SPLC uses this month to highlight the need for action from the public, advocates and policymakers around hate crimes.
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — With the United States experiencing near-record levels of reported hate crimes, according to the FBI’s latest hate crime data, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is sounding the alarm this month about the impacts and normalization of hate.
Now in its third year, the SPLC’s Hate Crimes Awareness Month calls for a national conversation about the devastating prevalence of hate crimes and the urgent need for action to foster an inclusive democracy where everyone can thrive.
“We all must be vigilant against hate, especially as chilling levels of hateful rhetoric and hate crimes continue to target Black, Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities and religious minorities,” said Bryan Fair, interim president and CEO, SPLC. “We are failing as a society when our neighbors are harmed simply for how they look, how they worship, who they love or how they choose to live. We can, and must, do better.
“By designating October as Hate Crimes Awareness Month, the SPLC is inviting people around the country to join us in dialogue, learning and action as we work collectively to prevent hate and build a safe and welcoming future for all.”
For over 50 years, the SPLC has been tracking, exposing and countering hate and antigovernment extremism in the United States. We have been at the forefront of combating hate and the bias-motivated violence and vandalism it can spawn because of our work uncovering the activities of far-right hate and extremist groups, holding them accountable and pushing for government policies to prevent bias-motivated incidents.
In addition, the SPLC’s annual Year in Hate & Extremism report provides a comprehensive analysis of the groups and organizational infrastructure upholding white supremacy in the U.S. The SPLC has also been working to stem the tide of online youth radicalization, including by partnering in the development of tools and tactics to promote online safety and help communities recognize and respond to negative online influences before they lead to violence.
“At a time when hate and white supremacist rhetoric are not only normalized and encouraged at the highest level of government but also codified into law – silence is not an option. We must call it out, take a stand, and act to repair the devastating harm it has caused to our communities,” said LaShawn Warren, chief policy officer, SPLC. “With hate and bias crimes at historic highs, strong Congressional action is imperative. People who care about the health and safety of our communities must press their members of Congress to restore and expand funding for hate crime prevention. Only then can we see the full scope of this crisis, target resources where they’re needed most, and protect the Black, Brown, religious, and LGBTQ communities bearing the brunt of this violence.”
Click here to learn more about Hate Crimes Awareness Month.
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About the Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org.