Hate Crimes and Discrimination

Written by: David Gross TOR SAVP 05-07

Adapted from Laura Lohnes, NFTY-SO SAVP 2006-2007, and the NFTY Program Bank

Touchtone Text:

"You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart. Reprove your kinsman, but incur no guilt because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself" (Leviticus 19:17-18)

Goals:

To recognize symbols of discrimination and the signs leading to a hate crime

To educate the region about hate crimes and understand the pros and cons of hate crimes legislation

Objectives:

Recognize the symbols of some controversial organizations that “hate” – and recognize when the symbols represent things other then those organizations

Discuss certain hypothetical situations in which discrimination might be present, and share among a group how to effectively deal with these situations

People Needed:

[per group] Group leader, group of about 10 PPs

Materials:

[per group] Sheets of paper with symbols, 2 pens, 3 copies of “Pro Hate Crimes Legislation Arguments”, 3 copies of “Anti Hate Crimes Legislation Arguments”

Space Needed:

[per group] Medium-sized room

Timetable:

00:00 – 00:03 Lead-in Statement / Introduction

00:03 – 00:15 Symbols Discussion

00:15 – 00:37 Scenario Discussion

00:37 – 00:40 Transition

00:40 – 00:52 Pro/Con Debate

00:52 – 00:60 Discussion and Wrap Up

Procedure:

00:00 – 00:03 Lead-in Statement / Introduction:

  1. Read the following dramatically to the group:

“New York, NY, September 14, 2001… In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks against the United States, the Anti-Defamation League – the “world’s leading organization fighting ant-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred prejudice and bigotry” – called on all Americans to maintain nation unity urging that “no one be singled out for hatred, prejudice or blame based on their ethnicity or religion.”

As Jews motivated to “repair the world,” especially after these horrific attacks and all the chaos and violence that has happened since it, it is our duty to learn what we can about discrimination, and how to stop it. By opening it up to discussion today, we hope to make you more ready to face it in the world tomorrow, because discrimination already exists around you. Your mission is to find discrimination and help people eliminate it, but it is just as important to avoid being discriminatory yourselves.

00:03 – 00:15 Symbols Discussion:

  1. Read the following to the group:
  2. “Before we delve into anything too deep, let’s get our discussion flowing with a simple exercise. Symbols can have a profound impact on our lives. They can change the way we feel, give us directions, or be a simple way of giving information. Let’s begin by looking at a few symbols you should be familiar with.”
  1. “We’ve all seen this before – its bold color is hard to miss. What do you think of when you it? How does it make you feel?
  1. “Everyone has also seen this before. For some of us, it can have a special meaning, especially around February 14th. Can anyone tell me about a certain person that comes to mind when they see this, and why?”


  1. Lately this has been a popular symbol as our nation comes together to face the world. Obviously it flies in honor of the United States of America, but what feelings do you have when you see it
  2. (Chances are that there will be some cynical/negative answers. They are entitled to their opinion, but if its cynical for the sake of only being cynical, question the people if that’s the way they really feel.)
  1. Those of us who drive know this well, and know it means “come to a full and complete stop behind the white line.” However, it can be used in other ways. Can anybody think of any other places you might see it or other meanings it might have?
  2. (People might need some coaxing to answer this one. It could be put up as a reminder – “pause here and see if you’ve completed all necessary steps” as in on the SAT. Or it could a barrier like “no entry allowed.”)
  1. Read the following:
  2. “That’s the end of the warm-up. Now that you have the hang of it, let’s apply it to some symbols that you might not see everyday. Each of the following symbols is the flag of a group that discriminates against people.”
  1. What is this?
  2. Confederate flag
  3. From taking American history, we know that during the mid 1800s this was the ensign of the Confederacy. However many people still fly it today and there has been significant controversy of its meaning. Who can tell us why it’s controversial?
  4. Some southern states have chosen to fly it over their Capitol buildings as a symbol of their heritage. However, the problem is that some White Supremacist organizations also use it for their flag, stemming from the old southern practice of enslaving blacks.
  1. Does anyone want to share a quick personal reaction?
  2. Unfortunately as Jews we all recognize this as the flag of Nazi Germany and of the Neo-Nazi movement. However it is important to understand the history of this flag because it didn’t always represent “hate.” Can anybody share the derivation of Nazi Swastika?
  3. The swastika was a symbol used by many ancient cultures including certain Native Americans to represent peace. Hitler reversed the direction of the leaves so that they point clockwise, instead of the traditional counter clockwise.
  4. How can this lead to confusion?
  5. Will anybody here think twice to make sure to identify it correctly?
  1. This is one that I doubt as many people have seen before. It is the logo for White Aryan Resistance or “WAR,” an extremist, neo-Nazi, skinhead organization that embraces white separatism and hatred towards Jews and other minorities. If you were to see it on a bumper sticker on someone’s car or in a similar situation, what would you think and why?
  2. Stay away, among other things. They often give the impression of being all-round bad people to agitate and the symbol seems very imposing.
  1. This might also be a new one for people. Anarchists who are non-racist or anti-racist, who range in their tactics from peaceful to militant, most often use it. However, a small number of the people who use it are members of the white supremacist movement, who are violently anti-government because they believe that the Jews are conspiring to control the government. Why do people hold the impression that Jews control the government, and what are the consequences of this opinion?
  2. American Jews vote in higher percentages, are more actively in civics, enjoy a strong lobbying movement, and have a strong presence in the social sphere among other things. People are jealous or distrustful of the amount of time and influence Jews have with politicians and they get the impression that they are using them as pawns.
  3. What are the dangers of interpreting this as a symbol of a group that hates Jews?
  4. You could be targeting a group that is either non-racist or even anti-racist, and could go about their business in a very peaceful way.
  5. Conversely, what are the dangers of not interpreting this as a symbol of a group that hates Jews?
  6. Failure to put a stop to their racist policies could allow them to eventually commit hate crimes against Jews, which could be as great in magnitude as many acts of genocide.

00:15 – 00:37 Scenario Discussion

There are four scenarios included in this section. Leaders should aim to do them all but if the discussion is going well and on topic feel free to let it continue. Discussions should revolve around the questions, not just be about the questions; healthy debate should be encouraged – sometimes group leaders will need to offer answers that they might not necessarily believe in order to create discussion. Question people reasoning process. Note that the answers included may not be the only answers.

Scenario 1: The Confederacy Lives

Last week, a new student transferred into your school from Mississippi. You’ve been assigned to help her get around the school since she shares many classes with you. In the course of the week you’ve become good friends with her and have begun to notice many of her habits.

Being a typical Southern belle and quite new to the area, she still has a thick accent which everyone (including you) love to tease her about. However, she has very different reactions to this teasing from different people. From the white kids, she takes it in stride and makes jokes back, but when it comes from the minorities, especially blacks, she is easily excitable and terse in her response.

That weekend she asks you to come over to help her study and catch up in her schoolwork. The first thing you notice upon walking in the front door is a large Confederate flag over the mantle. All of a sudden, you realize there might be a connection between that and her attitude.

  1. Why might she have the Confederate flag flying in her home? What makes you think that?
  2. Possible answer: She seems innocent enough, so why think the worst? Maybe her great-great-grandfather was Robert E. Lee and she takes great pride in the service he gave.
  3. Possible answer: Her parents are members of a White Supremacist group and soon she’ll be a member too. It did appear she was above the black kids at school.
  4. Possible answer: Maybe she doesn’t even know its there or what it may symbolize.
  5. How might you find out why the flag is actually there?
  6. Possible answer: Ask her – it could lead to an interesting conversation. Definitely don’t conclude instantly that she is a white supremacist.
  7. Is it any of your business to know why she has it there?
  8. Possible answer: Yes – you’re just making conversation
  9. Possible answer: Yes – you need to know if she discriminates
  10. Possible answer: No – she can hold whatever opinion she wants to – who are you to say she can’t?
  11. Assume for a moment that the worst is true: she was part of a White Supremacy group. Do you do anything now? Or should you wait and see if it becomes a problem?
  12. Possible answer: Talk with her now – find out why she feels that way without letting on too strongly that you disagree. Reason with her, without being too disrespectful. You might even mention that you, as a Jew, are a minority too, yet she doesn’t feel differently about you; why should the color of one’s skin make such a difference?
  13. Possible answer: Don’t do anything now – the situation really isn’t so serious at this point. Don’t jump to any conclusions – she could change and probably won’t act on her feelings. Certainly no one else need be involved yet.

Scenario 2: Neo-Nazi or Navajo?

It’s that time of year again – the time for the yearly family road trip. Of course, a trip with your family must have an educational part. So as you are driving through Arizona, you stop at a Native American reservation to take a tour. Amazingly enough, you found the tour to be particularly interesting (though it was awfully hard to listen through your sibling’s yelling). You especially took note of the part where your Native American guide pointed out an ancient drawing that looked an awful lot like a Nazi Swastika and explained how it was actually a sign of peace that Hitler perverted. At the end of the tour, you thanked your guide heartily and set out on the road again.

In no time at all, your family decides that they are hungry and you stop at the first place you see – a little pub on the side of the road. As you walk up the front steps, you pass a couple of guys with shaved heads and find that the glass in the front door has a large Swastika etched in it. Not remembering which direction represents which meaning, what do you do?

  1. Why might there be Swastika on the door of this pub?
  2. Possible Answer: The bar owner is a Navajo from the local reservation and is honoring his heritage and offering up an invitation at the same time.  (ask in response) Was it such a brilliant idea to put up a symbol that could be so easily misinterpreted?
  3. You’ve reached the local Neo-Nazi hangout. You’re in an area that you don’t know much about – and you did just see two bald (skin-headed) guys leaving.
     (ask in response) Are you jumping to conclusions about people who shave their heads?
  4. Possible Answer: The bar owner is Jewish and has recently been the victim of a hate crime.
  5. If you were put in this situation, would you go into the restaurant? Defend your answer.
  6. (if someone claims they don’t have enough information, reply that they wouldn’t get more in a real life situation)
  7. Possible Answer: Yes – don’t prematurely judge the situation. There is nothing to suggest you will have any problems.
  8. Possible Answer: No – it seems too much of a risk. . You don’t know the place at all, and a couple of things suggest that it is a hostile environment.
     (ask in response) What reason do they have to be hostile toward you at all?
  9. Possible Answer: No – it just doesn’t seem right.
     (ask in response) are you running from the problem?
  10. Assume you go in and take a table, only to find out that it is run by Neo-Nazis. What do you do and why?
  11. Possible Answer: Cringe and bear it – it still doesn’t look like you’ll have a problem.
  12. Possible Answer: Leave – there is no reason to support people who hate.
     (ask in response) What does this accomplish?

Scenario 3: Is this W.A.R.?

One day you are driving around town, in thick traffic. You notice that the car in front of you has an out of state license plate and a whole load of interesting bumper sticker, which you begin to read – “Miami or bust” “DC for me” “LA is A Okay” etc.

As you are reading, one sticker becomes especially prevalent. It has a large symbol on it (point to the “WAR” symbol from the symbols part of the program) and say “by Aryans, for Aryans.”

Unfortunately at precisely the same moment, the car in front of you applies heaver breaks. You do your best to stop and you end up just barely tapping his car and avoiding becoming part of the large accident immediately in front of him. As you get out of your car to apologize, you realize that you are wearing your favorite souvenir from Israel – the “Just Jew It” t-shirt. You look over at the car in front of you and there stands a gruff looking man, not too happy looking.

  1. A quick refresher – what does the bumper stick mean again?
  2. White Aryan Resistance of “WAR” is an extremist, neo-Nazi, skinhead organization that embraces white separatism and hatred towards Jews and other minorities. Essentially they are a group that hates a lot of people in a lot of ways.
  3. In this situation you are stuck – nothing else it could mean, no way to avoid talking to him. What are your initial thoughts as you get out of the car, and why?
    (You can’t leave the scene of an accident).
  4. Possible Answer: Quick get a jacket to cover the t-shirt – no need to brag about who I am. OR Possible Answer: Pretend not to care about your t-shirt – have no fear, don’t let other people dictate your life,
  5. Possible Answer: Act like you didn’t notice his bumper stickers – don’t treat him differently, and maybe he won’t treat you differently. OR Possible Answer: Plan to casually mention his collection of bumper stickers – let him know that are aware. (Is this just making trouble or does it serve some serve of purpose?)
  6. Possible Answer: Jump back into the car – you’re trembling in fear. Is running away going to accomplish anything?
  7. You can’t find anything to cover your shirt with, but you’ve decided to get out and talk to the other driver. He’s going to know you’re Jewish, and you’re pretty sure he doesn’t like Jewish people. How do you think this will affect his actions toward you?
  8. Possible Answer: It won’t – maybe he is just aggravated about his entire day has been horrible.
  9. Possible Answer: It will make him even more irritable – he is plenty angry already, why not release it all on someone he hates?
     (ask in response) Are you passing judgment on him that he can’t be civil with you?
  10. Assume he begins to make slurs at you – what do you do? Defend your answer.
  11. Possible Answer: Run for the car and lock the doors – and call the police. Don’t deal with a potentially dangerous situation yourself.
  12. Possible Answer: Try to calm himself down yourself – everyone else will be busy enough with the major accident in front of you.

Scenario 4: I See Anarchy