Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

The advertiser boycott of Facebook took a toll on the social media giant, but it may have caused more damage to the companys reputation than to its bottom line.

The boycott, called #StopHateForProfit by the civil rights groups that organized it, urged companies to stop paying for ads on Facebook in July to protest the platforms handling of hate speech and misinformation. More than 1,000 advertisers publicly joined, out of a total pool of more than 9 million, while others quietly scaled back their spending.

The 100 advertisers that spent the most on Facebook in the first half of the year spent $221.4 million from July 1 through July 29, 12 percent less than the $251.4 million spent by the top 100 advertisers a year earlier, according to estimates from the advertising analytics platform Pathmatics. Of those 100, nine companies formally announced a pullback in paid advertising, cutting their spending to $507,500 from $26.2 million.

Many of the companies that stayed away from Facebook said they planned to return, and many are mom-and-pop enterprises and individuals that depend on the platform for promotion. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, has emphasized the importance of small business, saying during an earnings call on Thursday that some seem to wrongly assume that our business is dependent on a few large advertisers.

Facebook said that the top 100 spenders contributed 16 percent of its $18.7 billion in revenue in the second quarter, which ended on June 30. During the first three weeks of July, Facebook said, overall ad revenue grew 10 percent over last year, a rate the company expects to continue for the full quarter.

The boycott complicated planning for advertisers. The Kansas-based digital agency DEG had a whirlwind of a month as its small to midsize clients grappled with whether they could reach enough customers without Facebook, said Quinn Sheek, its director of media and search. Facebook and its subsidiary Instagram make up more than a third of digital spending for DEG clients.

Of the 60 percent of DEG clients that joined the July boycott, four out of five are planning to return to Facebook in August, with many having decided its too much for them during a difficult economic time to remain off, Ms. Sheek said. Still, the boycott helped amplify discussion of toxic content on Facebook. The issue was raised in a congressional hearing this past week and in repeated meetings between ad industry representatives and Facebook leaders. Facebook, which said it is working with industry groups like the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, released the results of a civil rights audit last month and agreed to hire a civil rights executive.

What could really hurt Facebook is the long-term effect of its perceived reputation and the association with being viewed as a publisher of hate speech and other inappropriate content, Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, the executive vice president of the public opinion analysis company RepTrak, wrote in a post last month.

In addition to the prevalence of hate speech on the platform, its critics have also focused on the companys treatment of user privacy and foreign election interference.

You could argue that Facebook has a bloodied nose and two reputational black eyes, Mr. Hahn-Griffiths wrote.

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebooks chief operating officer, said during the companys earnings call that, like the boycotts organizers, we dont want hate on our platforms, and we stand firmly against it.

The ad industry was already in upheaval when the boycott began, as businesses closed, layoffs swept through the economy and homebound consumers slowed their shopping. Before they reduced spending on Facebook in July, advertisers like Microsoft, Starbucks, Unilever and Target took a temporary break from the platform in June, as many companies were reacting to pandemic-related marketing budget cuts and widespread protests over racism and police brutality. Disneys spending on Facebook has mostly trended downward since late March, according to Pathmatics.

Last month, large advertisers like Procter & Gamble, Samsung, Walmart and Geico sharply curtailed paid advertising on Facebook without joining the official boycott, according to Pathmatics. Others, like Hershey and Hulu, beefed up their spending on alternate platforms like Twitter and YouTube.

Companies like Beam Suntory and Coca-Cola have vowed to continue pressuring Facebook, especially as the presidential race heats up. On Thursday, the ice cream company Ben & Jerrys said it planned to keep withholding spending on product promotions through the end of the year to send a message.

The advertiser boycott was a warning shot, an opening salvo, said Jonathan Greenblatt, the chief executive of the civil rights group the Anti-Defamation League, which helped set up the ad boycott. Organizers and other groups now plan to expand the boycott into Europe, to include Facebook users, and to address other concerns, like the presence of child sexual abuse on the platform.

Half of the companies that work with the agency Allen & Gerritsen in Boston and Philadelphia participated in the boycott, said Derek Welch, its vice president of media. Many felt it was important to do something that is meaningful and tangible in a sea of brands putting out very well-meaning statements, he said.

Mr. Welch said the agencys clients typically spend $150,000 to $200,000 a month total on Facebook. Several plan to continue boycotting.

The big companies that have signed on have been great for visibility and getting the word out, he said. But this is really all about these small businesses in aggregate who are spending $30,000 here or $50,000 there, whose decisions wouldnt normally make too much of a difference.

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More Than 1,000 Companies Boycotted Facebook. Did It Work? - The New York Times

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Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

Imran Ahmed cant quite believe it himself. From being a baby NGO launched just nine months ago, his Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) is now playing with the big boys.

This week, working with Tracy-Ann Oberman on the successful 48-hour boycott of Twitter, the youthful 41-year-old was celebrating joining the Stop Hate For Profit coalition and will roll out its work in Europe.

Among the activist groups in the Stop Hate for Profit campaign are venerable American civil rights organisations such as the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, founded in 1909, and the Anti-Defamation League, or ADL, founded in 1913, names Ahmed recites with awe and admiration.

And for Ahmed, the title of the new coalition says it all: The reason social media companies tolerate hate is for profit. We are not Facebook or Twitter customers, we are their product, and we are what they sell to advertisers. He has one simple message for small or medium businesses which advertise on social media. Suspend your adverts for a week, or a month, and tell them why you are doing it. That, he says, is the only language the social media companies understand.

Tracy-Ann Oberman

Imran Ahmed, perhaps unsurprisingly, has a very low profile on social media.

As a former political adviser, to Labour front-bencher Hilary Benn among others, Ahmed says he learned early that he was not the story.

The reason social media companies tolerate hate is for profit. We are not Facebook or Twitter customers, we are their product, and we are what they sell to advertisers

He is the Manchester-born eldest of seven brothers and sisters a Muslim family, full of love, but poor.

A scholarship to one of the best schools in Britain, Manchester Grammar, gave him a kick-start. Slightly shamefacedly he admits that he began medical school before realising he hated it, dropping out and starting a banking career at Merrill Lynch while allowing his parents to believe he was still studying medicine.

Imran means business.

The day before his 23rd birthday, 9/11 happened and for Ahmed everything changed. He knew that he was fiercely against bullying of any sort; but the Al-Qaeda attacks on America made him want him to understand the nature of fear, and how to confront it.

He applied to study politics at Cambridge, did some consulting work, and then in 2009 went to his local MP, Andy Slaughter, and asked if he could work for him for free. That got him into Parliament and a career as special adviser, or spad, to Hilary Benn and Alan Johnson.

Working with Johnson on the EU referendum campaign, Ahmed had an epiphany about the way identity-based hate was creating a fundamental shift in the way society works. He saw the values and mores of digital spaces, bleeding into how we conducted ourselves off-line.

His core mission, he says, is to stop bullies, for which you need rules, enforcement, and consequences. The CCDH, of which Ahmed is chief executive, applies these criteria to the false narratives surrounding Covid cures and anti-vaxxers, quite as much as its work against on-line hatred directed at Jews, Blacks, Muslims and women.

Imran with Rachel Riley

Of one thing he is sure: antisemitism lies at the base of almost all on-line hatred. Scratch a racist, Ahmed says, and there is almost always antisemitism underneath.

He is unsure about how to tackle anonymity of on-line accounts, aware that in some cases it might be necessary. But he thinks it ought to be possible to have a social ID, allowing people to have an anonymous account while still enabling law enforcement to track it back. Im in discussions about that, now; but that is the nature of policy-making, not just pointing at a problem.

Just the same, CCDH and its allies have had a good week. Wiley, whose antisemitic tirades sparked an unprecedented and globally supported walk-out from Twitter, was finally kicked off the platform on Wednesday after nearly six days of prevarication from Twitter.

And more than 1,000 companies, including big conglomerates such as Coca-Cola, Unilever and Ford, have said they will pause their Facebook advertising until it sorts out its response to on-line hatred. Ninety-eight per cent of Facebooks revenue comes from advertising. If you want them to change, go to their advertisers and they will change fast.

As for Wiley and the Twitter walkout, Imran Ahmed feels the tide is turning. It was great to have the Prime Minister backing it, it was great to see the Home Secretary coming out and backing changes this week. It came as the government was considering the next stages in the Online Harms legislation, to protect people online. That movement, says Ahmed, to have a statutory duty of care to be put on the social media companies, is now unstoppable.

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Meet the man trying to drive antisemitism offline - Jewish News

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Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

When it comes to COVID-19, Fort Bend County officials say theyre not only fighting the virus but the hate speech that comes along with it.

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas As COVID-19 continues to spread, elected officials and the Anti-Defamation League says so does a less-talked-about side-effect; hate, specifically against Asian communities.

The Anti-Defamation League points to at least 2,100 hate incidents nationwide since March linked to the virus. The number was compiled by the Los Angeles-based Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council.

At first, there was a lot of fear and that fear was being used to push political agendas, explained Mark Toubin, SW regional director for the ADL.

Their numbers show that in June 2020, 39 hate incidents were reported in the region compared to just eight in June 2019. Not all are COVID-19 related, however, the ADL says many are, although a specific number wasnt immediately available.

Fort Bend County Judge KP George says various Asian communities have come to him to report theyre being targeted by hateful rhetoric. Often, being blamed for the coronavirus. They say nicknames like Kung-flu and Chinese-virus dont help.

It is completely unfair, George said. They have nothing to do with this virus. The virus doesnt have any race or ethnicity or anything, it affects everybody.

On Tuesday, Fort Bend Countys Commissioners Court passed a COVID-19 anti-hate resolution. Although hate speech isnt punishable by law, officials hope the resolution sends a message.

We are saying, hey, theres no place for hate in Fort Bend County, George said.

The ADL agrees a resolution is the right step, pointing out hate crimes often start with hate speech.

Its so important for people to hear their leaders stand up publicly against this form of hate, Toubin said. We are united in our desire to help defeat this pandemic free of hate.

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Hate. Another ugly side-effect of COVID-19 - KHOU.com

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Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

MARSHALL, Minn. -- When Raphaela Mueller saw a couple wearing swastika masks in a Minnesota Walmart, she knew she had to say something.

"I never knew that I'd see this with my own eyes," Mueller said. "But we have to be aware and be prepared to step in."

Her personal history compelled her to speak out against the use of the hate symbol, she told Don Lemon on CNN Tonight Monday. "I thought to myself that if I don't say something now, what did my great grandmother risk her life for all those years fighting against the first wave of Nazis?"

Couple said they weren't Nazis

Mueller and her partner, Benjamin Ruesch, were in a Walmart in Marshall Saturday, the same day an executive order requiring masks in all public places and businesses took effect.

When they saw the unidentified man and woman checking out their groceries with swastika masks draped across their faces, Ruesch began confronting and recording the couple. "You're sick ... You have an illness," he told them as the unidentified woman appeared to pose for the camera.

'I have a right to my pizza': Woman who refuses to wear mask goes on tirade after she's denied service

The woman wearing the mask responded, "I'm not a Nazi. I'm trying to show you what's going to happen in America. If you vote for (Joe) Biden you're gonna be in Nazi Germany. That's what it's going to be like." The man with her added, "We're living under a socialist state."

"That was one of the most shocking parts of all of this," Mueller explained, "that she was so proud to, to be wearing a mask like that."

She said that other shoppers mostly kept their head down and tried to ignore the situation with the exception of one man who stepped in.

Neither Walmart nor authorities identified the couple.

Mayor says the incident doesn't reflect the town

The video has brought international attention to the town, with the mayor telling CNN affiliate WCCO people have been reaching out to him from near and far.

"The incident that played out on Saturday was just a small snapshot and is not reflective of the entire picture of Marshall," Mayor Bob Byrnes said in a statement Monday, WCCO reported.

Byrnes said the couple is not part of any hate group and will not face legal trouble, WCCO reported.

Marshall Police did not respond to requests for comment from CNN but told the Star Tribune that they served a 59-year-old man and 64-year-old woman with trespass notices at the Walmart and warned them they would be arrested if they returned. The two left without incident and charges were not pursued.

In a statement to CNN Sunday, Walmart spokeswoman Delia Garcia called the incident "unacceptable."

"We strive to provide a safe and comfortable shopping environment for all our customers and will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment in any aspect of our business," Garcia said. "We are asking everyone to wear face coverings when they enter our stores for their safety and the safety of others and it's unfortunate that some individuals have taken this pandemic as an opportunity to create a distressing situation for customers and associates in our store."

The couple has been banned from Walmart for a year, Garcia added.

Antisemitic attacks on the rise in the US

The disturbing display comes on the heels of a report by the Anti-Defamation League that antisemitic incidents and attacks are more frequent than ever in the United States.

More than 2,100 acts of assault, vandalism and harassment were reported last year, according to the ADL, which has been tracking these incidents since 1979. An Audit of Antisemitic Incidents released in May showed a 12% increase in incidents and a 56% increase in assaults in 2019.

"This was a year of unprecedented antisemitic activity, a time when many Jewish communities across the country had direct encounters with hate," ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt said in the May release. "We are committed to fighting back against this rising tide of hate and will double down on our work with elected leaders, schools, and communities to end the cycle of hatred."

"It's been shown that trauma gets passed down in the DNA, so I know I'm carrying what my great-grandmother went through," Mueller told CNN. "I didn't lose anybody in the Holocaust but I know that so many other people did. So just the thought of them having to see this, it's heartbreaking."

Mueller said she thinks the woman in the store may not have even known exactly what that mask represents, and others still don't grasp how hurtful the swastika is.

"It's also very apparent that she doesn't quite understand the difference between socialism and democratic socialism and national socialism," Mueller said. "I also get the feeling that she may not entirely understand just how offensive that symbol is to a lot of people."

Mueller said that while she's gotten a great outpouring of support from people on social media, she can't believe that something like this is still happening.

"There have been so many incidents and so many people have shared their story, and said how much it hurts them to see symbols like this," Mueller explained. "And they're still not listening. So quite honestly, I'm at a loss for words there."

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Swastika-mask-wearing couple is confronted in Walmart by great granddaughter of anti-Nazi resistance fighter - KABC-TV

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Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

With nearly 2,000 reported incidences of discrimination and hate speech against the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community in the U.S. amidst COVID-19, the Ad Councils Emmy-Award winning Love Has No Labels campaign premiered Fight the Virus. Fight the Bias. a new PSA to dispel the racism increasingly endured by the API community throughout the pandemic. Produced and directed by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning writer and producer Alan Yang (Master of None, Parks and Recreation), the film encapsulates the fear and trauma associated with anti-API discrimination, highlighting the personal stories and resilience of API individuals who have experienced bias, discrimination, harassment, and racism amid the COVID-19 crisis. The film and an accompanying AR filter challenge viewers to join the fight in stopping the spread of racism and discrimination against the API community.

The current pandemic has triggered an increase in racism, scapegoating, and bigotry, particularly towards API populations, perpetuating the harmful stereotypes that the community has fought for so long to dismantle. According to a new survey conducted by Pew Research Center, Asian Americans are among one of the marginalized groups who are more likely to face racial bias and discrimination during the pandemic. Close to one-in-three Asian adults (31%) report being a victim to slurs or jokes because of their race or ethnicity since the outbreak began and a majority of Asian Americans (58%) admit it is happening more frequently now than before the pandemic.

At a time when hateful rhetoric and racially-fueled discrimination are plaguing the API community, its critical that we all play a role in dispelling the racist misconceptions and actions pervading our country, said Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman. Amid this pandemic and the stresses associated, nobody should have to also endure the added layer of fear that comes from this surge in racial violence and harassment. We hope this film will inspire Americans to rethink their biases and help put an end to the wave of racism facing the API community.

Created by Love Has No Labels and Alan Yang, the Fight the Virus. Fight the Bias. PSA shares stories from a diverse group of API individuals who have experienced racism and hate during the COVID-19 crisis. Including Chef, Entrepreneur & TV Personality Melissa King, the individuals speak out about how they are part of the solution, not the problem, aiming to build a sense of humanity and break the silence around the hate and racism impacting the API community. Accompanying the PSA is a new AR filter, available on the Love Has No Labels Instagram page in the Effects Tab, empowering users to show solidarity and how they are stopping the spread of anti-API racism.

Im honored to be part of this campaign and to help tell real stories of API experiences in America, especially during a time thats difficult for so many people across the country, said director Alan Yang. I hope to do my best to represent our community and show that were stronger when we support each other and share our experiences honestly and compassionately with others.

The integrated campaign will also receive donated media, digital and social support from partners including 3AF (Asian American Advertising Federation), AAAZA, Admerasia, AIMM (Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing), Barbarian, Constellation Agency, Edelman, Facebook, interTREND, IW Group, Porter Novelli, Publicis Media, Ready State, Ruder Finn, and VaynerMedia.

Love Has No Labels brand partners Bank of America, Google, Johnson & Johnson, State Farm, and Walmart are supporting the campaign by promoting content across their channels. In addition to funding the campaign, brand partners show their support during the year through online and offline activations including social messaging, custom content creation, employee engagement, events, and more.

The campaign directs audiences to lovehasnolabels.com/fightvirusbias, which features new resources for users to get a deeper understanding of the discrimination facing the API community in our country and how they can be part of the solution to end it. Developed in partnership with a number of resources from non-profit partners, the site includes questions to reflect on the bias, ways to respond to biased or racist language, resources to learn more about your local communitys policies on public safety, links to organizations fighting for justice on-the-ground, and more.

Marking the launch of the PSA, Love Has No Labels participated in the Asian American Marketing + Advertising Townhall on July 21, hosted by the 3AF (Asian American Advertising Federation) and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Educational Foundation to help drive awareness and tackle the anti-API bias impacting the community.

Non-profit partners who continue to be instrumental in lending their expertise and support include AARP, American Immigration Council (AIC), Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Disability: IN, National Womens Law Center (NWLC) and Unidos US.

In addition, a number of industry partners are working in various capacities to address bias and discrimination against the API community. These include: Act to Change, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Wash the Hate, The All of Us Movement, Stop AAPI Hate, Make Noise Today, Racism Is Contagious, Respond2Racism, Send Chinatown Love, Call it COVID19.

The Love Has No Labels campaign first launched nationally in 2015 with a video of skeletons dancing and embracing before coming out from behind an x-ray screen to reveal themselves as diverse couples, friends, and families. The original Love Has No Labels video became the first PSA to win an Emmy for Outstanding Commercial and received more than 169 million views making it the second most viewed social activism video of all time. In 2016, it was followed by We Are America featuring WWE Superstar John Cena celebrating the diversity of America on Independence Day. In 2017, Love Has No Labels put a twist on the kiss cam by turning it into a symbol for unbiased love with Fans of Love. The campaign launched its first short film in 2018 with Rising, written by Lena Waithe (The Chi, Master of None) and directed by David Nutter (Game of Thrones), asking the question, why does it take a disaster to bring us together? Most recently, in June 2020 Love Has No Labels took a clear stance against racial injustice with Fight For Freedom, revealing the stark contrast of the simple freedoms that many take for granted and the systemic racism Black people face every day in America. In total, the campaigns five videos have exceeded 387 million online views.

Since the campaigns initial video launched in March 2015, there have been over 10.5 million U.S. sessions on lovehasnolabels.com. Since the launch of the campaign, significantly more adults agree that they can create a more accepting and inclusive environment (61% in March 2015 to 75% in June 2020), according to a survey commissioned by the Ad Council and conducted by Ipsos, Public Affairs. To date, the campaign has received more than $114 million in donated media.

To learn more, visit the Love Has No Labels website, view the PSAs on YouTube, join the campaigns social communities on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with #FightVirusBias, and visit the campaign shop.

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Ad Council Addresses Wave of Racism Toward the Asian and Pacific Islander Communities Amid COVID-19 Pandemic - The Ritz Herald

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Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

Fort Bend County commissioners voted to approve an anti-hate resolution, but like almost everything else dealing with COVID-19, the vote was split across party lines.

The resolution was approved with a 3-2 vote, with the two Republican commissioners voting against it because they feel the non-binding document puts a chilling effect on free speech.

This resolution goes well beyond state and federal law, Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers said. It is an attack on the freedom of speech.

County Judge KP George created the resolution after he published several Facebook comments that used racial tropes of his Indian heritage to criticize his response to the coronavirus.

The resolution also dealt with hate against Asian communities, which have been on the rise across the country since March.

Unfortunately not only are our communities fighting back against the highly contagious and invisible COVID-19 virus, but we are pushing back against an increase of hate, xenophobia, and scare tactics against certain members of our community, George said in a prepared statement that was sent out while the commissioners court meeting was still in progress.

These acts have to stop, they are destructive to our community and are not welcomed in Fort Bend County.

But the controversial part of the resolution states that, Fort Bend County will continue its efforts to protect residents and targets and victims of hate, and to investigate, prosecute and curb hate acts related to COVID-19 in partnership with nonprofit organizations, the Fort Bend County District Attorneys Office, the Fort Bend County Sherriffs Department and all other law enforcement partners.

Meyers and Precinct 1 Commissioner Vincent Morales felt that phrase was against the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution because it considers hate speech to be free speech, while the resolution looks to prosecute hate speech.

Both Morales and Meyers stated several times that they are against racism and would support a resolution against racism that didnt attack free speech.

I can support a resolution against hate, but not something that creates division, Morales said. I can see us coming together on a resolution, but not this one.

George, joined by fellow Democrats in Precinct 4 Commissioner Ken DeMerchant and Precinct 2 Grady Prestage, passed the resolution.

The Anti-Defamation League praised George and the commissioners for standing up to hate while dealing with the coronavirus.

We are pleased Judge George and Fort Bend County Commissioners, while in the midst of protecting the county from the pandemic, took the time to condemn coronavirus-related hate and promote respect for all their citizens, ADL Southwest Regional Director Mark Toubin said. Fort Bend Countys leadership understands that the effort to contain COVID-19 requires that its residents be safe from hate as well as the disease.

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Commissioners narrowly pass anti-hate resolution | News - Fort Bend Herald

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Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

President Donald Trump has accused far-left groups of inciting riots and violence, but in the last 25 years, no murders in the US have been linked to anti-fascists, while 329 murders have been linked to the far-right, according to new research.

Researchers at a think tank called the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) assembled a database of almost 900 politically motivated plots and attacks in the US since 1994, ending in May 2020, which was reviewed by The Guardian.

The review found that only one person's death in that period was linked to "antifa," a leaderless movement dedicated to combatting right-wing and white supremacist groups, and the person who died was the attacker.

When the review widened its category from antifa to "left-wing violence," it found 21 victims had been killed since 2010, compared to 117 people killed in right-wing violence, in the same time period.Jihadist groups were responsible for 95 people's deaths since 2010.

Seth Jones, a counter-terrorism expert, who helped create the dataset, told The Guardian: "Left-wing violence has not been a major terrorism threat."

He said currently: "The most significant domestic terrorism threat comes from white supremacists, anti-government militias and a handful of individuals associated with the 'boogaloo' movement that are attempting to create a civil war in the United States."

It wasn't just CSIS either. Researchers at the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, and at the Anti-Defamation League, told The Guardian they did not know of any murders linked to antifa in the US in the last 25 years.

Since the widespread protests began, Trump, senior officials, and Republican lawmakers have attempted to push the theory that antifa has been infiltrating protests to stoke violence. Trump's threatened to designate antifa as a terrorist organization.

The CSIS database was launched as Trump's administration began to repeat Trump's warnings about a possible "left-wing revolution," according to The Guardian.

In a memorandum released by Attorney General William Barr late in June, it states: "We have evidence that anti-government violent extremists including those who support the 'Boogaloo,' those who self-identify as Antifa, and others will pose continuing threats of lawlessness."

It goes on to state that the extremists "may be fortified" by foreign powers who wish to "sow chaos and disorder" in the US.

But there was little proof of any coordinated effort, Business Insider reported in late June.

Paul Barrett, the deputy director of the New York University Stern Centre for Business and Human Rights, told Business Insider's Sonam Sheth that the attempt to frame protests as "a violent leftist conspiracy" bore "all the earmarks of current-day disinformation."

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Right-wing extremists kill 329 people since 1994, antifa have killed none - Business Insider - Business Insider

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Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

Fort Bend County Commissioners Court approved a COVID-19 Anti-Hate Resolution in a narrow 3-2 vote over objections from two Republican commissioners. This resolution condemns hate but it creates division. It does not show unity, Commissioner Vincent Morales said during a zoom meeting Tuesday, July 28.

Fort Bend County Commissioners Court approved a COVID-19 Anti-Hate Resolution in a narrow 3-2 vote over objections from two Republican commissioners. This resolution condemns hate but it creates division. It

Photo: Courtesy Fort Bend County

Fort Bend County Commissioners Court approved a COVID-19 Anti-Hate Resolution in a narrow 3-2 vote over objections from two Republican commissioners. This resolution condemns hate but it creates division. It does not show unity, Commissioner Vincent Morales said during a zoom meeting Tuesday, July 28.

Fort Bend County Commissioners Court approved a COVID-19 Anti-Hate Resolution in a narrow 3-2 vote over objections from two Republican commissioners. This resolution condemns hate but it creates division. It

Fort Bend Countys COVID-19 Anti-Hate Resolution wins approval

A resolution denouncing bigotry, antisemitism and hate speech espoused by extremists who target Chinese Americans on claims China caused the COVID-19 pandemic and conspiracy theorists who say Jews are using COVID-19 to make money drew both praise and harsh criticism from the public during Tuesdays Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meeting.

During public comments, Sugar Land resident Ian Scharfman was among those who came to voice support for the measure.

Sadly, this pandemic has given rise to hate directed at our neighbors, such as hateful ethnic slurs and other egregious actions directed at Asians and the proliferation of conspiracy theories tied to this pandemic that are founded in antisemitic tropes, to name a few examples, Scharfman said and urged commissioners to approve the measure. We must stand together to condemn such hate, bigotry, racism and antisemitism in all its forms.

The resolution put forward by County Judge KP George, denounces antisemitism, anti-Asian bigotry, racism and all hateful speech, violent action and the spread of misinformation related to COVID-19 that casts blame, promotes racism or discrimination or harms Fort Bend County Asian Pacific, Black, Latinx, Jewish, immigrant or other ethnic and religious communities.

The measure also drew criticism from a number of residents such as Christine Longwood, who objected to the resolution because it wasnt inclusive of every ethnic group.

I noticed on the resolution that nowhere does it have Caucasians or white listed, Longwood said. Because a particular demographic is excluded from the resolution, it seems like a pretty racist document to me.

The resolution states the Jewish community has been the target of blame, hate, antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories that claim they profit from COVID-19 and goes on to condemn terms like Chinese Virus or Kung Flu virus as language that encourages hate crimes and against Asians and Pacific Islander individuals and spreads misinformation.

Related: Fort Bend County Commissioners voice concerns about COVID-19 mask order

Deborah Chen from OCA Greater Houston, a national civil rights organization that advocates for Asian Pacific Americans, said many Asian American residents contacted her organization for support because they were afraid to go to the grocery store or venture out in the community for fear they would become targets of hate speech or violence.

The Midland incident is where a family was shopping at Sams Club and was stabbed and thats generated a lot of fear among many members of the Asians community, she said, referring to reports that an Asian family became victims to an alleged hate crime incident while shopping earlier this year.

According to police officials, Jose Gomez, 19, allegedly stabbed three family members including two children under the age of 10 and later reportedly told officers he tried to kill the family because he believed they were infecting people with coronavirus because they were Chinese.

Unfortunately, whether its antisemitic tropes that rely on conspiracy theories that blame Jews for (COVID-19) or geography that has been the source of anti-Asian hate and violence, particularly what happened in Midland a few months ago, extremists and other people have stoked fear for their own agendas, Anti Defamation League Southwest Regional Director Mark Toubin said. We do know that public officials can make people feel more secure by publicly and officially stating that hate and this pandemic should not be related and thats what this resolutions does.

The resolution also encourages people to report any antisemitic, discriminatory or racist incidents to the proper authorities for investigation, which drew criticism from Simonton resident Andrew Perry who said although he didnt condone racism he opposed the resolution because it limited his constitutional rights.

Youre trying to limit our freedom of speech, Perry told the court. You make words prosecutable or investigable. This is a slippery slope. Where does it end?

During court discussions, the resolution drew criticism from Commissioner Andy Meyers who also voiced concerns related to free speech.

There are problems with potential first amendment questions. There are problems with potential HIPPA violations, he said. But I think most importantly, there are problems with potential violations of state and federal law in relation to how this resolution is worded to establish county policy.

On HoustonChronicle.com: China poisoned our people, says campaign ad from Houston candidate Kathaleen Wall

Commissioner Vincent Morales also voiced opposition to the resolution.

This resolution condemns hate but it creates division. It does not show unity. I could see us coming together supporting a resolution that is not so divisive, Morales said, without pointing to any specific part of the resolution as divisive.

When contacted later for clarification, Morales issued a statement via email:

Fort Bend is internationally known as a diverse county, and I believe were a fine example of how so many different cultures, people, and beliefs can successfully thrive and peacefully coexist. The reason that we continue to grow so quickly is because we live up to that reputation. This Commissioners Court has stood time and again for equality, justice, and civility, and despite our different backgrounds and cultures weve worked hard together to keep our community thriving, Morales wrote.

My major concerns were the policy changes, and especially after Judge Georges recent media appearances about unkind and racist social media comments against him the vague language about citizens being asked to report on their fellow citizens speech was not the direction I expected him to go. Normally, our court takes policy decisions through a more deliberative approach. We were initially brought the first Anti-Defamation League Resolution and I had been working for days on being ready to vote in favor of it, to condemn hate and promote the peaceful unity of our community.

Ive still not learned why the ADL resolution was changed and picked apart to its final extent. As has been the case before with Judge George, I (and Commissioner Meyers) find ourselves occasionally on the outside looking in when it comes to input or discussion. As an elected member of the court, its regretful when I have been deprived of any deliberative or creative process, Morales wrote. I liked the initial resolution and was ready to support much of the language in even the second version if there had been any discussion at all from the other members. But they stayed silent, so my only choice was an up or down vote. I honestly believe that if this was an inclusive court that relished a diversity of perspectives, we would have taken the time to proofread these documents against embarrassing errors, involve more deliberation from all our members, and solicit at least some input from the departments impacted by the new policies. These are basic steps towards unanimous support and resolutions that we all can agree upon, and use to show love to all our neighbors as ourselves.

The resolution was approved 3-2 vote with Meyers and Morales voting against the measure at a Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meeting held Tuesday, July 28.

knix@hcnonline.com

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Fort Bend Countys COVID-19 Anti-Hate Resolution wins approval - Chron.com

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Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

Blackkklansman, Spike Lees hit film starring John Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, and Topher Grace is now available to watch on Netflix.

The film tells the story of the first African-American detective in the Colorado Springs police department, who sets out to infiltrate and expose the members of the local Ku Klux Klan group, while also being placed in the security detail for K.K.K Grand Wizard David Duke when he visits the area.

Lee also powerfully juxtaposed his 1970s-set racial drama with real-life footage from the 2017 riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white supremacists and neo-Nazis protested the removal of Confederate monuments throughout the South, where anti-racist counter-protesters were attacked.

The film was released in 2018 but is now available to watch on Netflix.

When director Spike Lee first heard about Ron Stallwort an African-American detective who infiltrated the Colorado Springs K.K.K. in the late 1970s he didnt believe the story was true.

The detective had thought he may one day need solid evidence of his K.K.K infiltration, and brought a Polaroid camera to his in person meeting with Duke and asked for a group photo.

He wrote in his memoir that otherwise no one would ever believe that I was pulling this investigation off.

However, other aspects of the Blackkklansman movie were included purely for dramatic effect.

The investigation actually took place between 1978 and 1979, although the film is set in 1972 and Duke did not become Grand Wizard until 1974.

In real life Stallworth was sworn in as a Colorado Springs police officer on his 21st birthday in 1974, and was the first African-American to graduate from the ranks of the Police Cadet Program.

He was also interested in the undercover narcotics investigators, and his first undercover assignment was to attend a speech given by Black Panther leader Stokely Carmichael who advised him, as is correctly portrayed in the film, to arm yourself and get ready because the revolution is coming.

Nevertheless, the Blackkklansman character Patrice, played by Laura Harrier, was invented just for the film, and the detective said for the most part he didnt actually share details of the investigation with his girlfriend.

Additionally, in the film Stallworth asks a Jewish detective named Flip Zimmerman, played by Driver, to impersonate Stallworth in all face-to-face scenarios.

But in real life, Stallworth recruited an undercover narcotics officer named Chuck to play him, who was not Jewish.

The film correctly shows the first meeting between Drivers character and the K.K.K happening outside a convenience store.

However, in real life it was not just Stallworth and Chuck who played the role of Ron; several times, neither Stallworth nor Chuck were available to take a call from the local K.K.K. chapter so a different officer played Stallworth over the phone.

The detective stressed that there were never any members who were vaguely suspicious of him unlike in the film, there were no lie-detector tests, homemade bombs or bricks thrown through a window. These were added by the screenwriters to add tension.

Stallworth eventually joined forces with the local director of the Anti-Defamation League, to trade information on the K.K.K. and keep them apprised of his undercover efforts.

As is depicted in the movie, his investigation also uncovered two K.K.K. members who were NORAD personnel with top-security-clearance-level status.

The way the film ended with a bomb was not true to reality either, but it did make for an impactful watch.

The detective said witnessing his undercover experience adapted by Lee for screen was very surreal almost like an out-of-body experience [that is] sometimes overwhelming.

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How the extraordinary real life of Ron Stallworth inspired Blackkklansman - iNews

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Posted By admin on August 2, 2020

July 30th, 2020 by Carolyn Fortuna

The US federal government should be doing a whole lot more to reduce the impacts of climate change. Those are the findings from a just-released national survey by Pew Research Center. And its not just Democrats who are calling foul over half of Republicans as well say the US government should do more about climate. Both these constituent groups say they would support a range of initiatives to reduce the impacts of climate change.

Among the actions positively favored by both groups are:

The study, conducted April 29 to May 5 among 10,957 US adults using the Centers online American Trends Panel, finds a majority of US adults want the government to play a larger role in addressing climate change. About 2/3 65% say the federal government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change.

If you think that the COVID-19 pandemic has dampened concern levels about the need for climate action, think again. The Center analysis finds 60% of respondents view climate change as a major threat to the well-being of the US. This is as high a share as in any Pew Research Center survey going back to 2009.

Public dissatisfaction with government environmental action reaches into other areas, too, such as protecting air and water quality and wildlife.

Image retrieved from USAID

Here are some of the percentages of US public concern over climate and the environment:

Its not just Democrats that say the government needs to step up and engage in more climate action. Here are the percentages from what the Center terms Republican leaners.

Partisanship does, however, affect the way that individuals of opposing US parties see the local impact of climate change.

Republicans and Republican leaners who describe their political views as moderate or liberal (roughly 1/3 of all Republicans and leaners) are much more likely than conservative Republicans to see local impacts of climate change, support policies to address it, and say the federal government is doing too little in areas of environmental protection.

Further, according to the Center, younger generations and women in the GOP tend to be more critical of government action on the environment than their older and male counterparts.

As a whole, moderate and liberal Republicans are more critical of government action on the environment than conservative Republicans. Narrow majorities say the government is doing too little to protect water and air quality, wildlife and their habit and to reduce the effects of climate change. Ideological gaps among Democrats are more modest than among Republicans.Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Send us an email: tips@cleantechnica.com

Tags: carbon capture technology, Pew Research Center, plant trees

Carolyn Fortuna Carolyn Fortuna, Ph.D. is a writer, researcher, and educator with a lifelong dedication to ecojustice. She's won awards from the Anti-Defamation League, The International Literacy Association, and The Leavy Foundation. As part of her portfolio divestment, she purchased 5 shares of Tesla stock.Please follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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Its Time! A Majority Of People In The US Say The Federal Govt Should Do More About Climate - CleanTechnica

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