Happy Election Day Eve!
The front page of today’s CT Post highlights not only the role of social media in antisemitism, but also the rise in real life incidents of antisemitism occurring in communities across Connecticut, including right here in Fairfield on October 13th.
Like many others, I did not learn of this event until last week when neighbors posted about it and local leaders spoke out to shine a light on graffiti that was racist, antisemitic, and anti LGBTQ. I am thankful to those who let know what had occurred right here in our own backyards. Awareness is important, especially in these difficult times.
As today’s article says, words matter. In this case, it was more than words, it was defaced property and specific groups targeted - Jews, blacks, members of the LGBTQ+ community. A Patch article today documented an inappropriate reference to the Ku Klux Klan by a student at Fairfield Warde.
Whatever your position on political and military decisions made in the Middle East, I hope we can come together and stand against the targeting of individuals with hate speech or hateful actions. So many of our Jewish friends don’t just feel afraid and targeted, they ARE being targeted. Already at historic levels, the incidence of antisemitic hate has increased significantly since October 7th.
In Connecticut we passed legislation requiring the teaching of the Holocaust. We live among survivors whose trauma has been shared across generations. We cannot let this rise in antisemitism continue, whether on social media, here in our communities, or anywhere.
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