by: David Robbins
November 11, 2016
By Jonathan Greenblatt
CEO of the Anti-Defamation League
As you may have seen, ADL welcomed President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to be a president for all Americans and to seek the common ground and reconciliation that has been the hallmark of all presidential transitions that follow American elections. We take the President-elect at his word and are prepared to engage optimistically with the new Administration.
That said, we at ADL cannot and will not simply ignore the fact that this campaign brought out many of the worst elements of our society. We saw a mainstreaming of anti-Semitism and a normalization of bigotry that deeply concerned us. Already there have been troubling signs of a spike in hate crimes in the days after the election. As we look ahead, ADL will be vigilant against extremism and relentlessly hold the new administration accountable. You can expect ADL to be unwavering in its commitment to fighting anti-Semitism, racism and bigotry. We will monitor developments and speak out.
And wherever and whenever Jews, minority groups, immigrants, and others are marginalized or our civil liberties are threatened, ADL vigorously will defend those rights. We are committed to maintain our track record of advocacy and action that placed us on the front lines of the major civil rights battles of the last century. We will not shrink from the fight ahead regardless of where it takes us.
What can you expect from us?
- Our expertise in education will be essential to building bridges across divides laid bare in this election. Just this week, we produced a new online resource featuring advice for parents, teachers and caregivers on how to discuss issues raised during the campaign with young people.
- Our work with law enforcement will be crucial to help head-off a potential rise in hate crimes and bias incidents.
- Our consistent track record of cutting-edge research into hate groups and our vigilance against anti-Semitism and bigotry will serve a key function in driving back the hate which crept into the center of our national political debate.
- Our political advocacy will be important to speak out for laws that preserve and strengthen our democracy and protect the interests of marginalized communities and those who do not have a voice.
- Finally, our tireless efforts to advocate for Israel will be ever more necessary to ensure that the US remains a strong and reliable ally for the Jewish state.
You can also expect us to continue to speak truth to power. We are very proud of our record of leadership over the course of this election season when we spoke out frequently against anti-Semitism and bigotry, always taking positions rooted in principles, not politics. And more often than not, we stood alone.
ADL has, and will continue to, speak out and take action against hate and bigotry. When we do so, we do it consistently and impartially, guided by the long-standing principles that have defined ADL since our founding in 1913.