Lack of reporting and coordination between federal and local law enforcement are just some of the challenges with tracking hate crimes like anti-Semitism. The Halle synagogue shooting in Germany, which occurred on October 9th, 2019, during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, serves as a tragic reminder that anti-Semitism among the radical right often directly… Continue reading “Unquantified Prejudice: The Challenges Of Tracking Hate Crimes”
*This was given as Keynote Speech at the 2nd Meeting of the Working Group on the Implementation of the Council Declaration on the Fight against Antisemitism European Commission to the Working Group on Antisemitism & European Jewish Congress December 2019, Brussels.* Antisemitism is not just one form of discrimination among others. It is not just… Continue reading “Antisemitism in Schools”
Answering some of the pressing, if not existential questions facing diverse, democratic societies require a clearer understanding of tolerance. Tolerance is vital to the functioning of modern, liberal democracies. In societies where individual rights and freedoms are recognized and protected, some amount of tolerance of difference is required. Diversity comes in many forms: thought… Continue reading “What is tolerance and how much of it do democracies require?”
8chan’s ability to bring the worst of the human mind out into the open drives its traffic. 8chan is one of the most notorious message boards on the internet. Its contents include subjects ranging from extremist political ideas to extreme pornography. Unsurprisingly, it stands by the slogan “Embrace Infamy.” Visitors receive an equally intriguing salutation:… Continue reading “8chan: Where the Appalling Becomes Appealing”
Britain’s far-right undertow turns hostile currents against ethnic and religious minorities into a tsunami of hatred. Pause a moment to register two unloved anniversaries. This spring marks a decade since the first anti-Muslim street movement, the English Defence League (EDL), emerged on British streets. Slowly but surely, the Democratic Football Lads Alliance (DFLA), now a… Continue reading “The DFLA: a(nother) new UK far right movement?”
Is there really a new wave of anti-Semitism sweeping the United States? At first glance the answer appears to be in the affirmative. There’s certainly substantial – though fragmentary – evidence to support this response. Here are some manifestations of hatred toward Jewish people that confirm the existence of such a wave. Exhibit ‘A’ is… Continue reading “The New Wave of Anti-Semitism in America”
After receiving letters threatening an anti-Muslim attack, 16 individuals reported to the group supporting victims of anti-Muslim hate that I founded, Tell MAMA. These reports came in from various parts of the country, from Bradford and Leicester to East London. Muslims in Britain had been targeted by these vile the ‘Punish a Muslim’ letters, which… Continue reading “The ‘Punish a Muslim’ Letters Were Targeted To Cause Maximum Fear, But They Have Brought Communities Together”