Stand with AJC and our partners to ensure that hate crimes are counted, classified, and combated.

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Dear John,

Our mission-driven global advocacy is more important than ever.

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across our country and throughout the world, we are experiencing a spike in conspiracy theories and witnessing the harassment of Jews, Asian Americans, immigrants, and other minority groups who are being outrageously linked to the spread of the disease. Meanwhile, the horrific slaying of Ahmaud Arbery in Satilla Shores, GA, highlighted the festering problem of racism within our country.

And as hate in all its forms continues to rear its ugly head across the United States, we are profoundly aware of the sorry state of affairs related to reporting and combating hate crimes.

In 2018, more than 85 American cities with populations of greater than 100,000 people—cities like Newark, NJ; Birmingham, AL; and Madison, WI—failed to report hate crimes to the FBI, leaving a gaping hole in the agency’s annual hate crimes report. Without an accurate picture of the problem or hard data showing where these crimes are being committed, the federal government cannot respond effectively or work to prevent their occurrence in the future.

In this toxic environment, when harassment and vitriolic rhetoric are on the rise, we cannot allow crimes motivated by hatred towards a victim’s real or perceived identity to go unchecked and uncounted. Now is the time to tell our lawmakers that we must ensure accurate hate crimes reporting.

Today, I am asking you to stand with AJC and take action to combat hate and xenophobia by urging members of Congress to cosponsor and support the National Opposition to Hate, Assaults, and Threats to Equality (NO HATE) Act (H.R.3545/S.2043). [link removed] [link removed]

The NO HATE Act will create grants to empower state and local governments to improve hate crimes reporting. It will also amend the penalties for hate crimes by allowing courts to require that offenders engage in education about or service to the affected communities.

Join AJC in standing up for our own community and in standing alongside our partners and friends to ensure that hate crimes committed against them and against any group are counted, classified, and combated.

Sincerely,

David Harris
AJC Chief Executive Officer
Edward and Sandra Meyer Office of the CEO

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AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world.

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