Silence is no longer an option as hate crimes rise

No one, unfortunately, should be shocked that hate crimes increased by nearly 5% in 15 major U.S. cities, including Chicago, during the first half of 2022, according to police data compiled by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.

America continues to become more diverse, and too many who fear “the other” have become more emboldened to strike out against them in the years since our nation had a president who disparaged Mexicans and Muslims and referred to the coronavirus as the “kung-flu.”

The latest widely-publicized example happened over in the weekend in Los Angeles, where a group of people raised their arms in a Nazi salute on a busy freeway overpass where they hung antisemitic banners alongside the American flag.

“Kanye is right about the Jews,” read one of the signs, referencing recent antisemitic remarks by musician Kanye West. Even some of West’s most die-hard fans — who gave him the benefit of the doubt and blamed supposed mental illness for past hateful statements — were rightly aghast.

Many Jewish organizations and their supporters quickly condemned the remarks. Many Americans, of course, likewise recoil in horror when politicians, celebrities or business leaders spew racist and xenophobic bile. West was kicked off Twitter for a bit and his Instagram account restricted. On Monday he was dropped by his talent agency and his endorsement deal with Adidas could be in jeopardy as well.

But there is a segment of the population that is invigorated by bigotry and disturbing statements that reflect their own abhorrent attitudes.

Which is why speaking out against prejudice and hate is up to everyone.

Here in Chicago, a surge of hate crime incidents reported to the city’s Commission on Human Relations is a reminder that silence is not OK when it comes to bigotry.

Commission chair Nancy Andrade said she is open to working more vigorously with City Council members to raise awareness about hate crimes. If they can develop a concrete plan that pushes Chicagoans to pay attention to the rising tide of prejudice, we’re on board.

But the responsibility can’t stop with city leaders. It’s a good step to put up a “Hate Has No Home Here” sign on your front lawn, but taking that next step is necessary, too, if a colleague says something openly racist or a relative goes on a bigoted rant during Thanksgiving dinner.

Speak out. Polite silence is no longer an option against a rising tide of intolerance.

Hate crimes reported to the commission thorough Oct. 18, particularly incidents targeting Jewish and Black people, increased by 71% compared to the same period last year, Andrade testified during the council’s budget hearings.

In a city of 2.7 million, the raw number of hate crimes, 77, might not sound like much to worry about.

But it’s important to remember that more hate crimes — 120 — were reported to the Chicago police in the same time period. And who knows how many other victims were too afraid or otherwise reluctant to report an incident?

In May, a year after President Joe Biden signed anti-hate crimes legislation and not long after a white gunman allegedly killed 10 Black people and injured three others in Buffalo, New York, the U.S. Justice Department issued new guidelines for raising awareness of hate crimes.

Attorney General Merrick Garland also announced $10 million in grants to help states set up reporting hotlines for hate-crime victims, assist local law enforcement agencies with sending statistics to the federal government and for community-based initiatives tackling the issue.

The resources are being made available. Stopping hate crimes from occurring and tracking those that do occur are positive steps in tackling the problem.

As Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) noted, hate crimes “aren’t going away,” especially as the flow of immigrants to Chicago increases.

Chicago — and America — can’t let up either when it comes to fighting ignorance and bigotry.

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