Since the shooting of the Civil War shooting stopped in 1865, all Americans are supposed to be treated fairly and equally before the law.
This has been an ongoing, unfinished process, sometimes better, sometimes worse. But beginning in late 2015, hate crimes against Americans by Americans have been on the rise, increasing in frequency and severity with each passing month. Particular victims of this hateful crime wave are women, people of color, non-Christians, particularly Muslims, Jews, and Sikhs, the disabled, and the GLBTQ community. If you are not a victim of such ugliness it is likely that you know someone who is.
This abuse runs the gamut from name calling to simple assaults, unwarranted arrests, stops and searches to violent assaults by citizens or by law enforcement, to murder, rape, and arson. And all delivered to us through the magic of cell phones and YouTube.
These crimes can be prosecuted both criminally and civilly. Generally, prosecution for criminal offenses is brought by the government. It can be brought by the local, municipal, and county police and prosecutors or by the Federal Prosecutor. Civil prosecution occurs when the victim sues the assailant or when the Department of Justice sues the assailant or any governmental organization which protects such criminals.
Many people and organizations have expressed concern that the Government will not offer sufficient protection to these victims but might even encourage such illegal behavior. If that's indeed the case, who will protect you?
There are a number of organizations which which have an established history of advocating for victims of hate crimes and offering assistance to those victims. These organizations offer memberships to any people interested in supporting their goals but it is not necessary for you to be a member in order to receive help from them.
Many of them began as an organization to protect one group of people or to fight against one form of hatred or discrimination but most have now realized that hate-based crime affects members of any group. They mostly now seek to fight against hate crimes of any nature against any victim. You should click through these and see which ones seem to address your issues or concerns best.
If your complaint is against the Government for failure to protect, for discrimination, or for a violation of your Constitional Rights to free speech, assembly, and religious freedom:
American Civil Liberties Union www.aclu.org.
Violence and sexism against women:
The National Organization for Women www.now.org/
American Association of University Women www.aauw.org
Planned Parenthood www.plannedparenthood.org
Violence and racism against People of Color
Southern Poverty Law Center https://www.splcenter.org
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People http://www.naacp.org
Anti-Defamation League http://www.adl.org
National Organization for Mexican American Rights http://www.nomarinc.org
League of United Latin American Citizens http://lulac.org
Asian American Civil Rights http://asianamericancivilrights.org
Native American Rights Fund http://www.narf.org/
Religious discrimination and hatred
Anti-Defamation League http://www.adl.org
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee http://www.adc.org
The Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative http://www.muslimarc.org
The Sikh Coalition http://www.sikhcoalition.org
The Circle Sanctuary https://www.circlesanctuary.org
Discrimination against people with disabilities
A comprehensive list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_disability_rights_organizations
Violence against and hatred of the GLBTQ community
Human Rights Campaign http://www.hrc.org
Lambda Legal http://www.lambdalegal.org
GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders http://www.glad.org
This is intended to provide you with some resources for you or people you know. Many of these groups serve any person who is the victim of a hate-based crime. Many of them offer additional resources for you to explore. The main point is that you are not alone. The second, and most important point, is that you can help. A comprehensive list for YOUR activism can be found at the S.T.A.R.T. website.
Study, Think, Act, Respond Together http://www.startguide.org
It doesn't only take money. It also takes time and commitment. What can you contribute?
This has been an ongoing, unfinished process, sometimes better, sometimes worse. But beginning in late 2015, hate crimes against Americans by Americans have been on the rise, increasing in frequency and severity with each passing month. Particular victims of this hateful crime wave are women, people of color, non-Christians, particularly Muslims, Jews, and Sikhs, the disabled, and the GLBTQ community. If you are not a victim of such ugliness it is likely that you know someone who is.
This abuse runs the gamut from name calling to simple assaults, unwarranted arrests, stops and searches to violent assaults by citizens or by law enforcement, to murder, rape, and arson. And all delivered to us through the magic of cell phones and YouTube.
These crimes can be prosecuted both criminally and civilly. Generally, prosecution for criminal offenses is brought by the government. It can be brought by the local, municipal, and county police and prosecutors or by the Federal Prosecutor. Civil prosecution occurs when the victim sues the assailant or when the Department of Justice sues the assailant or any governmental organization which protects such criminals.
Many people and organizations have expressed concern that the Government will not offer sufficient protection to these victims but might even encourage such illegal behavior. If that's indeed the case, who will protect you?
There are a number of organizations which which have an established history of advocating for victims of hate crimes and offering assistance to those victims. These organizations offer memberships to any people interested in supporting their goals but it is not necessary for you to be a member in order to receive help from them.
Many of them began as an organization to protect one group of people or to fight against one form of hatred or discrimination but most have now realized that hate-based crime affects members of any group. They mostly now seek to fight against hate crimes of any nature against any victim. You should click through these and see which ones seem to address your issues or concerns best.
If your complaint is against the Government for failure to protect, for discrimination, or for a violation of your Constitional Rights to free speech, assembly, and religious freedom:
American Civil Liberties Union www.aclu.org.
Violence and sexism against women:
The National Organization for Women www.now.org/
American Association of University Women www.aauw.org
Planned Parenthood www.plannedparenthood.org
Violence and racism against People of Color
Southern Poverty Law Center https://www.splcenter.org
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People http://www.naacp.org
Anti-Defamation League http://www.adl.org
National Organization for Mexican American Rights http://www.nomarinc.org
League of United Latin American Citizens http://lulac.org
Asian American Civil Rights http://asianamericancivilrights.org
Native American Rights Fund http://www.narf.org/
Religious discrimination and hatred
Anti-Defamation League http://www.adl.org
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee http://www.adc.org
The Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative http://www.muslimarc.org
The Sikh Coalition http://www.sikhcoalition.org
The Circle Sanctuary https://www.circlesanctuary.org
Discrimination against people with disabilities
A comprehensive list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_disability_rights_organizations
Violence against and hatred of the GLBTQ community
Human Rights Campaign http://www.hrc.org
Lambda Legal http://www.lambdalegal.org
GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders http://www.glad.org
This is intended to provide you with some resources for you or people you know. Many of these groups serve any person who is the victim of a hate-based crime. Many of them offer additional resources for you to explore. The main point is that you are not alone. The second, and most important point, is that you can help. A comprehensive list for YOUR activism can be found at the S.T.A.R.T. website.
Study, Think, Act, Respond Together http://www.startguide.org
It doesn't only take money. It also takes time and commitment. What can you contribute?
"Until we are all free, we are none of us free."
- Emma Lazarus 1849-1887
- Emma Lazarus 1849-1887
