High school basketball fans in Merrillville, IN taunt Latino students from the opposing team, shouting "Trump", anti Latino epithets and "Build a Wall". CNN photo

Standing up to Hate When Politics Divides

Not In Our Town is a non partisan movement of people working together to stop bullying, hate and violence.  For over twenty years, NIOT has united people from across the political spectrum in their efforts to stand up to hate, and make everyone feel safe and included in their communities. While Not In Our Town stays out of politics, our stand against hate, bullying and violence remains firm.  In this challenging moment, we look to the NIOT network to show effective responses when political rhetoric prompts hate speech or violence. 

As political campaigns have ramped up anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim and racially charged rhetoric, there has been an alarming escalation of hate related incidents across the country. How can community members who may disagree about politics respond to these incidents? 

Members of Not In Our Town Bloomington, Ill. decided to register their views in a non partisan way when candidate Donald Trump visited their community before the primary.  "When it was announced that Donald Trump had decided to come to Bloomington, many people in our community turned to NIOT Bloomington-Normal to ask how we planned to respond, " said city leader Karen Schmidt, " It was really humbling and motivating to see the immediate recognition that NIOT B-N would speak for peace and kindness on behalf of our community, said Schmidt." 

 "There is a greater need today to remember Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King's teachings to Be the Change," said Archana Shekara, a NIOT leader and President of the  McLean County India Association.  "Participating in the rally meant that racism, bullying, hate, discrimination or marginalization based on race, gender, country, religion, and color are not welcomed in this community, " she continued.  Forty people joined  a silent vigil  with Not In Our Town across the street.  Mike Matejka, a Not In Our Town member said the intent of the gathering was “to remind people of Central Illinois what our values are. To be fair to neighbors and be kind to others.”  

Navigating the political divide during this campaign is challenging for many communities.  How can people who disagree over politics come together to stand up to hate and bullying?  This is not easy, especially when politica speech prompts violence. 

Here are some recent incidents:

At a gas station in Wichita, KS this weekend, Khondoker Usama, the Bangladeshi Muslim student-body vice president of Wichita State University, and his Hispanic friend, were assaulted by a man who said, “Hey you brown trash, you better go home!”  He also shouted, “Trump! Make America great again!”

A homeless immigrant was beaten with a metal pole and urinated on by two men on the way home from a Red Sox game in Boston, MA last year. According to police, the assailants said “Donald Trump was right. All these illegals need to be deported.”

In Merrillville, IN, high school students at a basketball game recently taunted fans from a rival school, who are mostly Latino, with racial epithets and held up  large cutouts of Donald Trump while chanting “Build that Wall!”

At Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.  two freshmen were charged with vandalizing a chapel. They spray painted racist and homophobic messages, including a swastika, and Donald Trump’s name.

How communities are responding 

The NIOT group in Bloomington-Normal peacefully protests outside a March 13 Donald Trump rally

The Wichita Eagle reported that faith leaders and community members held a rally to support the victims of the possible hate crime at the gas station this weekend. Local religious leaders spoke Monday in support of the victims. “We all know that words have consequence and actions have consequence and they lead somewhere,” said Rabbi Michael Davis of Congregation Emanu-El. “Hateful words have consequence. They lead to hateful action.”

What can you do? Take action before an incident of hate

Find out who is vulnerable in your town. Bring together diverse members of a school, neighborhood, faith groups or community for a listening session to see if there are incidents that are going unreported. Create a safe space for people to get to know and support each other, and to share stories.

Speak up in the Moment when hate speech or a hate crime happens

Do not let hate speech go by. Find courage and ways to be an upstander who takes safe action to speak up. Use safe interventions. Intervene with a calm statement that hate speech is hurtful and that there is no place for it our community or school.

Be Visible and Vocal - Acknowledge and investigate incidents of hate

School and community leaders need to acknowledge when hate speech or hate crimes have occurred to make it clear to the community that this type of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Prevention Means Ongoing Action to Stop Hate

• Make a commitment to involve the entire community. Identify community allies and organizational partners. Encourage people to take the pledge.

• Create healing after an incident, sponsor a rally, vigil, town hall, or awareness-building events.

• Create a Not In Our Town or Not In Our School club, committee, or coalition to create ongoing actions.

Resources

Download a Quick Start Guide for Not In Our Town Action

Host a Screening of a Not In Our Town film

Waking in Oak Creek is a timely story of community action. Available free online here: Niot.org/wakinginoakcreek

Contact Not In Our Town and learn more about Building A Safe, Inclusive Community info@niot.org

These organizations offer guidance on facilitating difficult conversations.

Public Conversations (www.publicconversations.org) has tools for organizing and facilitating a dialogue about race and intolerance where people can listen to one another and everyone’s voice can be heard.

National Center for Dialogue and Deliberation is a network of facilitators and experts on conflict transformation.

Let us know what’s happening in your town

Taking action in the face of hate and bigotry is up to all of us. It is never easy or quick. It requires ongoing and sustained efforts by individuals from all sectors of our communities. There are so many powerful stories of people who are working together to create safe and inclusive communities. Leave a comment or email us to tell us about what’s happening in your community.