Thank you to everyone who participated in last week’s Vigil for Charlottesville. If you missed the vigil, we have a full recap here, including press coverage of the event. A special thank you to our co-sponsors, Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth, Indivisible of RVC, NYS Assembly Member Brian Curran, NYS Senator Todd Kaminsky, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, R.V.C., United Church of Rockville Centre, the Village of Rockville Centre, and Vineyard Church. Your involvement was a powerful display of community and a reminder of how powerful we are when we raise our voices in unison.
These tensions and this struggle will not go away quickly or quietly. It is vital to keep speaking up against racism, intolerance, and hatred.
Ways to take action this week:
Read up on the history of the alt-right movement and continue to speak out against hate.
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Learn what the alt-right movement is and why it’s so vital to speak up against its principles. The term “alt-right” has been everywhere in recent weeks, but what is the alt-right and why is it at the epicenter of what happened in Charlottesville? This lesson from Teaching Tolerance outlines the history of the alt-right, shares their principles and driving views, and explores how new members are recruited. Read it here.
- Know what’s happening in your neighborhood. Alt-right principles are found in various hate groups across the country. To avoid calling too much attention to themselves, members of the alt-right often form new groups quickly. Southern Poverty Law Center tracks hate groups in the United States. You can see their most recent map here.
- Continue to call, email, fax, or write your elected officials at every level and demand that incidents such as the Unite the Right rally be immediately, swiftly, and unequivocally condemned. Tell them you want funding restored to fight right-wing, domestic terrorism. Let them know that we expect more from our great nation, and that these activities run directly counter to the direction we should be heading. Our elected officials represent us; make sure they hear your voices clearly and loudly today and every day, and especially in the voting booth. Find your elected officials here.
- Join the Unity and Diversity committee, and raise your voice for justice, for peace, for understanding, and for acceptance by working with others who are dedicated to building community. Learn more about the committee and join now to get involved. Together, we can drown out messages of hatred and exclusion, as the counter-protesters in Boston did this past weekend. Read more about it here.