July 9, 2020
Late in the evening of Friday, May 15, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives took decisive action in an effort to combat antisemitism, xenophobia, and all forms of bigotry in America by passing the NO HATE Act, a bill that provides law enforcement with key tools needed to combat hate crimes.
The passage of the legislation was strenuously advocated for by AJC, along with a diverse coalition of groups directly impacted and concerned by an alarming increase of hatred throughout American society.
Now the coalition sets its sights on the Senate, in the hope that it will consider the bill in the near future.
One of the leading groups advocating for the NO HATE Act is the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC), established by AJC and the Islamic Society of North America. The group brings together 46 civil society, religious, and business leaders from across the U.S. to push for domestic policy issues of common concern.
“The pandemic has not only brought physical disease, but the stresses it causes are also feeding the social virus of hatred,” said Stanley Bergman, Co-Chair of MJAC and Honorary President of AJC. “The need to protect religious and ethnic minorities is more important than ever and should move Congress to pass the NO HATE Act.”
“The coronavirus does not know political, ethnic, or religious boundaries,“ said MJAC Co-Chair Farooq Kathwari. “It’s time to work across party lines to provide state and local law enforcement authorities the resources needed to properly track and respond to hate crimes.”
Amid rising hate directed at Asian Americans, AJC’s Asia Pacific Institute (API) organized a letter signed by more than thirty national and local Asian American organizations in support of the NO HATE Act. The letter cites the uptick in hate crimes against Asian Americans and the importance of measures within the bill that will help law enforcement “more accurately assess and ultimately reduce bias-motivated crime.”
“The harassment and discrimination directed at Asian Americans in recent weeks is all too familiar to the Jewish community, and we are obligated to take action to oppose it,” said API Director Shira Loewenberg. “AJC will always stand united with our friends in the Asian American community against racism and xenophobia in any form.”
AJC’s Latino Jewish Leadership Council (LJLC), which brings together prominent U.S. Jews and Latinos to further strengthen Latino-Jewish cooperation in advocating for issues of shared concern such as combating discrimination and bigotry, has also announced its support for the bill, declaring it an important measure to address hatred. As both communities face the impact of COVID-19, LJLC noted, coming together around issues of common concern is more important now than ever before. Read the full statement and an op-ed on Latino-Jewish cooperation during COVID-19.
The Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations also recently announced its support for the NO HATE Act, stating that, “Hate crimes will continue to spread if left unaddressed. For our country to thrive during this turbulent time, each of our communities must not only feel safe but know that their concerns are counted on a national scale.” The Caucus was launched in June 2019 at AJC’s Global Forum and aims to bring African-American and Jewish communities together to combat stereotypes and hate and engage in cooperation around issues of mutual concern.
Join AJC in urging all Senators to cosponsor the NO HATE Act. We must ensure that hate crimes committed against any group are counted, classified, and combated.
