Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

The student government at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills unanimously passed a resolution on Oct. 22 that adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.

Drafted by Ori Nirpaz, a student senator, the resolution states that Foothills distinct and significant Jewish community does not have sufficient protections as a minority group on campus. With antisemitism on the rise across the country, according to the Anti-Defamation League, adopting the IHRA definition gives the Foothill student government a framework that will help it to more easily identify instances of antisemitism.

The student resolution also calls on the community colleges administration to consider adopting the definition for the entire campus.

Foothill College has proven itself to be a true ally by passing the bill, and I believe that other schools will follow suit in the quest to defend and protect the Jewish community, Nirpaz said in a statement. The measure passed in a 28-0 vote of the Associated Students.

Nirpaz also leads the Foothill branch of Students Supporting Israel, which has chapters around the world.

This resolution will help by making it clear what is antisemitic and what is not, SSI president Ilan Sinelnikov said. There is classic antisemitism, but there is also modern antisemitism, and this resolution leaves no room for debate on what hurts the Jewish people. This resolution was passed to prevent cases in the future and to be proactive.

According to Sinelnikov, Foothill College has about 170 Jewish students among its student body of more than 15,000.

Neither student government president Abhiraj Muhar nor the college responded to requests for comment.

The IHRA is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1998 by Swedens former prime minister Gran Persson. It works to strengthen, advance, and promote Holocaust education, remembrance, and research worldwide, according to its website. Some critics saythe definition stifles debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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Students at Foothill College pass antisemitism resolution J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

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Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

NEW YORK, Oct. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Pernod Ricard USA CEO Ann Mukherjee today called on the advertising industry and social media platforms to join a new initiative to help stop the spread of hate speech online and set new standards for responsible advertising. #EngageResponsibly, which is endorsed by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), supported by WPP and powered by Salesforce technology, will use the power of collective action to help make social media environments safe and healthy for all users.

"Human social connections are critical to our planet's sustainability and future. In a world where we must remain physically distant, the need for social proximity has never been greater," said Pernod Ricard USA CEO Ann Mukherjee. "Social media was made for this moment. But corners of our social spaces are becoming toxic and unsafe, driven by the few who pollute them with hate. As advertisers, we cannot choose to take advantage of the best aspects of these social spaces while turning a blind eye to the negative, as if it is only the platform's responsibility or that of our industry associations to address a problem that impacts us all."

Building on the significant progress being made by GARM and the ANA to improve brand safety and sustainability, #EngageResponsibly empowers consumers, brands and social media platforms to take tangible actions to prevent the spread of hate speech online. The initiative will raise awareness and inform consumers on how to report hate using the existing platform mechanisms, as well as introduce them to a new technology-powered tool that allows them to consistently report hate speech across platforms in a way that's as easy as Direct Messaging a friend. Brands will be given the opportunity to earn an Anti-Hate Certification by calculating their "hate footprint" and investing in NGOs that are either fighting hate or support communities most impacted by hate to offset it. Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) will have access to tools that allow them to be at the forefront of responsible advertising, maximizing the impact of their social media presence while demonstrating their shared commitment to fighting hate with their consumers. Finally, platforms will have access to data collected through the initiative that exposes how users and content that spark hate 'jump' from platform to platform to avoid being shut down as anti-hate speech policies are enforced, helping them anticipate potential spikes in hate speech and act quickly to limit their spread.

"This past July, more than 1,200 advertisers participated in the #StopHateForProfit boycott, pausing their social media advertising on Facebook and other social media platforms. The goal was to push the platforms to move with greater speed, effectiveness and transparency to diminish the spread of hate," said Bob Liodice, CEO of the ANA. "But we need to go beyond the boycott. #EngageResponsibly is an actionable initiative that enables our members and their consumers to create positive change. This is not for our members only. It is available to all brands committed to responsible advertising."

The initiative will be powered by a robust database that combines consumer-reported data augmented with high-volume social listening to provide an ongoing, uniform pulse on the state of hate across networks. Technology integration with the social media platforms is fully GDPR compliant and is designed to meet developer and user Terms of Service for each social platform. The technology will be going live in open-beta in November to inform the ongoing product roadmap.

"Social media platforms cannot be super spreaders of hate, division, and disinformation. #EngageResponsibly is a promising reporting framework that mobilizes consumers in a new way for the betterment of digital media platforms, to complement industry codes we've been advancing. Hate speech requires an all-in approach and this is a welcomed stepby the Global Alliance for Responsible Media," said Rob Rakowitz, initiative lead for GARM.

#EngageResponsibly is launching in the U.S. on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook in the first release. Hate reporting services will expand to additional social platforms in the next release cycle. The technology is modular and scalable, enabling the initiative to expand into multiple markets while managing the specific platform, data privacy and policy requirements of each market.Importantly, the initiative is structured to be operated as a not-for-profit, governed by a diverse Board of Advisors that will ensure all key stakeholders have a voice in how the initiative evolves.

The problem of hate speech on social media is undeniable. Research from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)1 shows that 35% of Americans report experiencing harassment online due to racial, religious or sexual identity.In the UK, hate speech is considered a crime and a public health risk while in the U.S., hate speech is considered an adolescent mental health risk by the CDC.

"Social media platforms are an indispensable cornerstone of every marketer's strategy," said Pam Forbus, CMO of Pernod Ricard USA. "They allow affordable, targeted advertising for even the smallest brands and businesses, enable easy two-way communication with customers and brand fans, and help businesses facilitate search, increase website traffic, and demonstrate brand values in real time. But we lose trust with our consumers when we condone hate speech through our own inaction. We must act now to protect the safety and viability of these platforms for everyone."

"This initiative is not about pointing fingers or placing blame it's about bringing together stakeholders who understand the incredible power and beauty of our social spaces in order to protect them from the few who toxify them with hate," said Mukherjee. "For Pernod Ricard, this initiative is about living our purpose to create conviviality,to engage and share with respect. Because where hate speech resides, respect does not. Ensuring our shared social spaces are safe and that we are meeting the highest standards of responsible advertising are business imperatives by which I will measure my success as a CEO.Because as leaders, our jobs have evolved.We can't just be focused on return on investment. We have an obligation to deliver a return on responsibility and todemonstrate that love can be more profitable than hate."

#EngageResponsibly has been developed in partnership with a number of agency partners, including Apply Digital, Bottle Rocket, Ogilvy, United Entertainment Group (UEG), Weber Shandwick and Wunderman Thompson.

HOW IT WORKS: THE BENEFITS OF #ENGAGERESPONSIBLY

The Consumer Benefit

The Brand Benefit

The Platform Benefit

For information on #EngageResponsibly, visit: http://www.engageresponsibly.org

About Pernod Ricard Pernod Ricard is the No. 2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of 9,182 million in FY19. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine's, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jout champagnes, as well Jacob's Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard's brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group's decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of "Crateurs de Convivialit." As reaffirmed by the Group's three-year strategic plan, "Transform and Accelerate," deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard's strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 Agenda supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "We bring good times from a good place." In recognition of Pernod Ricard's strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation's Global Compact LEAD company. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index. For further information, please visithttp://www.pernod-ricard.com.

1Anti-Defamation League, 2020, Online Hate and Harassment Report: The American Experience 2020, Retrieved from https://www.adl.org/online-hate-2020

SOURCE Pernod Ricard USA

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New Initiative Unlocks the Power of Consumers and Brings Brands and Social Media Platforms Together to Clean Up Hate Online - PRNewswire

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Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

Dive Brief:

#EngageResponsibly comes as marketers grow increasingly alarmed about the failure of social media companies to provide a brand-safe environment for their advertising. Despite the ongoing content moderation efforts by social platforms, many consumers are still being exposed to hateful online content that's destructive to brands whose ads appear nearby. Pernod Ricard's efforts to create an industry-led approach to eradicating hate speech follows an earlier announcement of the brand's plans for a crowdsourcing app to report objectionable content.

More than a third (35%) of Americans said they had experienced online harassment because of racial, religious or sexual identity, the Anti-Defamation League found in a consumer survey. However, only 18% of harassment targets said they contacted the technology platform to ask for help or to report inappropriate content. Meanwhile, more than 75% of people want reporting of hate speech to be easier, the study found.

Pernod Ricard's #EngageResponsibly effort aims to simplify those procedures with software tools that will feed into a database of consumer-reported incidents. That information will be aggregated with data gleaned from high-volume social listening to create reports that show a current view of online hate among platforms. The technology will comply with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to protect consumer privacy and the terms of service for each social network, according to Pernod Ricard.

The spirits maker isn't new to promoting a positive online environment. It was among the hundreds of companies that participated in the advertiser boycott of Facebook in July. The boycott was organized by advocacy groups including the ADL and NAACP to protest against the social media company's policies on hate speech. Brands ranging from Adidas to Verizon joined the boycott, while Walmart, McDonald's and Kellogg's were among the companies that quietly stopped advertising on Facebook but didn't take an official stance on the issue, according to an independent analysis. Facebook pledged to take better action against hate speech, but continued to face criticism for its policies. Pernod Ricard's ongoing efforts are a sign that brands are determined to combat hate speech and the social media companies that distribute it.

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Pernod Ricard gets industry buy-in for tool that reports hate speech on social media - Marketing Dive

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Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

In todays daily 5 Things You Need to Know feature, ThisWeekinWorcester.com explores five important items and stories that Worcester and Central Massachusetts residents should keep a close eye on.

These five things can cover a whole range of subjects and issues that we feel are pertinent to understanding whats going on in the city and the cities and towns surrounding Worcester.

In todays edition Wednesday, October 21 unemployment recovery in Massachusetts is the fourth worst in the U.S., the RMV extends dedicated hours for seniors, the Worcester Ice Center is no longer allowing spectators, theres a virtual college fair this week and the ADL launches an online Election incident reporting tool.

According to a recent study by WalletHub.com, Massachusetts employment recovery was 4th worst in the U.S. in September.

In September 2020, there were 359,368 unemployed. In Sept. 2019, there were 101,529 unemployed, a 254% difference from 2020. This is the second worst in the U.S.

In January 2020, there were 128,339 unemployed, a 180% difference from Sept. 2020 the third worst in the U.S.

The study found the worst overall recovery in the U.S. is in Hawaii, followed by Nevada and California .

Nebraska was ranked the place where jobs are bouncing back the most, followed by South Dakota and Missouri.

See full results and methodology.

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is announcing that it is extending designated Wednesday appointment hours for customers 75 years of age or older through November and December.

At 17 locations across Massachusetts, including Worcester and Leominster, RMV customers age 75 and over have exclusive access to service centers during specific hours. Those hours vary by location.

Senior hours are by appointment only,. Appointment booking can be done through the following ways:

The Worcester Ice Center announced on Tuesday, October 20, that spectators are no longer allowed inside ice rinks for any hockey games or practices and locker rooms will be closed.

The statement described the actions as a proactive move to ensure the safety of your children and in an effort to sustain hockey in Massachusetts.

The only exceptions is that one parent can attend for mite level players and below and for Learn to Skate/ Learn to Play sessions.

Games are available to watch live on LiveBarn.com.

See the Worcester Ice Center website for more information.

In Pursuit of Equity Accountability and Success (PEAS): Latinx Students in MA Schools , in collaboration with American Student Assistance (ASA), are hosting a virtual college fair for Latinx Students on Thursday, October 22 at 5 PM.

Caregivers and youth are invited to join this virtual college fair which will begin with a brief College 101 introductory session which highlights important dates, suggestions for finding the right fit, and other useful information.

Following our College 101 Workshop youth will be able to meet with college admissions representatives and caregivers will be invited to a virtual cafcito to talk about issues, concerns, and questions.

Sign up to attend the College 101 workshop,

The the Anti-Defamation League [ADL] has established a new online incident reporting toolthat will enable voters to flag any potential hate crimes or disruptions involving extremists.

In addition to an online reporting form, where the public will be able to report possible hate crimes or extremism-related incidents quickly and confidentially, ADL has established a text short code to provide convenient access to the reporting form. Anyone can text hatehelp to 51555 to receive a link and additional information on how to report extremist activity or other manifestations of hate.

There is no question that extremists are active in New England and continue exploiting the current political tensions surrounding the election, said Robert Trestan, ADL New England Regional Director. ADL is operating with a heightened vigilance and committing our expertise to ensure everyone has the right to vote without fear or intimidation.

For voting issues that are not extremist related, ADL will direct voters to contact the national, nonpartisan Election Protection coalition at 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

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5 Things You Need to Know Today in Worcester Oct. 21, 2020 - This Week In Worcester

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Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

The OC Human Relations Commission released its 2019 Orange County Hate Crime Report on October 20. For the fifth consecutive year, the numbers of crimes increased. Hate crime was up 24% in 2019 over the previous year.

We know that hate crime is grossly underreported and that we likely do not hear from the majority of people who are targeted each year, Allison Edwards, CEO of OC Human Relations, wrote in a statement. We are a diverse county, but we can do better. We can be an inclusive county where the people who live here feel safe and good about staying here.

Heres a summary with excerpts from the report:

What is a Hate Crime?

In California, the legal definition of a hate crime (under California Penal Code 422.6) is defined as a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of one or more of the following actual or perceived characteristics of anothers disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group of persons with one or more of the preceding actual or perceived characteristics.

Hate Crimes in Orange County

The Orange County Human Relations Commission received reports from 19 law enforcement agencies, 24 education institutions, and 5 community-based organizations.

In Orange County, 83 hate crimes were reported in 2019, a 24% increase from 2018. This is the largest jump in hate crime activity in the last 5 years.

The most frequently reported hate crime was motivated by the targets of race, ethnicity and/or national origin (47%) followed by religion (28%), sexual orientation (18%), gender identity (5%), and disability (1%).

Of the 47% of cases motivated by race, ethnicity, and/or national origin, 53% were driven by anti-Black sentiment, followed by anti-Hispanic (30%) and anti-Asian (17%).

Of the 28% of hate crimes motivated by religion, the Jewish community was the primary target at 52% followed by Catholics, Christians, and Muslims (14% combined).

Of the hate crime cases reported motivated by sexual orientation (18%) and gender identity (5%), 78% of the cases were anti-gay followed by anti-female(11%) and anti-transgender (11%).

The most reported hate-based criminal offense was vandalism (44%) followed by aggravated assaults (22%), simple assault (13%), criminal threats (9%), harassment (5%), theft (4%), assault and battery (3%), and arson (1%).

What is a Hate Incident?

A hate incident differs from a hate crime in that it is the behavior that is motivated by hate or bias towards a persons actual or perceived disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation but is not criminal in nature. Typically, these behaviors are protected by the First Amendments right to freedom of expression. If this type of behavior escalates to threats or carried out against a person or property, or becomes an incitement to commit violence, it would be classified as a hate crime.

Hate Incidents in Orange County

In Orange County, a total of 156 hate incidents were reported in 2019, a 6% decrease from last year. Hate incidents are notoriously underreported for a variety of reasons. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are up to 260,000 hate events that go unreported annually nation-wide.

Main Motivators for Hate Incidents

The main motivation for hate incidents was religion (44%) followed by race/ethnicity/National origin (39%), and sexual orientation/gender identity (15%). Two percent were targeted for more than one motive.

Similar to the hate crime data, of the 44% of hate incidents due to religion, the Jewish community was the primary target at 65%, followed by 31% of the incidents targeting the Muslim community (31%).

Of the 39% of hate incidents motivated due to race/ethnicity/National origin, 51% were anti-Black followed by anti-Hispanic (13%) and anti-multiple races (13%).

Of the hate incident cases reported that were motivated by sexual orientation/gender identity, 68% of the cases were anti-gay followed by anti-female (14%), anti-lesbian (9%), and anti-LGBT in general (9%).

In 2019, the highest hate incidents reported were harassment and hate speech (74%), followed by Vandalism (21%), simple assault (3%), and aggravated assault (2%).

In 2019, the top location for hate incidents was at school campuses (44%), followed by work/business (23%), public area (15%), private property (7%), phone/online (7%), and place of worship (3%).

Forty-one percent were reported in high schools, 25% in middle schools, 19% in colleges/university, and 15% in elementary schools.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), students who experience hate crimes or hate incidents are at increased risk for lower academic achievement as they tend to skip school and are more likely to drop out. Studies show there is a link between school safety and students academic performance.

Orange County is Diverse

Orange County is one of Americas most diverse counties. Of the roughly 3.2 million people who live here, about 30% of our population is foreign-born, over 40% of residents speak a language other than English at home, including roughly 25% who speak Spanish, and there are over 80 faiths practiced here.

In publishing this annual Hate Crime Report, we are confronted by the fact that hate crimes continue to rise, wrote Michael Reynolds, Chair of the Orange County Human Relations Commission. We can, and we must, do better. It is our hope that this report will inform ongoing conversations in different spaces about the need to support hate victims and, as a community, to commit to treat one another as we individually would want to be treated.

What should I do if Im victimized?

Contact law enforcement immediately to file a report.

Obtain medical attention, if needed. Be sure to keep all medical documentation.

Leave all evidence in place. Do not touch, remove and/or clean up anything.

Document what happened by taking photographs of the evidence, writing down exactly what was said, particularly any words that indicate bias, motivation, and other information that may be valuable.

Get the name(s), address(es), and phone number(s) of other victim(s) and witness(es).

If possible, write down a description of the perpetrator and the perpetrators vehicle.

Find support from friends, family, and from seek professional help if needed.

Report the occurrence to OC Human Relations Commission

To report a hate crime, call 714-480-6580. You can also report online at http://www.ochumanrelations.org/hatecrime.

Need Support?

The OC Human Relations Commission provides individuals who have been targeted by hate crimes and/or hate incidents with support and appropriate resources. All information, support, and services provided are confidential. Throughout the year, the Commission provides presentations and releases the annual Hate Crimes Report informing Orange County community about hate crimes and hate incidents because of the impact that it has on the victims and society.

Victim Witness Assistance

Help is available in the form of:

Support in communicating with the law enforcement, the court and other authorities

Translation services for non-English speakers

Information resources and referrals

Crisis intervention and counseling

Orientation to the criminal justice system

Emergency financial application assistance

Support with property return, restitution assistance, filing compensation claims, temporary restraining orders, emergency transportation, and case status/disposition information

Other organizations that support and defend victims of hate crimes:

ACLU of Southern California, Orange County Branch: (714) 450-3962

Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Orange County/Long Beach Region: (949) 679-3737

California Department of Fair Employment & Housing (DFEH): (800) 884-1684 or (800) 700-2320

California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board: (800) 777-9229

Council on American-Islamic Relations, Southern California (CAIR): (714) 776-1847

Dayle McIntosh Center: (714) 621-3300

Fair Housing Council of Orange County: (714) 569-0823

Federal Bureau of Investigation Victim Assistance Program: (714) 542-8825

Japanese American Citizens League (Pacific Southwest Chapter): (213) 626-4471

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) of Orange County:(714) 543-3637

OC Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA): (714) 636-9095

Office of the Orange County District Attorney: (714) 834-3600

Office of Victim Services, California Attorney General: (877) 433-9069

Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG): (714) 997-8047

Sikh Council California: 1-877-CALSIKH

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC): (334) 956-8200

LGBTQ Center OC: (714) 953-5428

U.S. Department of Justice OfficeHate Crime Suppression Unit: (213) 580-3358

U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime: (800) 851-3420

Waymakers: (949) 975-0488

Protect local journalism please subscribe to the print edition of the Fullerton Observer. Our online edition is free, but we depend on print subscriptions from readers. Annual subscription is only $35/year.It only takes a minute Click Here To Subscribe. Thank you for your support for the Fullerton Observer. Click here to view a copy of the print edition.

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Hate Crimes on the Rise in Orange County - Fullerton Observer

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Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

Celebrating its 50th anniversary on October 26, the comic strip Doonesbury must hold a longevity record for what was originally intended as an undergraduate jape. And it has a surprising amount of Jewish influence.

Created by Garry Trudeau, Doonesbury early on peppered a wide range of targets with wry comments, as the Harvard Bulletincommented in 1971, from Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey to Jewish radicals and the Black Panthers.

From a privileged prep school background, Garretson Beekman Trudeau must have been impressed to see his fellow Yalie, the undergraduate Jewish activist, Mark Zanger leading the Yale chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

The political scientist Geoffrey Kabaservice has cited Zanger to the effect that ideologically, Harvard had a more developed student body than Yale at the time, with a far larger chapter of SDS.

Image by Getty Images

Doonesbury & Pals: Trey Parker (L), Matt Stone (C), creators of South Park and Gary Trudeau (R), creator of the comic strip Doonesbury, discuss the difficulties in creating their craft at the Arts 2002 panel discussion at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival March 1, 2002 in Aspen, CO.

Undaunted, Zanger worked on, eventually inspiring the character Mark Sheldon Slackmeyer in Doonesbury. Possibly the vocal Jewish presence at Yale led Trudeau to include a number of mildly satirical, consciousness-raising jokes with Yiddishkeit in the strip.

One such involved Kim Rosenthal, a Vietnamese refugee who appeared in 1975 as a baby adopted by a Jewish family after the fall of Saigon; she later married the strips protagonist Mike Doonesbury.

A brainiac who dropped out of a computer science program at MIT, claiming it was too easy, Kim is praised by a fellow student for winning a scholarship in a strip reprinted in A Doonesbury Retrospective. The classmate adds that academic must be easy for someone raised in an Asian family. Kim retorts, I wouldnt know. Im adopted. My parents are Jewish. To which the other student exclaims, Jewish? Yo! Say no more.

Neatly spoofing two forms of positive stereotyping in condensed form, this type of wit endeared Doonesbury to readers, including Jewish ones, over the decades. Ever-ready to comedically exploit unverified press rumors, Doonesbury lampooned the presidential candidate Ross Perot in a strip later reprinted in The Portable Doonesbury

In it, Perot is interviewed by radio commentator Mark Slackmeyer, who asks about the candidates supposed bigotry: Why did you try to keep your daughter from marrying a Jew? Perot denies the charge, asking, Are you a Jew? to which Slackmeyer drily replies, Must be. Im in the media.

The strips willingness to grapple with issues of societal anti-Semitism with trademark sarcasm made Jewish readers ready to overlook the more conventional or stereotyped minor characters like Marcia Feinbloom, Mikes man-hungry secretary, Mark Slackmeyers father Phil, a Jewish businessman who is jailed for insider trading, and the superagent Sid Kibbitz, a rabbis son who becomes an ordained minister in the Christian Order of Immaculate Pacifism.

Instead of from these trite characters, Trudeaus understanding of Jewish life in modern American society is better reflected in his collaboration with the photographer David Levinthal, whom he met during graduate studies at the Yale School of Art.

Levinthal, who uses dolls and toys in dramatic, powerfully emotional stagings, created with Trudeau Hitler Moves East, what they termed a graphic chronicle of the Nazi invasion of Russia during World War II, the so-called Operation Barbarossa.

As in Doonesbury at its best, Hitler Moves East relates otherwise unmanageable or unconceivable world events in miniaturized form. On his own, Levinthal would later produce a photographic book on Hitlers manifesto Mein Kampf as well as other evocations of battlefield strife.

Bolstered by this condensation of tragic events, Trudeau was well-prepared for future years of expressing Jewish themes, among other political topics. Which shocked devotees all the more when in May 2009, in one Doonesbury strip, a girl confuses money changers described in the Gospel scene of the cleansing of the Temple, expelled by Jesus who rejects commercial activity in a religious place, with moneylenders, or usurers, a common anti-Semitic trope.

Rabbi David Saperstein, head of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, sent a message to Trudeau that the Doonesbury joke smacks of anti-SemitismI hope my reading of the cartoon is correct that the focus appears to be on the current financial crisis; in this case, however, a line was crossed that allowed a pernicious stereotype to find its way into the discourse about the current economic challenges faced by our nation and world. If you agree with me that these challenges are not the fault of any one individual, group or religion, then I hope you share my concern that your cartoon might be read as blaming Jews.

On its website, the Anti-Defamation League reacted less temperately, claiming that Doonesbury misquotes the Bible, maligns Judaism, and promotes a Christian heresy.

Weathering this controversy, Trudeau continued on until an even greater ruckus was raised by his comments in April 2015, when accepting a lifetime achievement award for cartooning. The Paris Charlie Hebdo shootings in January 2015 took the lives of, among others, the Jewish cartoonist Georges Wolinski the Jewish psychiatrist Elsa Cayat and the much-loved non-Jewish artist Jean Cabut, known as Cabu.

At the awards ceremony, Trudeau criticized the victims, without naming them, for punching downward attacking a powerless, disenfranchised minority with crude, vulgar drawings closer to graffiti than cartoons, and thereby wandering into the realm of hate speech with cartoons of Muhammad.

As none of the dead had drawn the controversial caricatures of Muhammad, observers were perplexed by his comment. Perhaps worse, Trudeau added: Even Charlie Hebdo once fired a writer for not retracting an anti-Semitic column. Apparently he crossed some red line that was in place for one minority but not another.

Again no names were mentioned, giving the impression that all these events were remote indeed from Trudeaus bucolic Connecticut home, and he could not be bothered to get precise details before offering an opinion.

Trudeaus vague reference in 2015 was to Maurice Sinet, a French political cartoonist known as Sin. In August 1982, shortly after a terrorist attack on a Jewish restaurant in Pariss Marais district, a reportedly drunk Sin declared on French radio: Im anti-Semitic ever since Israel started bombing. Im anti-Semitic and no longer afraid to admit it. From now on, Im drawing swastikas on every wallI want each Jew to live in fear unless he is pro-Palestinian Let them all die! They are boring. Theyve been boring us for 2000 years, the bastards. They should all be euthanized. So-called Jews with stupid folklore and crappy [Marc] Chagall.

When Jewish organizations understandably objected to this inebriated on-air outburst, Sin apologized, but was nevertheless convicted of provoking discrimination, hatred, or racial violence.

Even so, Sin was not fired from Charlie Hebdo then, but only in 2008 after he made a joke in dubious taste about the son of President Nicholas Sarkozy marrying a Jewish heiress. Among noted Jews approving his firing were the statesman Robert Badinter, author Hlne Cixous, philosopher Blandine Kriegel, and Nobel prizewinner Elie Wiesel.

After a flurry of lawsuits, Sins firing was found to have been unjustified. Had Trudeau taken the time to delve into the details of this controversy, his latter day self-demolition of an admirable record for understanding Jewish history and experience might not have tarnished his strips half-century celebrations.

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On its 50th anniversary, the secret Jewish history of Doonesbury - Forward

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Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

A suspect was charged Thursday in connection with an alleged hate crime at Oaklands Temple Sinai, where a black swastika was found scrawled in paint on the historic wooden sanctuary doors early Monday morning.

Freddie Lee Smith, also known as Zachary RunningWolf, a 57-year-old Berkeley man, was charged with six felonies, including vandalism and violation of civil rights with a hate crime enhancement, according to Alameda County assistant district attorney Teresa Drenick. Smith describes himself as an Indigenous Elder and is well known in Berkeley as a frequent mayoral candidate.

This office takes very seriously hate crimes and encourages anyone who is the victim of or witness to hate crimes to report immediately, Drenick told J. We will investigate and prosecute criminal activity driven by antisemitism, xenophobia, racism or discrimination.

Footage from the synagogues security cameras, turned over to Oakland police, was instrumental in identifying the alleged perpetrator.

According to the arrest report, Smiths backpack and shirt matched images of the suspect, and police found several cans of spray-paint in his backpack. He was charged with the most recent incident as well as with two others that took place earlier this month, including painting the words Bye bye evil evil evil Jews.

Last year Smith, who has unsuccessfully run for mayor of Berkeley on multiple occasions, was issued a restraining order for death threats against Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arregun in 2019. He was also charged with felony vandalism in 2016. Hes known in Berkeley for his participation in a long-running tree sit more than 10 years ago at UC Berkeley, in which he and others attempted to block several oaks from being cut on the campus.

Senior Rabbi Jacqueline Mates-Muchin said her synagogue is accustomed to dealing with regular tagging. Were urban, she said, so weve always had some graffiti.

But the defacements of the past few weeks appeared to be more targeted. The carved Stars of David in the sanctuary doors, which date back to 1914, were vandalized and daubed with paint on Oct. 3 and 5, and Mates-Muchin said a strange picture of a pig was found on the grounds. This weeks incident was the first time the graffiti was explicitly antisemitic, she said.

A swastika was right over a Jewish star, she said.

Like many synagogues, Temple Sinai upgraded its security system after the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in 2018 that killed 11. Mates-Muchin said a congregant had financed upgraded lighting, more robust fencing and additional cameras.

Antisemitic incidents are increasing in the U.S., according to a report released in May by the Anti-Defamation League. The findings included a 12 percent increase in the total number of antisemitic incidents in 2019 compared with the previous year, the highest since 1979. California had the third highest number, at 330 incidents.

Temple Sinai has been targeted before. In 2017, on the morning of Rosh Hashanah, synagogue leaders arrived before services to find an obscene, antisemitic slur on the building. The situation was even more intense then, with the imminent arrival of 1,200 worshippers. This time fewer people saw the graffiti, Mates-Muchin said, but it still affected congregants, who were alerted to the news by email.

An April study by the ADL found that more than half of American Jews have witnessed or experienced antisemitism over the past five years, and nearly two-thirds said they feel less safe than they did a decade ago.

I think a lot of people are feeling vulnerable, Mates-Muchin said. I think this is one of a number of things that make people worry.

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Berkeley man known to police charged with Oakland synagogue vandalism - The Jewish News of Northern California

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Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

*Story updates below*

Some members of the local Jewish community are raising concerns over what they say is an anti-Semitic political mailer targeting state Rep. Jennifer OMara, D-165 of Springfield.

Its not just something I was uncomfortable with, said Rabbi Peter Rigler of Temple Sholom in Broomall. I had seven congregants reach out to me and actually bring the postcard to my office, and I also heard from people in the community who called me to say, Rabbi, what do you think of this?

The mailer, put out by the Pennsylvania Republican Party, features two pictures of OMara in an attempt to depict her as having two personas: Hometown Jenn and Harrisburg Jenn. The former is smiling with hair down in front of some foliage, while the latter looks more severe, her hair pulled back as she speaks into a microphone in front of a backdrop that includes a stylized Star of David. The second image also appears on the back of the mailer, much more deeply shadowed, with more six-pointed stars and a large red NO at the bottom.

Its a deeply concerning image and I believe it was used on purpose, said Rigler. Were living in a moment when the Jewish community, along with many others, are feeling the effects of racism and anti-Semitism, and for the Republican Party to put that out, and then for them not to respond when a rabbi from Delaware County writes and says its a concerning image, and its a hurtful image it was an opportunity for them to call and say, Wow, were really sorry.

But Rigler said that response did not happen. He said he also raised the issue with O'Mara's Republican opponent, Bob Smythe, about two weeks ago. Rigler said Smythe, who did not approve of or send out the mailer himself, was sympathetic about the imagery during their conversation and told the rabbi he would make a statement, but that never happened either.

Their silence says to me that they understand what the message is and they dont care, said Rigler. Its Hometown Jenn and Away Jenn, and its like Away Jenn is the Jewish Jenn who is secretly part of the Jewish cabal to take over. Its really troubling.

Rigler noted the mailer comes after a white nationalist group called Identity Evropa reportedly met at a Delco bowling alley last year and a 2018 mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh left 11 dead. It also comes just weeks after Rigler said three large, hand-painted anti-Semitic signs appeared on a local property.

As a rabbi and as a student of Jewish history, I can tell you that these types of sordid machinations, these types of conspiracy theories, they never work out well for the Jewish community, said Rigler. It elevates the fear of the Jewish community who believes very much that we are a part of the fabric of American society and this is a disturbing moment. Obviously, given our history, its extremely disturbing.

In speaking with our design vendor, the picture was chosen from the public domain because it was the only one found that featured Ms. OMara speaking at a podium with the word Democrat visible behind her, to demonstrate a political contrast, said PAGOP Executive Director Vonne Andring in a statement. We have tremendous respect for the Jewish faith and all faiths, and we sincerely apologize for any unintended offense this mail piece has caused.

I assume that there are many images a designer could choose of a state rep. in Harrisburg, said Shira Goodman, regional director of Anti-Defamation League of Philadelphia. Why not a picture of her in the rotunda? Why not a picture of her at a press conference on the steps of the capital or something like that if youre trying to show that distinction? My assumption would be that even for a first-term rep., there are many, many pictures in Harrisburg that could have been chosen. Choosing this image it raises questions to me. Im just not sure why you do this unless youre trying to show some kind of association or make viewers see some sort of connection.

Goodman said she had also reached out to state Republican Party representatives but had not gotten a response.

The party reps told us they were going to look into it, tell us what happened, and they did not, she said.

I know from campaign mail how they choose photos, said OMara. There is nothing that is not intentional.

OMara said the picture was not actually taken in Harrisburg, but was at an event for Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania in Delaware County in late 2018, before she was sworn into office. The word Democratic is mostly obscured by OMaras head in the image.

They could have used a lot of photos where Im in Harrisburg, speaking in press conferences, even standing with other elected officials, said OMara. I feel like it was intentional and there is no room for this in our local politics.

OMara and Rigler said they had both been contacted not just by upset Democrats, but Republicans as well, indicating it is not a partisan issue. Rigler said in his conversation with Smythe, he put the ball in his court, asking him to come up with a statement or apology and get back to him.

I was disappointed that Bob Smythe did not get back to me, said Rigler. He explained that hes a history teacher and he sees it and he gets it, and I explained to him that I understood it was not his campaign that sent it out, but I also said that, to me, it was a party that hes a part of and it represented his campaign, whether he wanted it to or not, and it was important to say something. He should say something. Its getting to the point where its too late and I really would like them to say something.

In a statement issued Thursday, Smythe said the mailers intended purpose was to demonstrate that OMara tells local residents that her position on issues is aligned with their views, but then votes the opposite way in Harrisburg due to pressure from the Democratic Party.

He said the image had come from OMaras own Facebook page and that he explained the true purpose of the piece to Rigler during their discussion, as well as his disdain for anti-Semitism.

As a 10-year classroom history teacher, I have taught many subjects and several hundred students, most of whom come from some of the most economically challenged communities in Delaware County, said Smythe. Having studied the Holocaust extensively as a historian and having taught hundreds of students at both the middle and high school level about the horrors of the Holocaust, I understand the atrocities that were committed as well as the trauma and sensitivity it has caused throughout the Jewish community. I would never engage in any effort to promote anti-Semitism, discrimination, racism, or hate of any kind.

Smythe added that division and slander are often used as a last-ditch effort political strategy, especially this close to an election, but said he would never engage in such tactics and would hope that people judge him based on his record and actions.

Fran Leider, a Jewish Republican from Broomall, said she did not see the imagery as anti-Semitic and is judging Smythe on his character rather than what others read into a piece of mail sent out by the party.

I know Bob is a good guy, I know his characteristics, I know his values and I know that if somebody had a problem with that piece, theyre totally misinterpreting it, she said.

Leider said she discussed the mailer with neighbors and the general consensus was exactly as Smythe described: That OMara says one thing in the district and does another in Harrisburg.

Nobody in the community has a problem with that mailer, said Leider. I did hear one rumor that someone had a problem with it, but it was only one rumor. Most people see that as just a way of showing who Jennifer OMara is and they dont have a problem with it.

But fellow Republican Eric Lieberman, of Broomall, said he was disappointed to see his own party put out literature that he said made negative connections with religious symbols. He pointed to the choice of color pallet and use of the Star of David in what he said was a subtly anti-Semitic tone and message.

Its not in your face, its one of those things where its unspoken, he said.

Lieberman noted Smythe had previously called out George Soros during a town hall as a funder of Democratic Party activities, including those OMara was involved with. Liebermans wife, Andi, said Soros name is often invoked on the right as an anti-Semitic trigger.

So that, combined with this, I was not really happy, said Andi Lieberman. (He does it) one time and you think, OK, hes listening to talking points from those in his party who feel this is OK to react this way but then to get this in the mail a few weeks later, I was pretty upset. I took it as a negative connotation for those of us who are Jewish. So I talked to my rabbi and some others and they all had that same response to the piece of mail.

I was shocked, said Dr. Lisa Goldstein of Radnor. I grew up in Lower Merion, Ive made my family and lived in Radnor for 26 years and I dont recall ever seeing anti-Semitic campaign literature. I was just shocked.

Eric Lieberman said he does not believe the basic platform of his party is anti-Semitic, though he said there are elements within it that are and either might not care that this is being put into the messaging or, even worse, deliberately make it part of the messaging.

I believe its antithetical to what the party should be based on, he said. Theres no reason why an anti-religious message regardless of which religion it relates to should be part of anything in their campaign literature.

Goodman said regardless of the intention, the image does appear to promote or reinforce offensive tropes about Jewish control of the government, and the GOP should address that, apologize and make clear that was not their intention.

Under the best interpretation, its a very busy time for campaigns and parties, and the people they talked to internally perhaps did not see the problem the same way that Rabbi Rigler described it or I described it, she said. Thats the best light. But I think the fact that people are making complaints to both candidates in the race and that its been elevated to the party should let them know that this is serious and it should be taken seriously.

While the ADL understands that campaigns will foster passionate opinions on a broad range of topics, said Goodman, anti-Semitic tropes or stereotypes should not be part of that discourse.

We should hold campaigns or parties to a higher standard, and if they dont meet that standard, their errors should be pointed out and they should take responsibility, she said.

UPDATE:

After publication of this story on Friday, a Smythe spokesperson provided a lengthy letter the Republican candidate said he had written to Rigler last week and outlined steps Smythe took to reach out to the Temple Sholom community, including calling Rigler instantly upon getting his email.

The spokesperson said Rigler called back the following day and declined to meet with Smythe in person, but suggested speaking on the phone. Rigler also declined having Smythe come to the congregation, which is not meeting in person due to the pandemic, or having Smythe attend virtual services, according to the spokesperson. Rigler also told Smythe it would not be possible to meet with or call the people in his community that raised concerns, the spokesperson said.

Rigler on Friday did not dispute that chain of events, though he said some of the language was inconsistent with his experience. He said Smythe had in fact written him a letter, but he only got it Friday morning and that it was postmarked Oct. 20.

He had my email, it was two weeks before he wrote me back, said Rigler. The letter is fine. I dont feel from what he wrote me or what he said to me that he understands its painful. This is not a right/left (issue) the symbols used the way they were are painful.

Rigler said that just as standard form, his temple would not offer a pulpit to any politician in the midst of an election. He added that he did not so much want Smythe to talk to those who had brought the mailer to his attention as those who had not.

His letter was very nice, he seems like a nice guy and I understand, again, it was not from his campaign, said Rigler. But it would be comforting to hear a little bit more than hes a history teacher. I will share the letter with some people he asked to share it with.

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GOP mailer in the 165th decried as anti-Semitic - The Delaware County Daily Times

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Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

Video:What is QAnon, and why does law enforcement consider it to be so dangerous? We speak with David Goldenberg, of the Anti-Defamation League, onChicago Tonight.

Ask the Q has been a rallying cry for QAnon believers since the conspiracy theorys online birth three years ago. They have long claimed that if President Donald Trump was asked about QAnon, his answer would confirm their baseless belief that he is secretly fighting deep state enemies and a cabal of Satan-worshipping cannibals operating a child sex trafficking ring.

So QAnon followers were celebrating Trumps response to a question during a televised town hall on Thursday night. Asked if he would completely disavow QAnon and reject its followers baseless belief that he is the savior against Democrats running a satanic pedophile ring, he dodged.

Trump claimed he didnt know anything about the QAnon theory. But he then praised their work against pedophilia and refused to say the conspiracy theory was false.

I dont know that and neither do you, he said.

Alex Kaplan, a senior researcher for the liberal watchdog Media Matters for America, noted that a QAnon-promoting Twitter account with nearly 50,000 followers hailed the presidents comments as full and complete confirmation and thanked NBC News for airing it.

President Donald Trump speaks during an NBC News Town Hall, at Perez Art Museum Miami, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo / Evan Vucci)

While Trump was praising the bizarre group, social media companies were trying to curb the spread of its false claims.

Heres a look at how the president, other Republicans and Big Tech have responded to QAnons growth from the internets fringes to mainstream politics:

WHAT IS QANON?

QAnon is an apocalyptic and convoluted conspiracy theory spread largely through the internet and promoted by some right-wing extremists. It is based on cryptic postings by the anonymous Q, purportedly a government insider. The first Q drop appeared on the 4chan imageboard in October 2017.

Many QAnon followers believe thousands of deep state operatives and top Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, will be rounded up and sent to Guantanamo Bay during an event called The Storm.

In May 2019, an FBI bulletin mentioning QAnon warned that conspiracy theory-driven extremists have become a domestic terrorism threat and were very likely to commit violent crimes inspired by their fringe beliefs. QAnon already has been linked to acts of real-world violence, including the killing of the reputed boss of the Gambino crime family.

WHAT HAS THE WHITE HOUSE SAID ABOUT QANON?

QAnon supporters have been fixtures at Trump rallies for years. Asked about QAnon in 2018, then-White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump condemns and denounces any group that would incite violence against another individual.

However, Trump praised QAnon supporters during a White House press briefing in August. I heard that these are people that love our country, he said in his first public comments on the subject. Trump insisted that he hadnt heard much about the movement, other than I understand they like me very much and it is gaining in popularity.

On Wednesday night, his praise was more specific. I do know they are very much against pedophilia. They fight it very hard. But I know nothing about it.

HOW DID QANON FOLLOWERS RESPOND?

Amarnath Amarasingam, a professor at Queens University in Ontario, Canada, who researches terrorism and political violence, said the presidents refusal to denounce QAnon and his frequent retweeting of QAnon-promoting accounts send a signal to the movements followers that he is on their side and they are onto something.

It would have been the perfect set of beliefs to completely ignore and let die on the fringe because its completely out there and insane. But because its now talked about by the president, its having social influence in a kind of outsize way, Amarasingam said.

During his debate with Democrat Joe Biden, Trump refused to outright condemn a neo-fascist group called the Proud Boys. The pro-Trump groups members collectively cheered on social media when the president said they should stand back and stand by.

American University professor Kurt Braddock, who researches extremist groups, said Trumps town hall remarks are bound to similarly energize and possibly embolden QAnon supporters.

Being legitimized on that stage is going to be a huge boon to them, Braddock said. Any kind of legitimization like that is a danger in growing the groups popularity and making the group feel as though what they are doing is justified and valid.

WHAT HAVE OTHER REPUBLICANS SAID ABOUT IT?

Vice President Mike Pence and other Republican leaders have dismissed QAnon, but the conspiracy theory has penetrated the mainstream GOP political landscape.

Pence and top Trump campaign officials were slated to attend a Montana fundraiser hosted by a couple who have expressed support for QAnon, but Pence later canceled those plans.

At least 86 current or former congressional candidates have endorsed or given credence to QAnon, according to a Media Matters tally. Congress is virtually certain to have at least one QAnon-supporting member next year. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has expressed support for QAnon, appeared to be coasting to victory in a deep-red congressional district in Georgia even before her Democratic opponent dropped out of the race.

The Associated Press and Media Matters also have identified more than two dozen state legislature candidates who have expressed some support or interest in QAnon, including a Tennessee state lawmaker who has received campaign donations from Amazon, Walmart and other corporate giants.

HOW HAVE MAJOR TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES RESPONDED TO THE SPREAD OF QANON ON THEIR PLATFORMS?

Facebook and Twitter have vowed to stop encouraging the growth of QAnon, but a recent Associated Press review of both social media platforms found the companies still arent enforcing even the limited restrictions they had put in place.

Twitter announced in July that it was kicking off 7,000 QAnon accounts and promised to stop promoting or recommending QAnon. In August, Facebook introduced new rules designed to stop encouraging users to join QAnon groups. It also banned QAnon hashtags and kicked off thousands of QAnon groups that encouraged violence.

Facebook announced a stricter policy last Tuesday, saying it will remove QAnon-representing Facebook pages, groups and Instagram accounts even if they dont promote violence. On Thursday, YouTube announced it is taking more steps to limit QAnon and other baseless conspiracy theories. YouTube said it already had removed tens of thousands of QAnon-videos and eliminated hundreds of channels under its existing policies.

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AP Explains: What's Behind Trump's Town Hall Answer on QAnon - WTTW News

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Posted By admin on October 25, 2020

ENGLEWOOD Bobby Van is proud to be a Proud Boy.

In fact, Van is a district president overseeing the Proud Boys Florida Zone 5, which extends from Bonita Springs north to Bradenton. Hes been a member for nearly three years. Florida may have 600 to 700 active Proud Boy members. His zone chapter has 80 or more members.

Were worldwide, too, he said.

Van, an Englewood resident since 2004, knows hes lost customers for his pressure-cleaning and tree-trimming business due to his belonging to the controversial group often associated with white extremists, neo-Nazi and other ultra-right groups.

Federal and other law enforcement including Charlotte County Sheriffs Office are now investigating threatening emails sent to registered Democrats in various battleground states including Florida. The emails allegedly were sent by Proud Boys. According to the Associated Press, Iran is responsible for emails meant to intimidate American voters in multiple states, U.S. officials said Wednesday night in calling out both Tehran and Russia for activities meant to interfere in the upcoming presidential election.

And Van added, We wouldnt do stuff like that.

When the Proud Boys first started, Van said, they were more a fraternity of men who enjoyed meeting once a month, socializing and downing a few beers together. Men just being men, he said.

Every article thats ever been written about (Proud Boys) has made us look bad, Van said. He then went through a litany of what he does not support.

Van denounces any form of white supremacy and homophobia. He said Proud Boys membership includes people of color, immigrants, Jewish and gay members. Most Proud Boys are political conservatives or libertarians.

There may even be some Proud Boys who are politically liberal, but Van doesnt know any.

He also supports Trump and flies two large Trump flags from one of his trailers.

Van didnt hide the Proud Boys antipathy toward Antifa, a leftist movement of militants in opposition to fascism, white supremacists, and other right-wing extremist groups. The Trump administration this week labeled Antifa a terrorist group, along with the KKK.

Antifa was attacking people at Trump rallies, knocking off their red MAGA hats off their heads, throwing jars of urine at veterans in wheelchairs, Van alleged.

The Proud Boys decided to walk people into events and out of events.

Three Proud Boys, waving Trump flags, demonstrated and made their presence known at the Sarasota County School Board meeting Tuesday where members reaffirmed their decision to require students to wear masks due to the pandemic.

According to Van, Proud Boys start out peacefully when they attend demonstrations. The Proud Boys mandate that none of their members take a first swing, he said.

They arent hesitant, however, to throw the second or third punches. If you (a Proud Boy) start a fight, you will be punished harshly by the Proud Boys, he said of their members.

Van takes exception when the Proud Boys are lumped together with white supremacists and other hate groups.

Being called a racist is the worst thing anybody can say about someone, said Van, whose wife is a Native American.

As far as the Proud Boys critics, he said, They need a boogeyman.

Despite disavowals by its members, the Southern Poverty Law Center classifies the Proud Boys as a hate group, identifying specific incidents where Proud Boys, especially its founder Gavin McInnes, promoted hate mongering.

Their disavowals of bigotry are belied by their actions: rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists, the center posted on its website, http://www.splcenter.org.

They are known for anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric, the center stated. Proud Boys have appeared alongside other hate groups at extremist gatherings like the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.

McInnes has since filed an anti-defamation suit against the poverty center.

Like the poverty center, the Anti-Defamation League is no fan of the Proud Boys.

After several years of forging alliances with members of the Republican political establishment, the Proud Boys have carved out a niche for themselves as both a right-wing fight club and a volunteer security force for the GOP, the ADL stated on its website, http://www.adl.org.

Despite their associations with mainstream politicians, Proud Boys actions and statements repeatedly land them in the company of white supremacists and right-wing extremists, the ADL concluded.

President Trump boosted the Proud Boys morale at his first debate with former Vice-President Joe Biden.

Trump called for them to stand back and stand by, rather than denouncing the organization, white supremacists or any other extremest groups at the debate.

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Who are the Proud Boys: Englewood business owner proud to lead controversial group - yoursun.com

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