Dear AJC Washington Friends:
On Friday, July 10 at 11:30 AM, AJC will host a discussion of hate in America with Virginia Representative Don Beyer (D) and Texas Representative Pete Olson (R).
Register for the webinar here.
In recent years, the U.S. has experienced an alarming rise in violent extremism. The FBI’s latest Hate Crimes Statistics report released in November 2019 shows that, in 2018, African Americans were victims of 60% of all hate crimes while Jews were the target of 58% of religiously motivated hate crimes. The proliferation of online posts blaming Jews for the spread of COVID-19 and antisemitic rhetoric echoing old anti-Jewish tropes coupled with increased economic insecurity has put our community on alert.
What can be done?
Reps. Beyer and Olson have introduced the NO HATE Act, a bill that leverages funds granted to state and local municipalities to drive the law enforcement community to improve tracking and reporting of hate crimes.
With more than 80 cities with populations of over 100,000 (including Roanoke, Richmond and Norfolk) reporting no hate crimes to the FBI, we must act now to ensure complete and accurate hate crime data. Without proper reporting, our local agencies and leadership cannot address the needs of our affected communities, provide support, and ensure their safety.
Please join us to learn more about this critical issue and what you can do to make a difference.
Sincerely,
Alan Ronkin
Regional Director, AJC Washington DC |
