Religious groups urge House to combat anti-Semitism and racism

Posted

For the second year in a row, the Rhode Island General Assembly’s Senate Judiciary Committee heard a resolution, introduced by State Sen. Donna Nesselbush (D-Pawtucket), calling on lawmakers to denounce and oppose white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups. The resolution was co-sponsored by Sens. Samuel Bell (D-Providence), Joshua Miller (D-Cranston), Gayle Goldin (D-Providence) and Ana Quezada (D-Providence).

The initial resolution, introduced in 2017, urged state police to consider white nationalists and neo- Nazi groups as terrorists. Because of First Amendment concerns expressed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, that resolution was held for further review. The language of the new resolution was reworked so as to not run afoul of free speech concerns.

Senate moves to fight anti-Semitism and racial intolerance head on

At the May 30 hearing, Nesselbush pushed for passage of S0829, a resolution calling on Rhode Island to “denounce and oppose and the totalitarian impulses, violent terrorism, xenophobic biases, and bigoted ideologies that are promoted by white nationalists and neo-Nazis.”  She reminded the Senate panel that Rhode Island was founded on Roger Williams’ principles of religious tolerance, saying that the state should take a stand for religious freedom and tolerance and denounce any type of white supremacy or neo-Nazism.

Nesselbush’s Senate resolution unanimously passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate floor. With its passage, the resolution will be transmitted to the Secretary of State, who is charged in the resolution with transmitting certified copies of the resolution to President Donald J. Trump, the members of the Rhode Island congressional delegation and Gov. Gina Raimondo.

When asked about a House companion resolution that denounces and opposes white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups, Larry Berman, the House’s director of communication, said that Rep. Jean Philippe Barros (D-Pawtucket) had planned to introduce such a bill, but it was submitted too late to be considered for this session.

Calls for the House to confront the boldness of hate groups

As the House is poised to release its anticipated state budget, religious groups and supporters of Nesselbush’s resolution have called for the lower chamber to take a strong stand to denounce and oppose white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups.

Rabbi Sarah Mack, president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Islandand rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Providence, says it’s not too late to take a stand. “As Jews, we fight against bigotry and extremism because as a people we have experienced the danger of hate firsthand. While it is important to focus on extremism in all of its forms, we appreciate this resolution that calls attention to white supremacists, neo-Nazis and their hateful agenda. Because of this, I am so thankful to the Senate for passing this resolution, and I beseech our House leadership to do the same.”

Adam Greenman, president and CEO of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Islandadded, “we are committed to combating hatred in all forms. This resolution would give our state the opportunity to stand up against groups that promote anti-Semitism, white supremacy and other forms of toxic and dangerous rhetoric. We ask those in the House of Representatives to join us in supporting this resolution.”

Rev. Dr. Donnie Anderson, executive minister of the Rhode Island State Council of Churches, noted the importance of House support for Nesselbush’s Senate resolution. “In recent years, hate speech has found a new platform in social media and is flourishing in the current political climate.  This explosion of hate DEMANDS a response from our political leaders.  Rhode Island is blessed with wonderful interfaith leaders who interact on a regular basis and have built an atmosphere of caring, respect and trust.   This group consistently and often speaks against hate, but we need to hear from ALL of our political leaders. We urge passage of this timely and thoughtful resolution.”

Steve Ahlquist, a reporter at news website UpriseRI, testified in support of Nesselbush’s Senate resolution. Asked for comment, he said, “Though this resolution is largely symbolic and does not have the force of law, it is important nonetheless that our elected officials ally themselves with Rhode Islanders most at risk of white supremacist violence. It has been documented by myself and others that these groups have twice come to our state to engage in violence, and have promised to return. Residents of Rhode Island need to know that our elected officials will have our backs when they are confronting these hate groups.

“Our elected officials should be eager to repudiate white supremacy and neo-Nazism. There has been violence done and violence planned in Rhode Island by hate groups visiting our state. There have been hate crimes at synagogues and mosques. The Senate passed a resolution with ease. It is truly the least we can expect from the House to follow suit,” he said.

Rhode Island religious community takes a stand

In recent years, anti-Semitic incidents have become more common in the Ocean State. In 2017, the Providence Journal reported that the New England chapter of the Anti-Defamation League recorded 13 incidents of anti-Semitism in Rhode Island. Nazi swastikas were painted on a Providence building, at Broad Rock Middle School in North Kingstown, and even at a Pawtucket synagogue.

When I testified for passage of S0829, I told the senators that I often wondered what I would have done had I stood on a street in Germany in 1938 during the two-day pogrom known as Kristallnacht.  Would I have had the courage to go up to somebody dressed in a brown shirt with a swastika armband and stop him from hitting an elderly Jew? Hopefully yes, but who knows?

But, on May 30, at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, I sat beside Nesselbush and Ahlquist as we "took a stand," calling on the committee to pass S0829.  Knowing the wisdom in denouncing and opposing the hateful philosophy of white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups that is becoming all too common in Rhode Island, the Senate took its stand.

After all, Rhode Island, founded on those principles of religious tolerance, is home to America's oldest synagogue. What does it say to the nation, and especially to the state's Jewish, racial, ethnic and LGBTQ communities if the House does not take the opportunity to oppose and denounce hate in its own backyard?

Hopefully, House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello will allow a resolution to be introduced that gives House lawmakers, like their Senate colleagues, an opportunity to oppose white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups. It is important for both chambers to take a legislative stand that combats the rising incidents of anti-Semitism and racism in Rhode Island. The resolution sends the message that hate groups that are planning to come to Rhode Island to cause violence are not welcome here. 

HERB WEISS, LRI ’12, is a Pawtucket writer covering aging, health care and medical issues

weiss, RI Legislature, anti-Semitism