Charlottesville, Virginia. The site of Heather Heyer. October 2017.
There has been a recent funded-study by federal guidelines, 450 human bodies that has been killed by the far right since 1990—the same year where Hate Crime Statistics Act has signed by President George H.W. Bush. That we must never forget.
Last October 2017, I visited Charlottesville, Virginia where ALT-Right movements killed Heather Heyer last August; the white supremacy must be brought up to have it rejected for the sake of humanity. I am all support to stop hate. We do not need white supremacy running our streets anymore. Not in my space. Do we have time to hate? Just yesterday, 13th of November, it was World Kindness Day. That we must never forget.
I remember in 1988 as a 14 years old kid, there was huge news about the murder of Mulugeta Seraw in Portland in the hands of skinheads, with hate ties to bad-ass white supremacy group. I was visiting my mother in Northeast Portland that time. I remember that day very well. I’ve really wished to keep that newspaper. In fact, it had happened on November 13th as well. It has hit Portland very hard.
Portland was put on an international spotlight on a map all because of this. Portland Trail Blazers might had won NBA championship in 1977. But, this one is 849,325 times bigger news than NBA championship. After Seraw’s death, Portland is not the same. Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) became the face of kindness. Morris Dees, the lead counsel for SPLC won the case in Portland. Talk about World Kindness Day! It will be always in my memory. It is a powerful trait. That we never forget.
When my hate crime professor talked about Mulugeta Seraw in a classroom in 2007, memories brought up. It was painful but at the same time, we need to remind that we must tolerate against any form of hate. It has opened my eyes to the endless of ideas and responsibilities to talk and write more about hate crime. It is part of my civic duty. We also need to bring up and discuss about hate groups and of course, far right and alt-right.
I am in solidarity with people of color, Muslims, Native Americans, and Deaf people where Trump’s support of white supremacy and its hate groups have in the tide wave of hate crimes. Recently with couple of hours ago, FBI announced that its hate crime report for 2016 has brought up with bad news that for second straight year of increasing—the first time it has actually happened in a decade. We were getting better until Trump showed up in the name of hate. Do we even realize that a decade is long time to heal from pain? We were just getting better. That we never forget.
The total of hate crimes for 2016:
6,121 incidents. Ouch.
Stop FAR RIGHT and ALT-RIGHT. We do not need another Charlottesville. Anywhere. That is why we need to remind how to teach love, not hate. That we never forget. Let’s embrace social justice! Be sure to read the references below.
“The wicked envy and hate; it is their way of admiring“-Victor Hugo
-JT
Copyright © 2017 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
References:
https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2016/topic-pages/incidentsandoffenses
...And the Truth Shall Set You Free. 
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