{"id":9598,"date":"2024-09-13T18:28:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-13T18:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jewishpublicaffairs.org\/?p=9598"},"modified":"2024-09-13T18:29:05","modified_gmt":"2024-09-13T18:29:05","slug":"experts-and-advocates-weigh-in-on-the-threats-of-political-violence-downstream-of-dehumanizing-and-racist-rhetoric","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jewishpublicaffairs.org\/news\/experts-and-advocates-weigh-in-on-the-threats-of-political-violence-downstream-of-dehumanizing-and-racist-rhetoric\/","title":{"rendered":"Experts and Advocates Weigh In on the Threats of Political Violence Downstream of Dehumanizing and Racist Rhetoric"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Washington, DC<\/b> \u2014<\/span> The <\/span>reports<\/span><\/a> of threats of violence and harassment after bigoted conspiracies spread online about the Haitian community in Ohio, are tragically predictable. When political leaders spread dehumanizing conspiracy theories about a group, they create the climate for political violence against that community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Public officials and leaders have an important role to play in publicly and forcefully denouncing the dehumanizing rhetoric that has violent downstream consequences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Below, experts and advocates who track xenophobia, hate and violence weigh in on the events in Ohio, highlighting the linkage between rhetoric and violence in a larger historical context.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Wendy Via, Co-Founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism: <\/b>\u201cThere is no question but that our political leaders have a profound responsibility to not share dangerous disinformation and to call out their colleagues when they see it happening, particularly when it targets specific communities. This false story about Haitians is racist and cruel and we\u2019re already seeing hate incidents as a result, and it could get worse. Just recently, we\u2019ve seen violent riots and attacks in the UK, Portugal and elsewhere, sparked by lies and rumors about so-called \u201cmigrant crime.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs: <\/b>\u201cOver and over again, we see how bigoted, dehumanizing rhetoric and disinformation lead directly to violence. These false and racist conspiracies about the Haitian community are, sadly, only the latest example — made all the more dangerous as they’re embraced and normalized by political leaders. Each and every one of us has a responsibility to reject this dangerous extremism, stand with the Haitian community, and recognize that our communities and our democracy are only safe when all of us are safe.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to <\/b>Naomi Steinberg, Vice President, U.S. Policy & Advocacy for HIAS: <\/b>\u00a0\u201cWe are a month away from the grim anniversary of the murder of 11 Jewish people in Pittsburgh in 2018, which was connected to the right-wing conspiracy theories about immigrants and the border. We do not need additional proof to demonstrate that hateful rhetoric that is rooted in antisemitic, white nationalist ideas results in real life tragedies. We now call on political candidates and elected officials across the United States to immediately stop trading in dangerously falsehoods about Haitian immigrants. Scapegoating immigrants for political gain is shameful and should have no place in American electoral discourse.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Vanessa C\u00e1rdenas, Executive Director of America\u2019s Voice: <\/b>\u201cWords have consequences and when political leaders dehumanize a group as an \u2018Other\u2019 spreading hateful rhetoric and bigoted conspiracies, there will be vigilante political violence directed at that group. It’s not a mystery. We know this disturbing pattern. The racist lies about immigrants in Ohio and elsewhere threaten public safety and require all political leaders to urgently and forcefully condemn hate and bigotry.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additional Resources:<\/b><\/p>\n