GOOD NEWS! America Can Be a Violent, Hateful Place: One Group Is Fighting Back

Do most Americans grasp just what a violent culture we live in? Probably not. As Tim Wise said about deeply embedded attitudes of white supremacy, “a fish doesn’t know it’s wet.”
Our culture and our history are saturated with violence starting with genocide against first peoples’ and the brutality required to build and maintain an economy based on slavery.

Over the last 20 years a group called Not In Our Town (NIOT) has shown a community-based way to combat hate crimes. It began in Billings, Montana, where white supremacists had launched a series of attacks on minorities. In one incident, they threw rocks through the bedroom window of a child whose home displayed a menorah.

Enough! said a broad and diverse group of Billings citizens. “Not in our town” became their motto and a movement was born. Thousands of Billings residents displayed paper menorahs printed in the Billings Gazette in their windows in a show of unity and solidarity.

Since then, Not In Our Town has evolved into a national movement to stop hate, address bullying and build safe, inclusive communities for all. NIOT harnesses the power of film and online media to change hearts and minds, and engages local communities on the ground in sustainable, long-term action. Racial, religious, ethnic, and gender divisions can undermine democracy and prevent people from participating in civic life. NIOT works to surface these issues and create community-wide solutions.

Read it here:http://www.alternet.org/america-can-be-violent-hateful-place-one-group-fighting-back

ADDITIONAL READING about Not In OUR Town here:http://www.niot.org/