An Unsettling, Hateful Speech

Lompoc Interfaith offered a response to a earlier letter to the editor in the Lompoc Record from Adonis Tate attacking Israel in a way that exhibited demeaning and hateful speech seemingly directed at Jews.


An unsettling, hateful speech

A letter to the editor, dated Jan. 18, by Adonis Tate, speaks of the nation of Israel in terms that can only be taken as anti-Jewish in tone. Phrases such as “bloody parasite,” charges of ethnic cleansing three millenniums old that are linked to American involvement in Iraq, and the suggestion that Israel and its Jewish supporters might be the devil raise unsettling questions about hate speech.

We live in a land that guarantees free speech, but speech that stereotypes nations and peoples, and that is hateful, is simply not acceptable and requires a response from people of good will. Such speech not only doesn't advance the author's arguments, but it reflects poorly on the community of Lompoc at a time of rising anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim rhetoric.

This letter was discussed at a meeting of Lompoc Interfaith, a relatively new interfaith consortium in Lompoc that seeks to build bridges across religious lines. The group decided that a written response was in order. Although we may differ on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the Iraq war, each of us is of one mind concerning the inappropriateness of hate speech. We hope that this letter will lead to further conversation of what makes for hate speech - which is speech that is demeaning, untrue, stereotypical, and intended to incite - and why it is inappropriate.

Mr. Tate speaks of taking a stand for America, but his rhetoric only serves to dishonor America.
We, the undersigned, stand together at this moment in time with the Jewish community of Lompoc, and with every community, religious or not, that is a victim of such hateful and demeaning speech.

Rev. Bob Cornwall
First Christian Church

Bishop Doug Pike
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Rev. Dave Horning
First United Methodist Church

Rev. Bert Langdon
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Dr. Lawrence Riemer
Lompoc Jewish Community

Rev. Julia Leeth
First Presbyterian Church

Rev. Bill Denton
First Christian Church

Joyce Howerton
Lompoc community

Rev. Don French
Valley of the Flowers United Church of Christ

Feb. 9, 2007



Find this article at: http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles/2007/02/09/opinion/letters/letter05.txt