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June 8, 2001/Sivan 17, 5761, Vol. 53, No.36
NCCJ plans response to Aryan group
BARRY COHEN
Editor
The National Conference for Community and Justice for the Arizona Region has declared with its "Not in Our State" campaign that Dennis Mahon - Midwest leader of the White Aryan Resistance - will not find fertile ground for support and recruiting in Arizona.
The campaign is in response to Mahon's publicized plans to move to Kingman and the recent mailing of the White Aryan Resistance newspaper, "WAR," to community leaders in Gilbert.
Founded in the early 1980s by Tom Metzger and his son John, the White Aryan Resistance describes itself as the most racist group in the country.
The NCCJ has indicated that the racism WAR espouses is not welcome in Arizona. "We wanted to make a strong public statement," said Rory Gilbert, NCCJ Arizona region executive director. "They may think this is fertile ground in Arizona, but it isn't."
The "Not in Our State" campaign includes planning special activities for July 6-8, distribution of a petition and wearing green solidarity ribbons.
The petition reads: "We, the citizens of the State of Arizona, affirm the basic value and dignity of all people, and thereby reject the promotion of hate and dehumanization of members of our community. ... There is no place for hate in our state."
Rory said connecting with July 4, Independence Day, is logical because the holiday celebrates "the rights and dignities of all peoples."
An NCCJ statement stresses the need to communicate this message particularly to Arizona's youth: "We cannot passively allow the Dennis Mahons of the world target our young people when they are most impressionable."
The NCCJ will encourage clergy across the Valley to publicize and support the "Not in Our State" campaign during the July 6-8 weekend, said Gilbert. But sermons will only be a starting point, she remarked. Future activities will include education programs to facilitate understanding.
Gilbert contacted Rabbi Bonnie Koppell of Temple Beth Sholom in Chandler and Rabbi William Berk of Temple Chai in Phoenix to tell them about the July plans.
"It makes total sense that the Jewish community would be a rallying point" in this anti-hate effort, Gilbert said.
"When I found out (about NCCJ's campaign), I had almost a sense of relief," said Koppell. "No one really knew what to do" in response to the news that a White Aryan Resistance leader was moving to Arizona.
Koppell said she would speak to her congregation during the marked July weekend on the anti-hate theme and distribute green ribbons to Beth Sholom members.
"I think this will strike a chord," said Berk. He added that this effort to resist hate groups before they possess a strong foothold shows that "Arizona has come of age."
Berk said Rabbi Peter Levy - Temple Chai's new rabbi - most likely will speak Friday, July 6, during Shabbat services. "I will encourage him to work in an aspect of that (anti-hate) theme into his speech," and we will publicize the NCCJ campaign in the Shabbat announcements, said Berk.
Brooks Hilliard, NCCJ board member, Temple Chai member and president of Business Automation, has signed the petition, which has been distributed to the NCCJ board. Efforts recently began for board members to make the petition available to their business connections in the community, added Gilbert.
"I believe strongly that the White Aryan Resistance and all hate speech has a right to be heard, (as indicated) by the First Amendment, but not that as Arizonans we should be welcoming," said Hilliard.
In 1927, NCCJ was founded as the National Conference of Christians and Jews; its mission was to fight bigotry and racism in the United States.
NCCJ programs in Arizona include Camp Anytown, which brings youth together during the summer to fight bias, bigotry and racism. Unitown and Minitown are condensed versions of Camp Anytown, offered to schools, agencies and religious groups.
NCCJ also sponsors 24-hour trips from Phoenix to the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.
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