Anti-Semitic Incidents In The U.S. Rose , in 2017, At The Highest Per Year Percentage In 40 Years
Rose Fried, granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, attends a demonstration in August in Berkeley, Calif. That state had 268 reported anti-Semitic incidents in 2017, the second-highest number in the U.S. after New York's 380.
Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images
The Anti-Defamation League has identified 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents in its 2017 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents . That's up from 1,267 in 2016, marking the highest single-year increase since the organization released its first audit in 1979.
The annual audit tracks incidents of vandalism, harassment or assault reported to the ADL by law enforcement, media and victims. All reported incidents are assessed by ADL staff members for credibility by seeking independent verification.
"A confluence of events in 2017 led to a surge in attacks on our community — from bomb threats, cemetery desecrations, white supremacists marching in Charlottesville, and children harassing children at school," said CEO and National Director Jonathan A. Greenblatt in a statement .
"These incidents came at a time when we saw a rising climate of incivility, the emboldening of hate groups and widening divisions in society."
In previous audits, the largest number of incidents occurred in public areas, such as parks and streets. In 2017, K-12 schools surpassed public areas as the locations with the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents.
There were 457 incidents in K-12 schools: a dramatic increase of 94 percent from the previous year. On college campuses, there were 204 incidents: an 89 percent increase.
For the first time since 2010, an incident occurred in every U.S. state. New York, California and New Jersey were states with the highest numbers of incidents, which the ADL attributes to their large Jewish populations.
Vandalism saw the highest increase in terms of types of incidents. There were 952 incidents reported — an 86 percent increase from 2016. The surge in anti-Semitic acts of vandalism is particularly upsetting, says the ADL, "because it indicates that the perpetrators feel emboldened enough to break the law."
Physical assaults were down by 47 percent, from 36 instances in 2016 to 19 in 2017.
There were 1,015 incidents of harassment in 2017; 163 of these were part of a spree of bomb threats made against Jewish institutions . Those organizations were subject to 342 total anti-Semitic incidents in 2017 — an increase of 101 percent over the 170 incidents recorded in 2016.
The ADL doesn't include instances of discrimination, such as a Jewish worker not receiving an accommodation for Rosh Hashanah, or general expressions of hateful ideologies in their audit.
An "incident" in this audit doesn't necessarily mean a single act of anti-Semitism. For instance, 170 Jewish tombstones were overturned in a Missouri cemetery in February 2017, and the act was counted as one incident by the ADL.
"This family is all family. These stones are all our stones. No matter who's here, they're my family. They're Jews who have been desecrated," Jody Serkes, who had family members buried in the cemetery, told NPR last year .
"You know, people have permission now," Serkes continued, speaking on the climate of ignorance and fear she believed President Trump had allowed. "They think in their minds their ignorance and fear is permission to be angry about anything."
An ADL press release noted that one "bright spot" in this was the response of Muslims and Christians who raised thousands of dollars to help repair the damaged tombstones.
"If we expect law enforcement officials and community members to take these incidents seriously, we must take them seriously — and report them, both to ADL and to the police," the press release said.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/27/589119452/anti-semitic-incidents-see-largest-single-year-increase-on-record-audit-finds?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social
"A confluence of events in 2017 led to a surge in attacks on our community — from bomb threats, cemetery desecrations, white supremacists marching in Charlottesville, and children harassing children at school," said CEO and National Director Jonathan A. Greenblatt in a statement ."
Since TrumpSince the election, there's been a sudden increase in hate crimes -- against many groups. Usually the biggest targets of hate crimes have been, in order: Blacks, Jews, Gays. And hate crimes against these groups have increased significantly.
However, the biggest spike in hate crimes (perhaps not surprisingly given Trump's hateful rhetoric) have been those against Muslims.
Related:
Former KKK leader David Duke: 'We won it for Donald Trump'
A former Ku Klux Klan leader – or 'grand wizard' – has suggested fascists had helped Donald Trump win the US presidential election.
David Duke, who once led the neo-Nazi, white-supermacist organisation, tweeted the claim on election night.
“This is one of the most exciting nights of my life,” Mr Duke wrote.
“Make no mistake about it, our people have played a huge role in electing Trump!” (LINK)
It's always funny to watch hacks desperately try and tie David Duke to trump, who trump has repeatedly denounced and has no relationship with while ignoring the last president who publicly allied himself with an anti Semitic pastor for literally decades and was happy to glad hand and mug with the rabid Jew hating Louis Farrakhan or al shaprton. The ,partisan hack obsessses about the imaginary ties between trump and Duke while excusing the democratic congressman who still associate with and defend the excreable Farrakhan or kiss al sharptons ring.
you can tell someone doesn't really care about anti semitism when they ignore politicians with ties to actual semites in favor of bashing those with imaginary ties.
It could be argued that 'events of hate' have steadily increased as the rise and dominance of conservatism becomes more relevant.
I believe the inner core of division has been wrought by the continuing concentration of wealth which results in the diminishing of opportunity for society as a whole. I blame SSE for this. By inherent design SSE is a wealth concentrator and an opportunity denier.
This opinion is mine.
While that may or may not be a signiificant contributing factor over the longer term, there was a definite and rather sudden spike in hate crimes overall in the U.S. after the election of Donald Trump.
"A confluence of events in 2017 led to a surge in attacks on our community — from bomb threats, cemetery desecrations, white supremacists marching in Charlottesville, and children harassing children at school":
Here's what actually happened in C'ville:
"You will not replace us-- Jews Will Not Replace Us"
Thank you. When the dude mentioned "Golden Dawn," he revealed what the right wing is all about.
I'm pretty sure that you are using the term"Golden Dawn" to refer to the ultra-extremist political movement in Greece . (I am familiar with that, but ironically my first thought was of another group which is entirely different. Due to my long term interest in esoterica, alternative spiritual approaches and other dimensions of consciousness!).
But I do see your point-- the neo-nazis that rallied in C'Ville are quite similar to some of the nastiest facist movements that are gaining power in other parts of the world (in Europe it seems to be especially true in Greece and Hungary-- although they are in many other countries as well).
It sweems thatthey have gotten much stronger in theb U.S. since Trump's election. (Or perhas their numbers have grown, but not that m,uch. Rather, since Trump's election and now many more feel emboldened to speak out...they feel safe doing that given Trump's inflammatory (& racist) rhetoric. He's made it more "socially acceptable" to hate...
I've stated it on prior occasions so once more into the fray, this is why I prefer the company of canines to my own kind.
Dear Friend John Russell: No good ever comes of hatred in the heart.
No one who claims to be religious should be taken seriously when they hate anyone whom G-d created just because they hold to a different belief.
No one who claims to be humanitarian has any credibility when they hate anyone in the human family simply as a matter of their being different than are they.
When the economic pie shrinks, hate groups flourish.
When those in office act like politicians, not statesmen the problems grow worse, not better.
We are all in this life together.
High time we all grow up and act accordingly.
Peace, Abundant Blessings, and Embracing All Peoples Celebrating Diversity, Not Hating It.
Enoch.
P.S. Sincere best wishes to all those celebrating spring holidays.
A joyous and meaningful Passover, Easter, Vernal Equinox, and such other good and special days as speak to you.
E.
Amen brother Enoch, amen!
Dear Friend Sparty On: Thanks.
All best wishes for this spring, and all its glories.
If you celebrate any holidays, I wish you and yours enjoy them, find joy meaning and purpose in them.
Peace and Abundant Blessings Always.
Enoch.
Thx and the same to you and yours brother Enoch
It is really kind of astonishing since Trump has a daughter that converted and married a Jewish man, his daughter is Jewish, but we hear nothing from them on a regular basis when it comes to denouncing this trend.
You would think the far right wing Nazi extremists who embrace Trump would not be so zealous knowing they are essentially defaming his family.