In Harassment, Hostility, Hate

Dear Presidents, Provosts, Trustees, and Administrators,

You've Got the Power!

As leaders in our educational institutions, wield your influence to curb the surge of hatred – join the "Never Again is Now" pledge and emerge as pillars of transformation!

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I Support this Initiative

Background, Context, and Purpose

As concerned members of the USA public, representing every stratum of our society, we have had our fill of words and acts of hate. We have seen the downward spiral of baseless hate with the Holocaust and other genocides of the 20th century. Thus, we, parents, students, faculty, and concerned citizens, join together to accept this pledge, to promise and commit to “Never Again.”

We are united to urge you to address the surge of hatred and violence infiltrating our educational community. Our collective voice aims to inspire you to implement strong accountability measures, to encourage positive activism, and to protect the safety and well-being of our communities under the resolute promise of the “Never Again is Now” Pledge.

Amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, countless hearts grieve for the tragic loss of innocent lives on both sides. The massacre, slaughter, and terror in Israel and Gaza are nothing short of horrifying, with acts committed that include the assault of women, the murder of the elderly, the killing of infants, and the torture of numerous hostages. The heinous acts of Hamas, recognized as a terrorist organization, surpass the darkest chapters in our history.

There is a disturbing trend of intense hatred, hostility, and violence directed at Jews, Israelis, and their allies. Antisemitism is rampant and unchecked, with political extremist groups exploiting our educational campuses to propagate hate speech, harassment, hostility, shaming, humiliation, threats, and other harmful actions, all under the pretense of ‘free speech’ and ‘social justice activism.’ These acts have crossed the threshold from protected speech to hate crimes.

In these critical times, it is imperative to distinguish between protected free speech and insidious hate crimes, which contravene not only educational institution policies but also necessitate strict adherence to state and federal laws.

Furthermore, it is important to differentiate between social justice activists who engage in constructive advocacy for positive change and those who target and terrorize specific individuals or groups based on their race, religion, country of origin, gender, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics.

As citizens of the United States, we are safeguarded by robust protections enshrined in the Civil Rights Act, Title VI, as well as US Code 18.241-18.249, with the potential for the RICO Act to apply. It is imperative that we take a stand to ensure these protections are upheld.

Let us unite in calling upon our leaders and institutions to enforce these vital statutes rigorously, safeguarding the rights and well-being of all individuals within our nation. We must be vigilant and proactive in defending the principles of justice and equality that these laws represent.

Let us rise together, for the Never Again Pledge embodies a profound mission: to ignite your unwavering commitment in the pursuit of eradicating evil. We implore you to thoroughly assess, reevaluate, and embrace powerful accountability measures. Together, let’s dismantle the torrents of hatred, prejudice, and bigotry. Join us in this transformative endeavor to ensure that ‘never again’ becomes an unwavering promise.

The Problem: Exploitation of Free Speech to Perpetrate Hate Crimes

Exploiting Free Speech to Conspire and Perpetrate Hate Crimes

 Individuals and groups chanting expressions such as “Israel, Israel, you cannot hide, we charge you with genocide,” “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” “Intifada, revolution is the only solution,” “Glory to our martyrs,” and calls for a ‘jihad’ war are inciting violence. These expressions can be construed as a ‘perceived or actual threat’ of violence, which is not considered protected speech.

Some faculty members have exploited their position, propagating hatred by glorifying Hamas’s terrorist acts as “exhilarating,” “energizing,” and even justifying these heinous actions under the pretext of “free Palestine.”

Furthermore, there have been reports of faculty members misusing their positions by presenting distorted historical facts and narratives in their classrooms. These accounts suggest that they have inappropriately used historical contexts to label Israel with terms like ‘apartheid,’ ‘illegal occupation,’ and ‘oppressors.’ The misrepresentation of history within the curriculum appears to be intentionally promoting pro-Hamas terrorist ideology and demonizing Israel, thus fueling hostility, shame, and animosity toward members of the Jewish community. This not only distorts historical understanding but also interferes with the provision of a safe learning environment.

Let’s Highlight Some Facts

The Palestinian people living in Gaza are not Israeli citizens; therefore, the term apartheid does not apply to Israel’s relationship with Gaza. The residents of Gaza are governed by Hamas, which was elected in 2005 and has retained power since 2007 without subsequent elections. As such, the characterization of Israel’s ‘illegal occupation’ of Gaza is incorrect since the area is governed by the Hamas autocratic regime.

Moreover, the use of the term ‘oppressor’ in reference to Israel can be perceived as part of a tactic akin to DARVO (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender), commonly used to shift blame to the victim and away from the accused party, as seen in instances of cover up wrongdoing within organizations to shield their liability, such as allegations of sexual assault.

Finally, Hamas is widely recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States, France, Germany, the EU, Egypt, and other nations. Hamas shares genocidal ideology similar with extremists like ISIS and al-Qaeda. Their charter promotes not only the obliteration of Israel and the Jews but also declares a war (Jihad) to eradicate the Western world, democratic values, and human rights.

So, these raises serious questions about how can it be that professors and faculty members are permitted to use a curriculum charged with political bias to seemingly incite violence against the Jewish community? Such a scenario not only calls into question lapses in educational integrity and intellectual honesty but also raises alarms about the mental state of pro-Hamas advocates who appear driven by hatred and calls for genocide. How do you expect students to share a classroom or campus environment with individuals who desire to harm them or wish their death?

Our communities are flooded with a wave of hatred, stemming from our educational institution’s failure to hold individuals accountable for ‘actual or perceived threats.’ This failure has emboldened offenders and eroded trust in our leadership, which has been negligent in enforcing effective consequences and accountability measures in accordance with state and federal laws.

At what point will you hold these offenders accountable for not only violating educational proper conduct and policies, but further for their criminal acts?

You've Got the Power to Be Beacon of Collective Good

While the U.S. Constitution protects free speech under the First Amendment, this right is restricted when “it interferes with the civil rights of others,” as specified in U.S. Code 18.245.

Title VI states that “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

The propagation of distorted teachings by academic authorities is a flagrant misuse of their positions and constitutes an unlawful targeting of students based on their religion and national heritage, specifically targeting Israelis, Jews, and their affiliates. This practice is a clear transgression of both state and federal laws.

Faculty and professors in positions of power who are permitted to teach a curriculum with falsified historical facts and narratives have created a hostile classroom environment. This has resulted in inciting animosity and distress among protected classes due to their religions and countries of origin. It also provides privileges to students aligned with terrorist ideologies, leading to unequal access to a safe learning environment and favoring those who subscribe to radical, violence-inciting ideologies over those committed to peaceful scholarship.

Influence from professors and faculty has undeniably emboldened individuals to incite hatred and violence, thus severely disrupting the educational process. It is imperative that this grievous assault on the sanctity of education be addressed with the full force of the law to restore and preserve a secure and honest academic environment for all.

Preliminary evidence, pending further investigation, suggests that some insiders may be collaborating with terrorist organizations and their affiliates. Educational institutions that receive funding from sources associated with radical Islamist organizations, such as those in Qatar and Iran, may be implicated in organized crimes under the RICO Act. If investigations reveal that these institutions are knowingly receiving funds in a manner that facilitates promoting a curriculum that supports terrorist organizations, they could face prosecution under the RICO Act for their role in an enterprise engaged in racketeering activity. Should these connections be confirmed, it could lead to criminal prosecution and also pose serious threats to national security. We strongly urge a thorough investigation into any suspicious activities and, if necessary, appropriate reporting to the FBI to uphold national security and prevent any potential threats.

If you do not stop it now, then when?   

The Jewish community and their allies are urgently calling upon leaders to exhibit moral integrity, unwavering commitment, and courage to proactively safeguard targeted individuals and restore trust and safety in our institutions by enforcing effective measures of accountability.

Chanting pro-terrorist slogans and calling for genocide of Jews around the world presents a ‘clear and imminent danger,’ akin to ‘yelling fire in a crowded theater.’

Accept the Never Again Pledge! Impactful Accountability!

Pledge to Never Again Call to Action!

Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and U.S. Code 18.245, force or threats to obstruct someone’s rights based on race, color, religion, or national origin in public education are illegal. The Shepard Byrd Act (U.S. Code 18.249) also criminalizes hate crimes targeting these identities.

We call for strict adherence to these laws to combat hate speech, hate crimes, and the support of terrorist entities. Our commitment extends to fostering an educational environment inclusive of all. We propose actionable measures to ensure accountability, legal compliance, and the safety of our educational community. These actions include, but are not limited to:

  1. Update policies to define harassment, hostility, hate crimes, and other offensive behaviors, which interference with learning and teaching in a safe environment and align them with legal standards, and establish clear repercussions.
  1. Ban any associations, clubs, and groups that interfere with or threaten the right to a safe educational environment, particularly those with charters or mission statements and foundation found to promote hate speech or/and supporting terrorist organizations, either directly or indirectly.
  1. Investigate your campus members that are suspected to incite violence or endorse terrorist organizations. Report them to the FBI and other agencies.
  1. Form an independent committee of experts to review, survey, and, if necessary, suspend curriculum, classes, and materials that misrepresent historical facts or incite violence.
  1. Implement a systematic and objective methodology to evaluate offensive behaviors, which considers Intent, Injury, Impact, Interdependence, and Frequency. A systematic method will help determine the severity of the incident and appropriate consequences. Impactful accountability is the key to foster healthy behaviors towards socially responsible citizens and community.
  1. Enforce zero-tolerance measures against antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, guided by clear standards of behavior that comply with state and federal laws.
  1. Establish comprehensive accountability measures, both restorative and punitive, such as:
    • Implement the Never Again Accountability Project to cultivate socially responsible individuals committed to the Never Again Pledge.
    • Showcase the outcomes of the Never Again Accountability Project to the broader community.
    • Enact suspensions accompanied by an extensive research project, embedding educational accountability to pledge to Never Again as a testament to positive change.
    • Enact expulsions for students as warranted.
    • Implement termination procedures for faculty or staff as necessary.
    • Report egregious cases to law enforcement or other relevant authorities.
  1. Communicating the updated measures and policies to all stakeholders, while highlighting the consequences of non-compliance with educational institutions policies and state and federal laws.
  1. Institute systems of transparency, accountability, and legal adherence to demonstrate your commitment to collective good and Never Again Pledge
  1. Implement mandatory training for all stakeholders on educational policies and procedures, including adherence to the Never Again Pledge to combat harassment, hostility, and hate crimes.

We implore you, as stewards of our educational institution, to recognize and uphold your ethical and professional duties in safeguarding our students, faculty, administrators, and staff. It is imperative to comply with both state and federal laws to avert any additional harm.

We invite you to embrace the ‘Never Again Pledge is Now’ as a testament to your unwavering commitment to cultivating moral integrity and steadfast principles of accountability, driving socially responsible change for the collective good.

“Never Again” is more than a slogan; it’s a call to action—a vow to actively combat hatred, to champion the cause of the marginalized, and to forge a future that outshines our past in inclusivity and understanding.

Beginning today, we invite you to join us, to be partners in this critical mission. Together, let’s honor the “Never Again” pledge as an active commitment, embracing educational accountability and nurturing a transformation of minds and hearts for the benefit of this and all future generations.

Sign the Never Again Pledge Now!

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