Evils of bias and bigotry must not be allowed to go unnoticed

We all should feel outrage at the recent spate of hate literature, bias incidents and bias crimes that are happening in our state. From racial and religious hate mail planted in high school students’ lockers, to bags of material packaged with anti-Semitic and racial hate messages to the attack on a gay high school student, our headlines are telling us stories which go against the fabric of our basic American beliefs.

We need to be alert to the targeting and attacks against New Jersey residents who may look different or practice a religion different from our own. The freedoms upon which our country was founded have been a beacon for people from around the world and are an example of how an open society can create and support a better life for its people.

For us in the National Confer-ence for Community and Justice (NCCJ), we believe that we must shine a bright light on the evils of bias, bigotry and racism and work to never let it go unnoticed or unchallenged.

We encourage each of us to take positive steps to prevent bigotry from permeating our communities and our schools. It is up to each of us to work with our police departments and county prosecutor’s office to report suspicious and bias incidents. Each county has trained bias crime officers to investigate and help bring to justice those who commit bias crimes. Our state has placed the resources of the Office of the Bias Crime and Community Relations in the Attorney General’s office to prosecute those who commit bias crimes.

At NCCJ, we have been fighting bias, bigotry and racism for 75 years nationally and 55 years in New Jersey by educating leaders and local citizens on these issues. It is up to us — it’s our civic and moral duty, I believe — to help our police and investigators, to help our neighbors and friends and to help our children (almost 50 percent of bias crimes are committed by and against young people) to live in a better society.

We also can stand with those who are targeted by hate and help our families, our communities and ourselves, as well, to ensure that each person is respected as an individual. New Jersey is the most diverse state in the country.

We can be a model to reflect the richness and pride that diversity and multiculturalism bring to all of our lives. Let’s be sure there’s room for all of us in America.

Diane Schwartz

Executive Director

National Conference for

Community and Justice

New Jersey Region

New Brunswick