The keynote speaker at the city of Columbus’ 2018 Human Rights Commission’s annual dinner shared a simple but important message: be watchful and vigilant about letting hate into one’s community.
Lecia Brooks, outreach director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, told attendees May 17 that doing so was important because a growing climate of hate is putting civil rights gains in peril.
She cited the rise in hateful rhetoric across the country, growing anti-semitism, fear of Muslims and bold marches by white supremacists as reasons for concern. Brooks noted that hate crimes against Muslims in the United States rose 15 percent in 2017. She also noted that 1,000 young white men carrying torches were part of the Charlottesville, Virginia clash between protestors and white supremacists.
Brooks advised community members to take several measures for guarding against hate:
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- Act when a group or individuals are being attacked for their race or ethnicity
- Teach tolerance throughout the school system and in the community
- Advocate inclusiveness
- Examine personal biases
Columbus residents have shown their willingness to stand against hate and hate groups with public rallies. For good reason. Last year, two racist extremist groups, the Midwestern Alliance and Traditionalist Worker Party, targeted Columbus for recruitment purposes.
While Columbus has made it clear that hate has no place here, Brooks’ words serve as important reminders that a community has to remain ever watchful and can’t let its guard down against hate.
