Ten Ways to Fight Hate: Join Forces
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This is the second in a series of 10 programs on fighting hate. Liz Waid and Colin Lowther look at the second way to fight hatred – join forces.
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Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.
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And I’m Colin Lowther. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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In March of 2018, many people in London, England, received some troubling letters. People in other communities, like Birmingham, and Leicester, got these letters too. These letters were encouraging people to take part in an event. This event was called “Punish a Muslim Day”. The letter told people to do acts of violence against Muslims. The person who wrote the letters wanted to get lots of people to join.
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The Muslim community in England was very upset by these letters. Tell MAMA is a group based in England. They support victims of anti-Muslim hate. Iman Atta was the director of Tell MAMA. She told Sky News,
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“This has caused quite a lot of fear within the community. People are asking if they are safe. They are asking if their children are safe to play outdoors.”
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These letters made people afraid. It was probably easier to not talk about them. In many situations people do not talk about hate crimes. But there are ways to fight hate.
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Today’s Spotlight program is the second in a series of ten programs. In this series of programs, we look at ten ways to fight hate.
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Hate is powerful enough to destroy people and communities. So, the Southern Poverty Law Center has made this list of ten ways to fight hate in your community. Today’s Spotlight is on the second way to fight hate in your community: Join Forces.
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Manzoor Ali was a resident of Manchester and a Muslim. He owned a cafe in Manchester, England. When he heard of these letters, he was hurt. He decided to do something. His family planned a different day. The day they planned was called “Banish Hate Day.” On this day, he encouraged people to be kind. His shop gave away free tea, cake and other treats. Ali told The Manchester Evening News:
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“We will not let small-minded people set us against each other. Instead, our arms and doors are open – even to those minds that incite hate. Get to know us, and our community. Join us in our community work. Use that negative energy to do good.”
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Shahab Adris heard of these letters too. He wrote another letter. But this letter encouraged people to participate in “Love a Muslim Day.” He encouraged people to support Muslims instead of hurting them. He suggested that people could take Muslim friends to get coffee. Or invite a Muslim friend over to hang out.
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Muslims and non-Muslims responded to his letter. They said they would join. They created community events where people could come together and celebrate “Love a Muslim Day.” Adris told the Huffington Post:
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“In the face of extreme hatred, it is important to stay positive. And show some creativity. We must rise above it. We must be active and show compassion and love to our fellow citizens.”
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Sometimes bringing people together is a difficult job. People who experience hate often feel afraid or alone. People who want to fight against hate may not know how to start. The Southern Poverty Law Center says that people should always remember one thing. People around you also want to stop hate. That is why it is so important to unite and join forces.
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Everyone knows that there is power in numbers. Many people have a louder voice than only one person. More people can do more things. They can educate more people. Criminals may also be less likely to attack a larger group of people. And more people also means more ideas! Every person can add something. So how can you join forces? How can you find people to connect to?
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The SPLC says that there are many ways to join forces with other people. You can start by joining with people who you are already close to. Gather with your friends and family. Ask the people who live near you, your neighbours, to join your group against hate. Invite the people you work or worship with.
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Remember also to join with people who are different to you. Uniting can bring together every person of a community. When you see hate, encourage your group to act against it. Meet together and talk about ways to make your group grow. Talk about ways to educate your community about people who are different.
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You can also work with larger groups in your community. What groups in your community might want to stop hate? The SPLC suggests inviting and involving women’s groups, teachers, labour unions, university workers, and young people groups. Involve schools, businesses, places of worship, children, members of minority groups and politicians. They also encourage people to involve local police. Police can watch for early signs of hate in a community.
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That is what people in London did when those letters arrived. These letters encouraged people to hurt each other. They wanted to divide people. But the people in these communities did not divide. The police departments encouraged people to turn in the letters if they received them. The police went out to find who sent the letters. Angela Williams, from the West Yorkshire police, told these communities:
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“Our communities should be careful. But do not be frightened. We are stronger when we stand together as one and will not be divided.”
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And the community did stand together. In response, people like Manzoor Ali and Shahab Adris joined forces. Some people posted on social media. They made a hashtag: #WeStandTogether. They volunteered to walk people home from work or school. Some people made leaflets and online posts about what to do if you see a hate crime.
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Sadly, hate exists in every community. But there are many ways that people can stand up and join forces against it. Remember that you are not alone.
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This is the second program in a series of 10 programs on 10 ways to fight hate. This list is from the Southern Poverty Law Center. The Southern Poverty Law Center is a group that works toward racial justice, especially in the Southern United States. They monitor hate crimes, teach tolerance, and seek justice. Here are their 10 ways to fight hate.
Act, Join Forces, Support the Victims, Speak Up, Educate Yourself, Create An Alternative, Pressure Leaders, Stay Engaged, Teach Acceptance, and Dig Deeper.
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Keep listening to Spotlight to hear the complete series. You can leave a comment on our website. Or email us at contact@spotlightenglish.com. Visit us on YouTube at youtube.com/spotlightenglish1.
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The writers of this program were Liz Waid and Amelia Berglund. The voices you heard were from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again, and read it, on the internet at www.spotlightenglish.com. This program is called “Ten Ways to Fight Hate: Join Forces.”
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Visit our website to download our free official App for Android and Apple devices. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye!
Question:
Have you ever joined forces with other people to do something big? Have you ever seen people work together to do something great?
