to rank each state based on how many residents reported going hungry. Population estimates are from the Census Bureau. Percentages represent the portion of the overall adult population that reported to the Census Bureau in mid-June that they lived in a household where there was either sometimes or often not enough food to eat in the last week.

#51. North Dakota

- Percent of adult population hungry: 6.4%
- 1-year change: -2.1 percentage points
- Total adult population: 570,659

The state's only food bank, Great Plains Food Bank, supplies more than 300 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters across the state. The state's website also offers several other options for people to get help finding food, including mobile food pantries to deliver food in remote areas, collaborations with farmers, and connections to federal programs.

#50. Maine

- Percent of adult population hungry: 6.9%
- 1-year change: -0.7 percentage points
- Total adult population: 1,113,361

In 2019, lawmakers asked the state's Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to develop a plan to end hunger by 2030. "Current levels of hunger and food insecurity—as high as 16.4% of the population in recent years—extract an enormous human toll," the department reported. In recent years, the Good Shepherd Food Bank, the state's largest, has raised more than $250 million toward its goal of ending hunger in the state. For the year ending June 30, 2023, the food bank distributed 31.5 million meals statewide.

#49. New Jersey

- Percent of adult population hungry: 8.2%
- 1-year change: -2.2 percentage points
- Total adult population: 7,122,199

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey distributes food to pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in most of the state's 21 counties. In just one year, it distributed 103 million pounds of food, enough for 86 million meals; one-third was fresh produce. It also helps residents apply for state and federal aid programs.

#48. Vermont

- Percent of adult population hungry: 8.4%
- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total adult population: 510,057

The Vermont Foodbank, operating since 1986, supplies more than 150,000 Vermonters annually. Hunger Free Vermont has been working to end hunger in the state since 1993 by supporting and urging the expansion of federal and state programs providing food assistance to hungry people.

#47. Delaware

- Percent of adult population hungry: 8.5%
- 1-year change: -2.5 percentage points
- Total adult population: 802,595

Delaware Health and Social Services lists food banks and food pantries around the state. As federal food-aid programs contract benefits extended during the coronavirus pandemic, the Delaware Food Bank is among the groups seeking additional donations.

#46. Missouri

- Percent of adult population hungry: 8.6%
- 1-year change: -2.5 percentage points
- Total adult population: 4,681,751

The Feeding Missouri network of food banks distributes 120 million pounds of food annually to more than 1 million Missourians. It reaches across the state's 114 counties and St. Louis through more than 1,500 agencies and programs.

#45. Colorado

- Percent of adult population hungry: 8.9%
- 1-year change: 1.5 percentage points
- Total adult population: 4,553,684

Costella and Crowley counties had the highest hunger rates, with 17% of residents categorized as food-insecure in 2020, according to data from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Douglas and Elbert counties had the lowest food insecurity rates, at 6%. The state's Department of Human Services coordinates government benefits with food-distribution partners across Colorado.

#44. District of Columbia

- Percent of adult population hungry: 9%
- 1-year change: -1.3 percentage points
- Total adult population: 514,777

Across the District, churches, nonprofit agencies, and government offices offer free food, money to buy food, and other support to hungry D.C. residents.

#43. New Hampshire

- Percent of adult population hungry: 9.2%
- 1-year change: 1.9 percentage points
- Total adult population: 1,117,829

NH Hunger Solutions is a nonprofit that touts its effectiveness in supporting government programs to fight hunger and encouraging eligible Granite State residents to seek help getting enough food. The state's Department of Health and Human Services has specific programs for families with children and senior citizens who don't have enough food.

#42. Utah

- Percent of adult population hungry: 9.2%
- 1-year change: 1.5 percentage points
- Total adult population: 2,450,650

A new state commission will keep the public and lawmakers informed about how to help food-insecure Utahns. The Utah Food Bank keeps track of food pantries across the state and offers an interactive map to help people find the most convenient one.

#41. Washington

- Percent of adult population hungry: 9.2%
- 1-year change: 0.2 percentage points
- Total adult population: 6,050,305

About 13% of Seattle adults are food-insecure, according to a 2019 government report. In 2019, 1.1 million Washingtonians at risk of going hungry received 148 million pounds of food through food banks, pantries, and other programs across the state.

#40. Minnesota

- Percent of adult population hungry: 9.3%
- 1-year change: 2.1 percentage points
- Total adult population: 4,311,532

In 2022, the Food Group, a Minnesota-based nonprofit, provided more than 6 million meals to hungry people in Minnesota and Wisconsin, which the agency also serves. Another agency, Hunger Solutions, tracked 5.5 million visits to food shelves across the North Star State in 2022.

#39. Oregon

- Percent of adult population hungry: 9.3%
- 1-year change: 1.7 percentage points
- Total adult population: 3,315,259

A 2022 Ford Family Foundation analysis found that Grant and Lake counties have the most food insecurity, while Washington and Hood River counties have the least. The Oregon Food Bank maintains a list and an interactive map of more than 600 places Oregonians can get free groceries and produce or free meals.

#38. Massachusetts

- Percent of adult population hungry: 9.6%
- 1-year change: 0.2 percentage points
- Total adult population: 5,427,691

A nonprofit called Project Bread has a phone hotline anyone can call to get help finding food immediately and over the long term. Several food banks around the state help keep local food pantries stocked.

#37. Rhode Island

- Percent of adult population hungry: 9.6%
- 1-year change: -5.1 percentage points
- Total adult population: 848,183

The state government's Rhode to End Hunger Initiative helps coordinate food donations—from people and businesses, including restaurants and markets—and maintains an interactive map of locations where Ocean Staters can get food when needed.

#36. Illinois

- Percent of adult population hungry: 9.9%
- 1-year change: 1.8 percentage points
- Total adult population: 9,564,566

A state commission to end hunger seeks to unite officials, volunteers, business leaders, and others to fight hunger across Illinois. The state also maintains a list of food banks, pantries, and other places hungry people can get help and food.

#35. Idaho

- Percent of adult population hungry: 10%
- 1-year change: -0.8 percentage points
- Total adult population: 1,463,645

The Idaho Food Bank reports that Shoshone County has the highest food insecurity rate in the state, at 14.1% of residents, while Teton County has the lowest rate, at 5.4%. The group also provides an interactive map for people to find food help near them.

#34. Nebraska

- Percent of adult population hungry: 10.2%
- 1-year change: -1.5 percentage points
- Total adult population: 1,455,973

Efforts to fight hunger in Nebraska include two food banks, a mobile food pantry, and dozens of locations to get free food or full meals.

#33. Michigan

- Percent of adult population hungry: 10.7%
- 1-year change: 0.8 percentage points
- Total adult population: 7,735,119

Michigan State University received a $500,000 grant to address hunger in Michigan's Black and Indigenous communities and other underserved communities. The state government is also working on the problem, and a July 2023 law change expanded eligibility for support. Seven food banks in the state supply more than 3,000 agencies that provide food to those in need.

#32. Pennsylvania

- Percent of adult population hungry: 10.7%
- 1-year change: 2.2 percentage points
- Total adult population: 9,933,427

The state government wants to reach everyone in Pennsylvania eligible for federal food-aid benefits and reports reducing the food insecurity rate across the state by 5 percentage points between 2015 and 2022. The state's Department of Agriculture maintains a list of food banks and other food sources for Pennsylvanians in need.

#31. Virginia

- Percent of adult population hungry: 10.7%
- 1-year change: 1.0 percentage points
- Total adult population: 6,631,493

The state's seven food banks helped 1,800 agencies and distribution sites provide 135 million pounds of food to 800,000 Virginians in 2022. An interactive map lets people in need know where to turn for help with food.

#30. Connecticut

- Percent of adult population hungry: 10.8%
- 1-year change: 4.1 percentage points
- Total adult population: 2,789,532

Connecticut Foodshare, the state's largest food bank, provided nearly 39 million meals to residents in need in 2022. The agency partners with 650 food pantries, kitchens, and mobile delivery services to reach every corner of the Nutmeg State.

#29. New York

- Percent of adult population hungry: 10.8%
- 1-year change: 0.1 percentage points
- Total adult population: 15,036,419

The Nourish New York initiative started during the COVID-19 pandemic but has continued to connect New Yorkers with food assistance and make plans for expanding aid and reducing demand. Eight regional food banks help supply millions of pounds of food to those in need.

#28. Wyoming

- Percent of adult population hungry: 10.9%
- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total adult population: 442,798

The state's first lady, Jennie Gordon, spearheads a statewide effort to fight hunger. The Food Bank of Wyoming has 160 partner agencies that serve people across all 23 of the state's counties and works to reduce food waste by collecting usable food and distributing it to those in need.

#27. Arizona

- Percent of adult population hungry: 11%
- 1-year change: 0.2 percentage points
- Total adult population: 5,723,779

An AmeriCorps grant will fund 33 volunteers at Arizona food banks to help collect and distribute food for those in need. The Arizona Food Bank Network brings together five food banks and 1,000 agencies to feed 450,000 hungry Arizonans each month.

#26. Wisconsin

- Percent of adult population hungry: 11.1%
- 1-year change: 2.4 percentage points
- Total adult population: 4,538,089

Through Feeding Wisconsin, the state association of six food banks, 750 social service agencies, and 1,500 feeding programs statewide feed almost 600,000 residents yearly. It diverts 16 million pounds of excess food from stores and restaurants and another 3 million pounds of agricultural surplus, helping feed people rather than contributing to food waste.

#25. Tennessee

- Percent of adult population hungry: 11.2%
- 1-year change: -3.4 percentage points
- Total adult population: 5,455,071

The state has five food banks, but hunger remains a problem. A recent state grant program received applications for over $13 million in hunger-fighting funding, but only has $10 million to give out.

#24. North Carolina

- Percent of adult population hungry: 11.3%
- 1-year change: 0.7 percentage points
- Total adult population: 8,270,414

A network of 10 food banks serves both North and South Carolina. Just one of those, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, provides more than 81 million meals annually to hungry North Carolinians.

#23. Hawaii

- Percent of adult population hungry: 11.6%
- 1-year change: 2.8 percentage points
- Total adult population: 1,104,070

The largest food-relief organization in the 50th state, the Hawai'i Foodbank, distributed 17.4 million pounds of food in 2022 to hungry people on O'ahu and Kaua'i. The Maui Food Bank gives out another 3.25 million pounds a year. The Food Basket coordinates hunger relief efforts on the state's largest island and helps 50,000 people each month.

#22. Florida

- Percent of adult population hungry: 11.8%
- 1-year change: 0.9 percentage points
- Total adult population: 17,896,443

Florida's Department of Agriculture works with farmers and schools statewide to collect and distribute edible, healthy food that would otherwise go to waste. Around the Sunshine State, nine food banks and more than 2,400 community groups and agencies distribute over 400 million pounds of food to hungry Floridians.

#21. Iowa

- Percent of adult population hungry: 11.9%
- 1-year change: 1.6 percentage points
- Total adult population: 2,391,994

The Iowa Food Bank Association distributed 45 million meals to Iowans in 2021 through six food banks and 1,200 partner organizations. The state government has also contributed $5 million to expand the capacity of food banks in Iowa.

#20. Montana

- Percent of adult population hungry: 11.9%
- 1-year change: 3.7 percentage points
- Total adult population: 880,407

The Montana Food Bank Network distributed 16 million pounds of food to hungry Montanans in 2022. The state also sells a special-interest license plate to raise money to end hunger in Montana.

#19. California

- Percent of adult population hungry: 12%
- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total adult population: 29,670,532

In 2021, California food banks distributed more than 1 billion pounds of food, the equivalent of 850 million meals, and with the help of more than 6,000 food pantries, kitchens, and other distribution groups, provided food to 4.5 million people each month on average. State government efforts include partnerships with farmers and ranchers to use what they might not be able to sell in the marketplace.

#18. Alabama

- Percent of adult population hungry: 12.1%
- 1-year change: -4.8 percentage points
- Total adult population: 3,852,301

Eight food banks cover the state, and the Alabama Public Health website highlights not only traditional food pantries but also "little free pantries," a grassroots network of neighbors who make food available to those in need.

#17. Maryland

- Percent of adult population hungry: 12.5%
- 1-year change: 1.4 percentage points
- Total adult population: 4,704,806

The Maryland Food Bank distributed over 40 million meals in 2022 and has an online map that helps people find food where needed. It also operates several mobile food markets that bring healthy food options to people who cannot travel to stores that offer better food options.

#16. West Virginia

- Percent of adult population hungry: 12.5%
- 1-year change: -8.8 percentage points
- Total adult population: 1,370,064

The Mountaineer Food Bank maintains an interactive map of locations people in need can get food across West Virginia. With programs targeting children, veterans, and those in rural areas, the agency provides 17 million meals a year to hungry West Virginians.

#15. Nevada

- Percent of adult population hungry: 12.6%
- 1-year change: 1.6 percentage points
- Total adult population: 2,494,294

The Silver State has two food banks, one serving the northern two-thirds of the state and the other serving four counties in the southern part. Both have interactive maps to direct people to aid near them.

#14. South Carolina

- Percent of adult population hungry: 12.6%
- 1-year change: -2.6 percentage points
- Total adult population: 4,116,940

A network of 10 food banks serves both North and South Carolina. Harvest Hope Food Bank, covering 20 counties in northern South Carolina, provides 20 million meals annually. The Lowcountry Food Bank, covering another 10 counties in the southeastern part, distributed 39.7 million pounds of food in 2021. Food banks based in North Carolina and Georgia serve the state's 16 other counties.

#13. New Mexico

- Percent of adult population hungry: 12.8%
- 1-year change: -2.5 percentage points
- Total adult population: 1,622,106

Low income is a major cause of food insecurity in Santa Fe and across the state, according to a 2023 Source New Mexico news report. The state's five food banks also work with New Mexico farmers to buy and provide food for those in need. People can view an interactive map to see which food bank, and which of its partners, is nearest. The state also offers money to help college students afford food.

#12. South Dakota

- Percent of adult population hungry: 12.8%
- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total adult population: 675,019

Feeding South Dakota provided 15.5 million meals to people across the state in 2022. That included 12.9 million pounds of food, over 3,400 backpacks for children to take home for weekends and school holidays, more than 1,800 boxes to senior citizens, and over 10,000 families served at mobile food pantries.

#11. Indiana

- Percent of adult population hungry: 13%
- 1-year change: 1.8 percentage points
- Total adult population: 5,124,472

Across Indiana, 11 food banks help feed hungry people in the state. They partner with pork farmers, deer hunters, vegetable farmers, and corporate donors to collect and distribute food to those in need. An interactive map directs people to help near their homes.

#10. Ohio

- Percent of adult population hungry: 13%
- 1-year change: 1.1 percentage points
- Total adult population: 8,934,322

The Buckeye State has 12 food banks and 3,600 groups and agencies working to end hunger in Ohio. Together, they provided 243 million pounds of food, enough for 202 million meals, to 9.9 million people in 3.5 million households in 2022 and 13.7 million prepared meals.

#9. Georgia

- Percent of adult population hungry: 13.1%
- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total adult population: 8,284,651

Georgia is served by nine regional food banks, which serve seniors, families, children, and military members without enough food. An interactive map shows who can get help from where, and a program partnering with farmers rescues 14 million pounds of food from the trash each year.

#8. Kentucky

- Percent of adult population hungry: 13.1%
- 1-year change: -2.4 percentage points
- Total adult population: 3,405,196

The Feeding Kentucky network of food banks, pantries, and other agencies distributed 85 million meals in 2022. An interactive map helps people find their most convenient food-aid source.

#7. Kansas

- Percent of adult population hungry: 13.4%
- 1-year change: 2.4 percentage points
- Total adult population: 2,171,506

Three food banks cover Kansas' 105 counties. The Kansas Food Bank served 85 counties and fed nearly 1 million people in 2021. An interactive statewide map helps people find their nearest food source and food aid.

#6. Oklahoma

- Percent of adult population hungry: 13.9%
- 1-year change: 3.0 percentage points
- Total adult population: 2,986,911

A state program doubles the amount of money available to federal food-aid recipients in Oklahoma. Two regional food banks also serve the state, and a special federal program provides food to Native Americans in need on and near reservations in Oklahoma.

#5. Alaska

- Percent of adult population hungry: 14.5%
- 1-year change: 4.8 percentage points
- Total adult population: 530,263

Rural Alaskans are more likely to be food-insecure than urban Alaskans, according to the Food Bank of Alaska. In the Kusilvak region, more than 1 in 4 people are hungry; 1 in 5 are in Bethel, 400 miles west of Anchorage. The Food Bank's mobile food pantry program reached almost 39,000 families in 2022. That year, its summer food program served 34,000 meals to children during the summer school break and distributed 21,000 food boxes to seniors in need.

#4. Arkansas

- Percent of adult population hungry: 16.7%
- 1-year change: 2.0 percentage points
- Total adult population: 2,290,513

Six food banks cover the state's 75 counties. The largest, Arkansas Foodbank, works with over 400 groups and agencies in its 33-county territory to feed people in need, including through mobile food pantries.

#3. Texas

- Percent of adult population hungry: 16.7%
- 1-year change: 5.1 percentage points
- Total adult population: 22,460,717

A 2022 statewide report found that Black and Latino Texans are much more likely to face hunger than white Texans. The Feeding Texas network provides food to 5 million Texans annually across the state's 254 counties.

#2. Mississippi

- Percent of adult population hungry: 17.5%
- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total adult population: 2,173,482

Over 400 agencies and delivery sites across Mississippi provide 18 million pounds of food to 1.8 million Mississippians every year with the help of the Mississippi Food Network. It helps coordinate school-based programs that send food home with kids after classes are over for the day, on weekends and school vacations, and in the summer. Special programs also help seniors and those who can't travel to get food.

#1. Louisiana

- Percent of adult population hungry: 18.6%
- 1-year change: 7.0 percentage points
- Total adult population: 3,394,886

Five food banks help provide more than 50 million meals to more than 350,000 people across the state each year. Nearly one-third of Louisiana households eligible for federal food aid are not signed up to receive it.

Data reporting by Dom DiFurio. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Paris Close.

Oath Keepers founder sentenced to 18 years for seditious conspiracy in lead-up to Jan. 6 insurrection – 4 essential reads

Stewart Rhodes, leader of the Oath Keepers, is just one member of a group that seeks to engage in violence against the U.S. government. Philip Pacheco/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Jeff Inglis, The Conversation

Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers, was sentenced to 18 years in prison on May 25, 2023, in the wake of his November 2022 conviction for seditious conspiracy. Rhodes led an effort to keep former President Donald Trump in office after Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, including planning violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Several scholars of right-wing movements, white nationalism and extremism have written articles explaining what the Oath Keepers and groups like them want, and how they work – as well as the limits on their free-speech rights to talk about violent overthrow of the U.S. government. Here we spotlight four examples of those scholars’ work.

1. Oath Keepers are violently anti-government

“Oath Keepers have participated in several armed standoffs against the government,” wrote criminologists Matthew Valasik of the University of Alabama and Shannon Reid of the University of North Carolina – Charlotte.

For instance, “In 2014, the Oath Keepers joined an armed standoff between far-right patriot groups in Nevada on behalf of Cliven Bundy. In 2015, Oath Keepers showed up heavily armed in Ferguson, Missouri, during protests over the killing of Michael Brown. And in 2016, Oath Keepers were present at the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.”

2. Oath Keepers are looking for a fight

At the Jan. 6 insurrection, the Oath Keepers contingent was looking to overthrow the government, wrote Sara Kamali, a scholar of systemic racism at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of “Homegrown Hate: Why White Nationalists and Militant Islamists Are Waging War against the United States.”

Testifying before the congressional committee investigating the insurrection, “former Oath Keepers spokesman Jason Van Tatenhove left little doubt about the intentions of the white nationalist militia group when its members stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021,” Kamali wrote.

“Tatenhove explained that Jan. 6 ‘could have been a spark that started a new civil war,’” she continued.

Members of the Oath Keepers stand at the east front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

3. Many Oath Keepers are former military personnel

The Oath Keepers – who “may number in the thousands” – are a threat in part “because the Oath Keepers actively recruit current and retired members of the armed forces,” wrote Mia Bloom and Sophia Moskalenko, Georgia State University scholars of violent extremism.

They reported that “[a]bout 10% of the Oath Keepers are active-duty military, and around two-thirds are retired military or law enforcement,” and that “[s]everal Oath Keepers present at the Jan. 6 attack were veterans,” some of whom used a military formation to breach the Capitol.

In addition, a growing number of military personnel are involved in domestic terrorism, and an increasing number of extremists have military ties, Bloom and Moskalenko reported.

4. The First Amendment does not protect sedition

Those former military members may have taken an oath to protect the U.S. and its Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic, but they are finding that constitutional protections go only so far.

“Far-right extremists or other hate groups can claim they are just venting or even fantasizing – both of which would be protected under the First Amendment,” wrote Amy Cooter, a scholar of extremism and militias at Middlebury’s Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism. “For this reason, seditious conspiracy charges have historically been hard to prosecute.”

Cooter noted that Rhodes did not enter the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but his conviction “suggests that the jury believed that Rhodes’ texts and other communications incited others to violent, undemocratic action in a way that requires accountability.”

Editor’s note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.

Jeff Inglis, Freelance Editor, The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Proud Boys members convicted of seditious conspiracy – 3 essential reads on the group and right-wing extremist white nationalism

Enrique Tarrio, center, stands with other Proud Boys at a 2019 rally in Portland, Oregon. AP Photo/Noah Berger

Jeff Inglis, The Conversation

Four members of the right-wing extremist group called the Proud Boys were convicted on May 4, 2023, on charges of seditious conspiracy and other charges in connection with their efforts to lead an attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Those convicted include the group’s former leader, Enrique Tarrio.

Several scholars have written for The Conversation U.S. about the group, its ideologies and other elements of the right-wing extremist push for white nationalism. Here we spotlight three examples from our archives.

Members of the Proud Boys, along with others, march toward the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

1. Who are the Proud Boys and what do they want?

“Proud Boys have identified themselves as ‘Western chauvinists’ who focus on opposing political correctness and white guilt. But these claims have generally been seen as cover for deeper racist and antisemitic sentiments,” wrote criminology scholars Matthew Valasik at the University of Alabama and Shannon Reid at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

“[T]he more committed members of these and other extreme right-wing groups believe that the U.S. government, as currently constituted, is illegitimate and should be overthrown and replaced with one that is based on white supremacy,” they wrote.

Decrying the insidiousness of white supremacy at a protest march. Stephen Zenner/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

2. Proud Boys are just one example of systemic racism

“Many Proud Boys reject the label ‘white supremacist,’ arguing their aim is to ‘save America’ and to defend ‘Western values,’” wrote Ursula Moffitt, who was a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at Northwestern University but is now on the faculty of Wheaton College.

But, she explained, “[w]hite supremacy was itself a longstanding Western value. And white people don’t have to be white supremacists to benefit from the ways it still shapes American society.”

In fact, Moffitt wrote, “the privileges afforded to whiteness are so much a part of the structure of U.S. society that many white people don’t even notice them. … [A]lthough racism is often seen only as prejudiced beliefs and behaviors – as embodied by the Proud Boys and other such groups – it is better defined as a system of advantage based on race.”

3. The challenge of reintegrating extremists into society

It’s not clear what will happen if the four Proud Boys members convicted on May 4, or others facing their own charges in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection, go to jail – or what society will do with them when they’re eventually released.

“[N]either the national security agencies nor the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Prisons has seriously considered how to handle extremist inmates while they serve their sentences, nor how to offer them a road to reintegration with the country they attacked, or planned to,” wrote John Horgan, a psychologist at Georgia State University.

Horgan recommended creating “deradicalization efforts to address the increasingly diverse population of homegrown terrorists, [which] could include psychological counseling and restorative justice.”

Editor’s note: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives.

Jeff Inglis, Freelance Editor, The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Best West Coast small towns to live in

• Story name: Best West Coast small towns to live in
• Canonical URL: https://stacker.com/business-economy/best-west-coast-small-towns-live
• Written by: Jeff Inglis
• Description:

  Looking for a small town on the West Coast? Stacker reviewed Niche's 2022 Best Places to Live and narrowed the results down for you.

Best West Coast small towns to live in

The American dream of buying a home in a quaint small town is still alive and well. A growing number of people consider rural living ideal: In 2021, small towns and rural areas gained population, while cities lost people, according to a New York Times analysis of Census Bureau data.

A Pew survey in October 2021 found that about 1 in 5 Americans (19%) would most like to live in a city, but 35% wanted to live in rural areas, and 46% preferred suburbs. Inflation may mean some of those people can't afford to leave cities or must go back, but their preferences remain.

Of course, a small town in a great location will always be more popular than one that's truly remote. That's where this list of the best small towns on the West Coast comes in handy. Stacker referenced Niche's 2022 Best Places to Live and filtered the results to the West Coast and then narrowed them further to places under 5,000 residents. Niche calculated the best places to live based on cost, safety, weather quality, access to healthy living, and other factors.

Whether you're considering a move or just want a peek into what small-town life could be like, this list will certainly inspire some home searches.

You may also like: Best place to live in every state

#25. East Richmond Heights, California

- Population: 3,355

One Oakland Tribune advertisement from 1913 called East Richmond Heights "the garden of the gods." Though that slogan might have been exaggerated to sell tracts of land, this quiet, small town still ranks highly for its diversity and family-friendly lifestyle.

#24. Mirrormont, Washington

- Population: 4,196

Mirrormont, just west of Tiger Mountain State Forest in the southeastern suburbs of Seattle, was founded in 1962, with large lots featuring plenty of trees—and signature A-frame style homes. With great schools and outdoor activities nearby—including golf, tennis, and swimming at the local country club—it's known for its privacy and strict rules to protect the neighborhood's rustic character.

#23. Durham, Oregon

- Population: 2,073

Southwest of Portland, this small community's area is about one-fifth of parks and open space. It's named for a man who ran mills on the creek that runs through town. He was followed by a family who ran a tree and shrub nursery and planted trees in the area, many surviving. In 1966, residents formed a city to stave off development. Local laws fiercely guard the trees, which can only be removed with a permit.

#22. Cambrian Park, California

- Population: 3,674

Although Cambrian Park sits inside the San Jose city limits, it is technically an unincorporated census-designated place—a confusing designation that stems from shifting school district boundaries, press coverage, and ZIP codes in the 1950s. Easy access to city and county parks, good schools, and shopping malls make Cambrian Park a desirable place to live.

#21. Stafford, Oregon

- Population: 1,999

This self-described "hamlet" was created in 2006 on previously unorganized territory in Clackamas County, southeast of Portland. Its residents have set aside areas that will never be developed and set guiding principles and specific rules for any subdivisions or developments that may be proposed in the community.

#20. Ladera, California

- Population: 1,449

First founded as a housing cooperative in 1946, Ladera has a colorful history. The Peninsula Housing Association—the group of 262 members behind the purchase and development of the land—ran out of money before it could build its dream community. Then, the four non-white families were forced to withdraw from the investment. Only white people were allowed to buy homes in the resulting development—a requirement that remained in the housing rules until 2021.

#19. Portola Valley, California

- Population: 4,458

Though Portola Valley sits on top of the San Andreas Fault, the potential for seismic activity has not hampered the town. What is now known as Portola Valley began as a logging town community called Searsville. Once all the redwoods had been cleared, the logging companies deserted Searsville, and a collection of small farmers and a few wealthy estate owners moved in.

#18. Mount Hermon, California

- Population: 1,254

This small town in Santa Cruz County was originally known as Tuxedo Junction, a stop on the South Pacific Coast Railroad with a well-known resort. Today, in addition to residential homes, Mount Hermon hosts a Christian youth camp of the same name.

#17. Rancho Santa Fe, California

- Population: 2,914

Rancho Santa Fe's history dates back to a time before California's statehood, when Mexico's Gov. Pio Pico awarded the area in a land grant to San Diego's first mayor Juan Osuna in 1840. In the early 1900s, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway company bought the land and planted eucalyptus trees for later use as railroad ties. After that experiment failed, the company decided to turn the land into a residential development, and Rancho Santa Fe, as we know it, was born.

#16. Mission Canyon, California

- Population: 2,353

This suburb of Santa Barbara is named for nearby Old Mission Santa Barbara, founded by Spanish Franciscan friars in 1786, and the dramatic canyon landscape. Visitors flock to this neighborhood for the lush Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and several popular hiking trails.

#15. Hidden Hills, California

- Population: 2,182

Known for celebrity residents like Kardashian family members, music stars, and actors, Hidden Hills offers a rarefied version of a small-town lifestyle. This gated residential community developed in the mid-1950s boasts an extensive network of equestrian trails—some residents even pick up their kids on horseback. With so many A-list celebrities in the community, Hidden Hills also takes privacy extremely seriously. The community has even banned Google's photography vehicles from recording the area for Google Street View.

#14. Sleepy Hollow, California

- Population: 2,511

With just 750 homes, Sleepy Hollow is a quiet, peaceful Bay Area town beloved by equestrians and hikers alike for its proximity to two nature preserves. During World War II, the Army used a Sleepy Hollow golf course for the secret storage of munitions.

#13. Medina, Washington

- Population: 2,928

Halfway between the Seattle suburbs of Bellevue and Kirkland, this community on the shore of Lake Washington is an attractive choice for families—as well as a few well-known wealthy residents like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. It's also an expensive place to buy a home: According to Zillow, the median home price in Medina is more than $4 million. It's no surprise that Medina was ranked the eighth-richest ZIP code by Bloomberg.

#12. Woodway, Washington

- Population: 1,119

Half an hour north of Seattle, you'll find Woodway: a self-described "quiet place" where residents love to walk and bike around the evergreen-lined lanes and local parks. The town's history dates back to 1912 when David Whitcomb Sr. developed 400 acres into modest, country-style homes.

#11. Del Monte Forest, California

- Population: 3,604

This unincorporated community in Monterey County is known for its picturesque views. Visitors might want to spend a leisurely afternoon checking out all the sights on 17-Mile Drive, including the Lone Cypress—a rugged, salt air-pruned tree clinging to a craggy rock in the bay—and the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links course. Though Pebble Beach is technically a separate community, it sits within Del Monte Forest.

#10. Belvedere, California

- Population: 2,309

In 1896, 33 residents voted to incorporate Belvedere as a city. The San Francisco Bay borders the town on three sides: It's technically composed of two islands and a lagoon, giving the homes here unbeatable views.

#9. Ross, California

- Population: 2,405

First incorporated in 1908, this quaint town in Marin County is run by a five-person town council and a town manager. Ross has a real small-town feel, with just two churches, three schools, and a few cultural institutions like the Marin Art and Garden Center as well as a library run by the historical society.

#8. Loyola, California

- Population: 3,564

Like the neighboring towns of Mountain View and Los Altos, Loyola is an affluent community. In December 2022, the median price buyers paid for Loyola homes was $3.8 million. Top-rated schools, luxury amenities like a country club, and its proximity to the Bay Area make Loyola an appealing—if pricey—place to live.

#7. Monte Sereno, California

- Population: 3,502

When a community began forming in what is now Monte Sereno in the early 1900s, the area was rural and agricultural. Today, you won't find any orchards, farms, or livestock, just a peaceful residential community that has been home to author John Steinbeck, painter Thomas Kinkade, and Beat poet Neal Cassady over the years.

#6. West Menlo Park, California

- Population: 3,492

This small community sits just west of Stanford University, with most of its bars, restaurants, and local businesses lining Alameda de las Pulgas. Excellent school districts make this area particularly sought after by Bay Area families.

#5. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

- Population: 3,296

A popular tourist destination in its own right, Carmel-by-the-Sea is renowned for its charming downtown, historic mission, top-notch restaurants, and stunning Carmel Beach. Some of the town's first residents were artists such as author Jack London and poet Robinson Jeffers, giving the city an intellectual bent and creative spirit.

#4. Rolling Hills, California

- Population: 1,436

This gated residential community on the Palos Verdes Peninsula covers just three square miles, but each of the 700 properties has at least one acre and is zoned for keeping horses. Nearby attractions include the Palos Verdes Art Center, the hiking and equestrian trails in the Portuguese Bend Reserve, and the architecturally significant Wayfarers Chapel designed by Lloyd Wright, the son of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

#3. Yarrow Point, Washington

- Population: 1,365

Set on a peninsula in Lake Washington, Yarrow Point borders the #1 town on this list. Though the first homesteads date back to the 1880s, Yarrow Point wasn't incorporated until 1959. Nearly one-fourth of the homes here have waterfront views—but even residents who aren't so lucky can enjoy public parks like the Wetherill Nature Preserve and Road End Beach.

#2. Del Mar, California

- Population: 4,008

Another coastal destination, Del Mar's gorgeous beaches, legendary horse racing, and delightful downtown village are attractive to both visitors and prospective residents. The city hosts about 2 million visitors annually.

#1. Clyde Hill, Washington

- Population: 3,118

From some of Clyde Hill's higher elevations, you can spy views of Mount Rainier, the Olympic Mountains, and the Cascade Mountain Range, in addition to Lake Washington and the Seattle skyline. The area was first settled in 1882 by Irish immigrant Patrick Downey, who farmed strawberries on his claim. Clyde Hill made national news in 1975 when its mayoral race ended in an even tie; the contenders flipped a coin to decide the race.

Committee report focus is not on demonstrators – 5 essential reads on the symbols they carried on Jan. 6

The congressional investigation into Jan. 6, 2021, focused on one man, not the masses. Al Drago/Pool Photo via AP

Jeff Inglis, The Conversation

As the final report emerges from the congressional committee investigating the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, the focus is on the role of then-President Donald Trump and those close to him. That’s crucial information, but it leaves out another important chapter of the story.

There were thousands of people demonstrating on the streets of Washington, D.C., that day, whose actions are not recounted in detail in the congressional report. They carried a variety of political and ideological flags and signs. The Conversation asked scholars to explain what they saw – including ancient Norse images and more recent flags from U.S. history.

Here are five articles from The Conversation’s coverage, explaining what many of the symbols mean.

A man carries the Confederate battle flag in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, between portraits of senators who both opposed and supported slavery. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

1. The Confederate battle flag

Perhaps the most recognized symbol of white supremacy is the Confederate battle flag.

“Since its debut during the Civil War, the Confederate battle flag has been flown regularly by white insurrectionists and reactionaries fighting against rising tides of newly won Black political power,” writes Jordan Brasher at Columbus State University, who has studied how the Confederacy has been memorialized.

He notes that in one photo from inside the Capitol, the flag’s history came into sharp relief as the man carrying it was standing between “the portraits of two Civil War-era U.S. senators – one an ardent proponent of slavery and the other an abolitionist once beaten unconscious for his views on the Senate floor.”

Gadsden flags fly at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

2. The yellow Gadsden flag

Another flag with a racist history is the “Don’t Tread On Me” flag. A symbol warning of self-defense, it was designed by slave owner and trader Christopher Gadsden when the American Revolution began, as Iowa State University graphic design scholar Paul Bruski writes.

“Because of its creator’s history and because it is commonly flown alongside ‘Trump 2020’ flags, the Confederate battle flag and other white-supremacist flags, some may now see the Gadsden flag as a symbol of intolerance and hate – or even racism,” he explains.

It has been adopted by the tea party movement and other Republican-leaning groups, but the flag still carries the legacy, and the name, of its creator.

A gallows symbolizing the lynching of Jews was among the hate symbols carried as crowds stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Shay Horse/NurPhoto via Getty Images

3. Powerful antisemitism

Another arm of white supremacy doesn’t target Blacks. Instead, it demonizes Jewish people. Plenty of antisemitic symbols were on display during the riot, as Jonathan D. Sarna explains.

Sarna is a Brandeis University scholar of American antisemitism and describes the ways that “[c]alls to exterminate Jews are common in far-right and white nationalist circles.” That included a gallows erected outside the Capitol, evoking a disturbing element of a 1978 novel depicting the takeover of Washington, along with mass lynchings and slaughtering of Jews.

A man known as Jake Angeli, now imprisoned for his role in the Capitol riot, wears a horned hat and tattoos of Norse images. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

4. Co-opted Norse mythology

Among the most striking images of the January riot were those of a man wearing a horned hat and no shirt, displaying several large tattoos. He is known as Jake Angeli, but his full name is Jacob Chansley, and he is serving a 41-month sentence in prison for his role in the riot.

Tom Birkett, a lecturer in Old English at University College Cork in Ireland, explains that many of the symbols Chansley wore are from Norse mythology. However, he explains, “These symbols have also been co-opted by a growing far-right movement.”

Birkett traces the modern use of Norse symbols back to the Nazis and points out that they are a form of code hidden in plain sight: “If certain symbols are hard for the general public to spot, they are certainly dog whistles to members of an increasingly global white supremacist movement who know exactly what they mean.”

The yellow-and-red-striped flag of the defeated American-backed Republic of Vietnam flies at the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

5. An outlier, of sorts

Another flag was prominent at the Capitol riot, one that doesn’t strictly represent white supremacy: the flag of the former independent country of South Vietnam.

But Long T. Bui, a global studies scholar at the University of California, Irvine, explains that when flown by Vietnamese Americans, many of whom support Trump, the flag symbolizes militant nationalism.

“[S]ome Vietnamese Americans view their fallen homeland as an extension of the American push for freedom and democracy worldwide. I have interviewed Vietnamese American soldiers who fear American freedom is failing,” he explains.

This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation’s archives and is an update of an article previously published on Jan. 15, 2021.

Jeff Inglis, Freelance Editor, The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.