Make bigots scared again

10

To the Editor:

As a social work student, learning about the most recent anti-Semitic shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue has left me disgusted. One would think that it being 2018, such crimes would almost be virtually nonexistent.

Sadly, this is not the only hate-fueled crime to have occurred this year. Many of the hate crimes that occurred this year have been perpetrated by white supremacists, people who are homophobic, and people who are xenophobic. Why are so many crimes, such as the shooting of a synagogue or the murder of Blaze Bernstein, on the rise today? Many people blame the rising hate crimes on this country’s leader because he gives hate-filled speeches and calls for violence, such as when President Donald Trump told people to “knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously, OK?” referring to protesters. Or the time he said, “Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my type!” referring to an attacked reporter.

But others say that this country has always been like this. A solution to this situation is not to send thoughts and prayers, but to take action against those who commit such hateful acts and not give hate a platform. We should all be diligent in calling out hate speech, and we should be making bigots scared again. We should not tolerate hate, no matter where it comes from, even if it comes from family members or neighbors. We need to teach the next generations to accept the fact that it is OK to have a different skin color, religion, sexuality, and ethnicity. We should not be teaching younger generations to hate. It is our duty to do these things because hate is not passed down generation to generation, it is learned. So why are people teaching their children to hate?

Gabriella Carlos

Vineyard Haven

10 COMMENTS

    • No, Hanley, we should teach our children not to accept the bigotry, racism, misogyny, xenophobia and cowardly dishonesty and ignorance that spills from this man every single day. Do you know he is blaming the California wildfires on federal forest polices? Have you heard one word about the “caravans” since the midterms? I do hate ignorance and lies, and so do all moral beings.

      • “bigotry, racism, misogyny, xenophobia and cowardly dishonesty and ignorance” Please give examples of each. It doesn’t take much to call someone a name. It would be far more productive to your cause to cite actions you find objectionable rather than just spewing hatred.

        • BS, read any news article written about Trump. Start with any of the gazillion articles on Trump leading the racist birtherism movement and take it from there. Educate yourself, don’t depend on others to inform you on what you would know had you been paying attention.

      • Like at the Pittsburgh synagogue? Is that what you mean? Hate crimes rose 17% last year. But angry white males object to the truth.

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