December 11, 2020
THE WEEK’S BIG 3
The only Anne Frank memorial in the United States was vandalized Tuesday, a distressing display of hate that has prompted a police investigation. A report into last year's Christchurch mosque attack found that New Zealand security agencies were "almost exclusively" focused on the threat from Islamist terrorism, and police failed to enforce proper checks on firearm licenses. Facebook is embarking on a major overhaul of its algorithms that detect hate speech, reversing years of so-called “race-blind” practices.
Read on for more on these headlines, news you can use to fight hate and the latest info about ADL from around the country.
1) Anne Frank Memorial in Idaho Defaced with Swastika Stickers
“Stickers with swastikas and the words ‘We are everywhere’ were found affixed to the diary, and another was pasted to a statue representing the ‘spiral of injustice.’ Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee called the vandalism ‘absolutely reprehensible’ and said his agency has reached out to the Anti-Defamation League as part of its investigation.” USA Today: LEARN MORE
2) Christchurch Attack Report Says New Zealand Police Failed to Enforce Checks On Firearm Licenses
“A report into last year's Christchurch mosque attack found that New Zealand security agencies were ‘almost exclusively’ focused on the threat from Islamist terrorism, and police failed to enforce proper checks on firearm licenses.” CNN: FULL STORY
+ The Christchurch Shooter and YouTube’s Radicalization Trap – WIRED
3) Facebook To Start Policing Anti-Black Hate Speech More Aggressively, Documents Show
“The overhaul, which is known as the WoW Project and is in its early stages, involves re-engineering Facebook’s automated moderation systems to get better at detecting and automatically deleting hateful language that is considered ‘the worst of the worst,’ according to internal documents describing the project obtained by The Washington Post. The ‘worst of the worst’ includes slurs directed at Blacks, Muslims, people of more than one race, the LGBTQ community and Jews, according to the documents.” The Washington Post: READ MORE
+ Press Release: ADL Statement on Facebook Reportedly "Overhauling" Hate Speech Algorithms
+ What is Stop Hate for Profit?
+ Press Release: ADL Encouraged by Twitch’s Updates To Make Platform Safer for Users
KEY ADL SOCIAL STATEMENTS
- A fantastic and moving initiative from @ChelseaFC, commemorating those Jewish Athletes who were lost in the Holocaust…
- While this apology is long overdue and the author's legacy remains tarnished by #antisemitism, the Dahl family presents us with a good lesson of owning up to the sin of hate…
- Today, we remember the four people who were murdered last year in an #antisemitic shooting that started at a Jersey City Kosher market, and the one person murdered by the same extremists several days before…
IN THE COMMUNITY
-
Out of Jersey City’s tragedy, there is hope (NJ.com – Greg Ehrie and Alex Rosemberg op-ed)
- White supremacy propaganda handed out in Westminster neighborhood (ABC Denver – Scott Levin interviewed)
- ADL Honors Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine for Her Courage (NBC Philadelphia)