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August 17, 2001/Av 28, 5761, Vol. 53, No.45
Hundreds mark rally against hate
JEFFREY STANLIS
Special to Jewish News
The academic setting of last Sunday's "Not in Our State!" rally - Gilbert Highland High School - was particularly appropriate according to one speaker.
Rabbi Robert Kravitz, executive director of the American Jewish Committee area office, reminded the nearly 500 who attended the rally against racism, anti-Semitism and intolerance that racism is a learned behavior.
"No one is born hating," Kravitz repeated throughout his short speech. "Hate is learned from those around you. It's up to us to set an example for others."
The rally, organized by the National Conference for Community and Justice, AJC and the Anti-Defamation League, was organized as part of a "Not in Our State!" Day effort. A similar rally was held in Kingman.
The rally was in response to Dennis Mahon, Midwest leader of the White Aryan Resistance, who announced in May he would be moving to Kingman and recruiting in Gilbert, a community he referred to as "fertile ground" for racists.
Other speakers included Mark Rothman, executive committee member of the Arizona chapter of the ADL; Steven Berman, mayor of Gilbert; and Floyd Galloway, president of the East Valley National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In addition, students at Gilbert and Highland high schools made remarks, and Jodi Beckley, Gov. Jane Hull's executive assistant on human services, read a document signed by the governor proclaiming Aug. 12 to be "Not in Our State!" Day.
Berman refuted the claim that Gilbert has problems with race.
"Gilbert is traditionally a farming community, and anyone who has ever worked a field during a summer knows that at the end of the day you are all basically the same color," Berman said.
Bradley Barrett, superintendent of Gilbert Public Schools, acknowledged Gilbert's issues last year with the Devil Dogs, a white supremacist gang in Gilbert Schools. The Devil Dogs were founded at Highland and had numerous run-ins with local law enforcement authorities after beatings, intimidation and alleged drug-running. However, Barrett argued that the Devil Dogs were "not very good at being white supremacists, with black members beating up white kids."
Rabbi Bonnie Koppell of Temple Beth Sholom in Chandler, who attended the rally, experienced intolerance in the East Valley when her synagogue was located in Mesa.
"Unfortunately, you can't overlook what has happened here in Gilbert, including the Devil Dogs," Koppell said. "My own synagogue was vandalized and I've heard what happens to kids in classrooms. There are always going to be those few people in any group that have extreme perspectives. It's important for the community to send a message, through events like today's, that those people are indeed extreme."
Sam Weiss, a history and diversity studies teacher at Highland, said the Devil Dogs situation was overblown.
"It was there, and it was a problem, but it wasn't as bad as it was perceived," Weiss said. "But it's important to have events like this. I'm not trying to send a message to people like Dennis Mahon. I'm trying to send a message to kids that it's safe to go to school here."
Those who attended the rally - students, community leaders and Gilbert area residents of all ethnicities - impressed event organizers and speakers.
"I had no idea how great the community response would be," Kravitz said. "This was just wonderful."
The location of the rally was strategically chosen to combat the efforts of WAR in recruiting vulnerable youth to the organization, according to Kravitz.
"We held this event at this high school because of the Devil Dogs and because of Bible Week and WAR," he said. "We wanted to specifically address those concerns, and specifically address the tactics of groups like WAR."
Rory Gilbert, executive director of the NCCJ and primary organizer of the event, said the size of the turnout exceeded her expectations.
"It's been interesting to hear how word spread about this event," Gilbert said. "I think our expectations were to get the community together and demonstrate a community-wide commitment to acceptance."
Rothman said Sunday's event was a success.
"The more you make people aware that hate, bigotry and racism are unacceptable, the more likely you are to stop those attitudes from spreading," Rothman said. "And we will stop it. People have to be willing to stand up and say, 'Not in Our State.' "
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