|
|
June 15, 2001/Sivan 24, 5761, Vol. 53, No.37
Proactive response to racists
MARTY LATZ
Special to Jewish News
His white supremacist tattoo jumped out at us as we lay in the sun at a swimming hole in northeastern Arizona a few weeks ago. His buddies also had tattoos, but none appeared racist.
The sight made us distinctly uncomfortable. We quickly left the scene and headed home. It was getting late, and they were drinking.
I had read of Dennis Mahon, a leader of the White Aryan Resistance moving to the Valley from Tulsa, Okla. He reportedly had targeted Gilbert and Kingman as fertile grounds for his organizing and recruiting activities.
Mahon's moving here concerned me - and should concern us all. The last thing any of us should want is for the Valley and Arizona to be viewed as a welcoming environment for racist groups.
It's time to send a clear signal to these groups and their sympathizers: Don't come here, you're not welcome. While you have a constitutional right to express yourselves, we're going to watch your every step. If you cross the line of the law, even an inch, we'll prosecute you to the fullest extent possible - criminally and/or civilly.
Mahon has said he would circulate copies of the WAR newspaper here. He's already done so to homes in Gilbert. Let's not allow Mahon's racist messages to go unchallenged.
Fortunately, the National Conference for Community and Justice is leading efforts to counter Mahon and his despicable message. NCCJ is initiating a "Not in Our State" campaign that will include anti-hate activities over the July 4 holiday, wearing green solidarity ribbons, and circulating a petition affirming the "basic value and dignity of all people" and rejecting the "promotion of hate and dehumanization of members of our community."
The NCCJ has asked area clergy to support the effort by disseminating the anti-hate message in sermons during the July 6-8 weekend. It also is planning education programs to work in concert with the Anti-Defamation League's "Classroom of Difference," a school-based program already in place in Gilbert and elsewhere in the Valley to train teachers, students and families about what it takes to create an environment of mutual respect and self-esteem amongst kids of diverse backgrounds.
What can we do to help? We can join the NCCJ's campaign, get a copy of the petition and ask our colleagues, friends and family to sign and distribute it. The more signatures, the stronger the message.
We can educate our kids about the issue and ask them to circulate petitions among their friends. This will put them on guard in case they come across Mahon's racist literature, and also engage them in a communitywide effort to promote a critical cause.
Finally, we can ask our rabbis to deliver messages about hate and tolerance from the pulpit July 6-7.
It's easy to be against hate. Let's take it to the next level, and actively counter it.
Marty Latz is a Phoenix attorney and negotiation trainer and consultant. He can be reached at 602-870-9301 or at Latz@NegotiationInstitute.com. His column appears monthly.
|
