https://themilitant.com/2019/03/16/are-hate-crimes-and-racism-on-the-rise-in-the-us/
Are ‘hate crimes’ and racism on the rise in the US?
By Terry Evans
Vol. 83/No. 12
March 25, 2019
There are growing cries from Democrats, the liberal media and the
middle-class left that “hate crimes” are soaring in the U.S. This charge
— which isn’t true — is grounded in their conviction that the working
class is becoming more and more bigoted, racist and reactionary and
needs to be controlled. This line is also pushed by the ruling class,
which increasingly fears the working class and our capacity to fight
against their assaults on living standards, as yellow vest protesters
have done in France.
The liberals and the left also claim there is a growing fascist threat
today encouraged by Donald Trump in the White House.
These charges are being used to call for more thought-control laws in
the name of combating the alleged rise in hate crimes. The New York
Times featured an opinion piece Feb. 22 by Thomas Cullen, U.S. attorney
for the Western District of Virginia, entitled “The Grave Threats of
White Supremacy and Far-Right Extremism: Hate Crimes Are on the Rise.
Police and Prosecutors Need Better Tools to Fight Back.”
Cries of “rising bigotry” were taken to a new pitch at this years
Oscars’ ceremony. When Israeli filmmaker Guy Nattiv received an award he
said, “My grandparents are Holocaust survivors. The bigotry that they
experienced in the Holocaust — we see that everywhere today.”
But there is no significant fascist uprising today. What working people
face in the U.S. is nothing like the slaughter of 6 million Jews by the
Nazi regime in Germany.
The fact is that through their experiences in struggles over decades —
from the popular movement that overthrew Jim Crow segregation to
workers’ actions to defend co-workers and neighbors without papers from
raids by Washington’s immigration police — there is less racism, less
anti-immigrant sentiment and less Jew-hatred among workers than ever before.
Jew-hatred is a permanent feature of capitalist rule. Speaking out
against it whenever it rears its ugly head is essential for advancing
the unity of working people. Doing so does not need to be justified by
false claims that it is on the rise.
So determined to give credibility to their claims of “rising bigotry,”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the liberal press and others rushed to
condemn a supposed racist and homophobic “attack” on actor Justin
Smollett, who is Black and gay, without bothering to check the facts.
The press widely repeated Smollett’s claim that two “assailants” had
tied a rope around the actor’s neck and told him, “This is MAGA country
[Make America Great Again],” as good coin.
But then the two people arrested for the assault told Chicago cops that
Smollett had in fact paid them to stage the fake “attack,” in an effort
to bolster his efforts to get a raise. Smollett now faces multiple
charges of lying to the authorities.
Claims that “hate crimes” are soaring are used to bolster the push for
new, stronger laws and sentences for anyone charged with one. This means
you can get longer time in prison not based on what you do, but on what
you think. Thought-control laws like this are dangerous. The rulers
always end up using them to target working people and those who fight
against exploitation and oppression.
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In This Issue
Front Page Articles •Erie UE strike ends, Wabtec bosses agree to
negotiations
•Nat’l blackout deepens crisis in Venezuela - US hands off!
•‘Workers need to organize our own party to take power’
•Protests continue in fight against police killing of Stephon Clark
•Democrats’ fractures widen in cover-up of anti-Semitic remarks
•Supreme Court puts limits on cops seizing property, a gain for workers
Feature Articles •Sign up for International May Day Cuba Brigade
Also In This Issue •Celebrate the political life of veteran communist in UK
•‘Militant’ continues to receive readers’ contributions. Thanks!
•Capitalism at fault in Alabama tornado catastrophe
•Are ‘hate crimes’ and racism on the rise in the US?
Editorials •Join the May Day brigade to Cuba!
On the Picket Line •Indiana teachers rally for higher pay, better
working conditions
•Weeklong strike in Oakland ends as teachers’ struggle continues
Books of the Month •‘In a deepgoing revolution, women want to take part’
25, 50 and 75 years ago
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Carl Sagan
“ The truth may be puzzling. It may take some work to grapple with. It may be
counterintuitive. It may contradict deeply held prejudices. It may not be
consonant with what we desperately want to be true. But our preferences do not
determine what's true. ”
― Carl Sagan
