Ways other than outright violence. Prejudice is often reflected in zoning laws designed to exclude juice from residing in particular communities. It is also manifested in harassment of jewish individuals and businesses. That is also why today it is about far more than criminal prosecutions. We need to combat antisemitism on all fronts as a government. Also as a society. We are therefore grateful that todays summit will include thoughtful discussions with several outside contributors. They have been gracious to join us. The first panel will focus on combating antisemitism while respecting the first amendment. Hate crimes and civil rights prosecutions are important tools that they cannot solve the problem on the wrong. Hearts and minds must be changed. That is not always the task to which the government is particularly wellsuited. We have a legal obligation to respect the freespeech rights of even despicable speakers and our harshest critics. Lines can be drawn by our society. Sometimes easily and sometimes not so easily. Another panel will focus on the problem of antisemitism on campus. On College Campuses today, jewish students who support israel are frequently targeted for harassment. Jewish student organizations are marginalized and progressive jewish students are told that they must announce their beliefs and heritage in order to be part of intersectional clauses. We must ensure for the future of our country and society that College Campuses remain open to ideological diversity and respect for people of all face. I think the various forms of antisemitism is very much like different kinds of cancer. The healthy body with a strong immune system can have success in preventing cancer from emerging were spreading. If the immune system goes week, cancer can emerge. Some might be localized. Others can rapidly metastasize and become systemic. Just like the physical body. A body politic must have an immune system. It resist antisemitism and other forms of racial hatred. What is the state of our immune system within the american society. In a society like ours, i think the ability to resist hate comes from cultivating a Civil Society that on one hand nurtures the freedom of each group to pursue their faith and distinctive way of life while at the same time fostering the ties that bind us together into a genuine broader community. My concern today is that under the banner of identity politics, some political factions are sticking to obtain power by dividing americans. They undermine the values that draws together. Such as a shared commitment to our countrys success. This is the breeding ground for hatred and we must reject it. What is the competing visions. I am reminded of something that happened; months after september 11 up in new york. And American Airline flights with 260 salt aborted golf from jfk. Went wildly out of control over jamaica bay and crashed into the small boat harbor neighborhood in queens. The community had just completed burying its victims of 9 11. 50 of them. The highest concentration of victims of the neighborhood in new york from 911. All on board the flight died as the five people on the ground. Many houses were consumed by fire. A news report on the incident has always stuck in my mind. It involved a man on the street interview of a lifelong resident of the harbor. The fire is raging behind them, he was distraught but unbound. He assured the reporter that the harbor was about this latest tragedy. He said, this is a tightknit community. We have fabric. You have your irish. You have your italians. You have your juice. We are pretty homogeneous. That has always stuck with me. We are pretty homogeneous. Is there a better description of the framers aspiration. We are a pluralistic nation composed of very distinct groups. Each bound together by ethnicity and race or religion. Each group proud of its identity and committed to his faith and traditions. Despite these differences, we can be bound together into a broader community. Not one that seeks to blind away our distinctive identity. Not one that 16 hour bear our religious commitments which must be paramount. One that respects and delights in their freedom of each of us to hold fast our identity and values. Our religion. The part of us that gives meaning to our life. To help us understand our place and purpose in this creation. Where does this fabric come from . It is not something that can be politically mandated. That rises from the genuine affinity and affection and solidarity that grows out of the shared patriotism and that spontaneous feeling of fellowship that arises from a shared sense of place. Shared experiences and common attachments. These are the surest safeguard against racial hatred. Including antisemitism. With that, i would like to thank all of you again for being here. I was going to conclude with the blessing contained in president washingtons letter to the jewish aggregation in rhode island but the good rabbi has preempted me. I would just say again, thank you and god bless you all and god bless our work today. The committee on immigration citizenship is in order. We are here today to explore an aspect of our immigration system that generally uses far less attention than community read. Migration flow from central america. Mistreatment of families at the border. Is a very serious issue. They will continue to examine them. The Current Situation n
comparemela.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.