November 03, 2018

America ravaged by a tsunami of hate

located:	USA
editor:	Yair Oded

Last week has seen a culmination of a tidal wave of hate crimes currently raging across America. Over the span of seven days, 11 innocent people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue in the worst anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history, two African Americans were shot dead at a Louisville supermarket and several bombs were mailed to prominent Democrats (including President Obama and the Clintons) and to the CNN headquarters in New York by a fervent Trump supporter. The cyclone of violent hate crimes comes right before the November 6 midterm elections and is a product of xenophobic and racist sentiments promulgated by the current administration.

Racism, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism have always blemished the landscape of American society and played a role in shaping the nation’s narrative. Yet researchers and commentators point out that it was the 2016 presidential race and subsequent victory of Trump that had unleashed racism that lay relatively dormant for years and incorporated it into the mainstream rhetoric. The targeting of Jews, for instance, became significantly more prevalent and severe under the current administration. According to The New York Times, “The Anti-Defamation League logged a 57 percent rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the United States in 2017, compared to the previous year — including bomb threats, assaults, vandalism, and anti-Semitic posters and literature found on college campuses.” All the while, social media and the internet have become saturated with anti-Semitic content and personal attacks on Jews.

The apparent surge in anti-Semitism also finds its roots in numerous baseless conspiracy theories that have been circulated by prominent Republicans, including the president himself, according to which a wealthy Jewish elite is plotting to take over the government and terminate the reign of white Christians. George Soros, a wealthy Jewish donor of the Democratic party has been one of the conspiracy theory targets (as well as a recipient of one of the mailed bombs last week). Prior to the nomination of judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, for instance, the president tweeted that George Soros has paid the women who confronted Senator Jeff Flake in the elevator. The day after Soros was reported as one of the bomb recipients, Republican House majority leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted, “We cannot allow Soros, Steyer and Bloomberg to BUY this election! Get out and vote Republican Nov. 6.”

As the midterms approach, the current administration – backed up by numerous Republican figures – amplifies its xenophobic sentiments and stirs up racist fears among its supporters in order to score votes. The migrant caravan, for instance, has been utilised by the president to instil paranoia among Americans and convey in a rather blunt manner the notion that South and Central American immigrants (paid for by Soros, according to Trump) threaten the white hegemony in the country. Last week’s senseless wave of hate crimes thus stems directly from the establishment's fear mongering.  

Although the plague of hatred appears to be on a steady rise, there is still hope for American society. It has been reported that on the day after the shooting at the Pittsburgh synagogue, two Muslim organisations (Celebrate Mercy and MPower Change) have engaged in crowdfunding for the victims and their families. As of Sunday afternoon, they have managed to raise nearly $80,000 from nearly 2,000 donors.

Extremists constitute the minority, yet when their hateful message is espoused by the establishment they gain power and visibility and may cause enormous damage as racist ideology materialises into violence and draconian policy. It is imperative, then, that the sane majority be jolted out of its silence and tame the tide of hatred by actively promoting diversity and tolerance, in both day-to-day actions and as they cast their vote.   

Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks