"The Region Has for Decades Been an Incubator"

"Beirich puts the rise of the far right in the region down to two major factors. The strength and vibrancy of immigrant culture has often drawn a racist reaction from white people on the far right, she said. That is reflected today in the anti-immigrant groups that still operate in the region–such as the Californians for Population Stabilization group in Santa Barbara and anti-Muslim groups such as Jihad Watch in Sherman Oaks and the David Horowitz Freedom Foundation in Los Angeles.
"Beirich also attributes a significant role to organizing by the John Birch Society (JBS) in the 60s, 70s and 80s. The conspiracy-minded anticommunist group was, for many, 'a gateway drug into other forms of extremism', she noted."

Jason Wilson at The Guardian discusses "the far right's deep roots in southern California."