New York Students Will Now Be Taught About Hate Symbols including Swastika and Noose

Schools in New York State will now be allowed to teach their students about the significance of hate symbols.

A new bill passed by the New York State Senate (S6648) says that students in grades 6 to 12 will now be taught about swastikas and nooses in an effort to further educate and prevent hate crimes. The bill was introduced by Ted Kaminsky (D)

In 2019 of all the hate crimes logged in New York City, over 50% were antisemitic in nature according to the FBI.

An opponent of the Bill, the American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) is urging the New York Senate to differentiate between Indian Swastika and the Nazi Hakenkreuz claiming the bill would promote “Hinduphobia”.

Former NBA Star Charles Barkley Berates Black Celebrities for Antisemitic Remarks

Former NBA superstar Charles Barkley voiced his disappointment on Thursday in black celebrities including Nick Cannon, DeSean Jackson, Stephen Jackson and Ice Cube for their recent antisemitic remarks.

The former Philadelphia 76er  — who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006  — called out the four public figures by name during the most recent episode of his podcast “The Steam Room.”

“These black men out here who have been antisemitic, it’s gotta stop, man,” he said. “What the hell are y’all doin? Y’all want racial equality. We all do. I don’t understand how insulting another group helps our cause. I don’t understand in any shape or form.”

“I’m asking you guys. I’m begging you guys, man. You guys are famous, you got a platform. But I don’t understand how you can fight hatred with more hatred. I’m disappointed in you guys. We gotta do better…Please do better guys,” he added. “We can’t allow black people to be prejudiced also, especially if we’re asking for white folks to respect us, give us economic opportunity and things like that. I’m so disappointed in these men. If you want respect, you got to give respect, but I don’t understand how you beat hatred with more hatred.”

The 57-year-old also criticized what he called “lightweight” and “flimsy” apologies issued by black celebrities, saying they come across as non-genuine. “I think sometimes when you say stuff like that you really mean it,” he explained. “You just got—people called you on it. But I don’t understand how that could be in your vocabulary and in your heart. I don’t understand. I’m never gonna accept it.”

Barkley applauded NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for calling out the lack of outrage in the sports and entertainment industries over recent incidents of antisemitism. He also posited that antisemitic comments are not helping the efforts of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Especially at a time when you’re asking people to respect black people, that black lives matter,” he said. “This whole George Floyd thing has opened up a great dialogue to some of the problems in the black community. And instead of trying to engage and find allies, we’re just trying to alienate more people. I want allies. I don’t want to alienate anybody. And to take shots at the Jewish, the white race, I just don’t like it ’cause it’s not right.”

“Ya’ll want people to respect you but you don’t wanna respect other people. It doesn’t work like that.”

The full message can be heard below and can be seen here.

Anchorage Assemblyman Apologizes for Exchange with Rabbi on Homelessness

Anchorage Assemblyman Chris Constant publicly apologized on Wednesday to Rabbi Yosef Greenberg for an exchange during an Assembly meeting during which Constant asked Greenberg to respond to Anchorage residents saying the homeless should be gathered together in a fenced enclosure.

At Tuesday night’s Assembly meeting, Greenberg gave testimony about whether the city should purchase a hotel near the Lubavitch Jewish Center of Alaska for substance misuse treatment, part of the city’s plan to purchase four buildings for homeless and treatment services. Greenberg said that he and his community are concerned with a treatment center being proposed so close to the Jewish Center, and that it could make the area unsafe for children on the campus.

In what Constant later characterized as a moment of exhaustion, he asked Greenberg what he thinks about a letter the Assembly received from a resident:

“‘Consider using the old Alaska Native hospital at 3rd Avenue to let them house there,‘” Constant said, reading from the letter. “‘Here’s an idea: Erect a large fence, and if they venture to go outside of that area, take their dividend and their Native money. This way, it provides them their needs and keeps them, all the homeless people, in one area.‘”

Greenberg responded that he is not an expert, but he had concerns with the current plan.

Constant responded, “So the way might be send them all to one place and put a fence around them”. A number of residents in the Assembly chambers began speaking and shouting at once.

“Why do you ask me about emails someone else sent you? This is disrespectful. You try to compare the Nazis to this?” Greenberg said to Constant.

Following the meeting on Tuesday, the two men exchanged emails in which Constant apologized, and Greenberg accepted.

On Wednesday night, Constant publicly apologized for his words ahead of another Assembly meeting on the proposal to purchase the buildings.

“While I was gaining to seek perspective, clearly I stumbled in my words and thoughts, and caused pain and caused harm in our community, to you personally and to your congregation,” Constant said. “For that, I am truly sorry.”

In an interview on Wednesday, Constant said he was not trying to make an analogy to the Holocaust. “I really failed, but I wanted to ask for some advice on how I address these messages that are coming, that are abhorrent,” Constant said.