Opinion/Your Turn: We must be vocal against hatred and prejudice

Today the Cape Cod community, as across our country, is experiencing increased bigotry, discrimination, violence, prejudice and hate. The recent antisemitic statements made by the rapper Kanye West regarding ‘Jewish control over media and medicine,’ have heightened these sensitivities and concerns of individuals who are Jewish by religion and/or ethnicity and culture. Public expressions of false conspiracy theories about Jewish people, especially by people with worldwide platforms, do immeasurable harm.

The expressions of hate are not distant. Every Cape Cod synagogue has been vandalized and desecrated by Nazi symbols in the last few years. Cemeteries in Barnstable were defaced with swastikas. Less than two years ago the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Presbyterian Church in Springfield fell to racist arson.

Related:Class photo in Yarmouth school prompts claim of racial segregation

The lessons learned from World War II's Holocaust and the century of struggle that culminated in the Civil Rights era have lost their urgency for too many. A tacit permission is perceived by too many to disseminate the hatred of racism and antisemitism that have been with us for time immemorial. The fear for our nation and for our community is real.

Individuals who are LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, Latinx, Moslem, immigrants, Jewish or have a disability have been publicly ridiculed and negated. Each of these individuals can also be Jewish. The not-so-subtle message is of the Cape maintaining its white Christian supremacy. There is an urgency to revitalize our entire Cape Cod community with an understanding of the impact of hatred and bigotry.

Barnstable No Place for Hate (BNPFH) was created three years ago to combat the community’s negative and hateful expressions, especially in social media. We know through our work with governmental and private organizations and with people we have met in our facilitated Active Bystander Training and other community activities that there are many who are caring and concerned individuals struggling with this hatred. While these meetings and activities are of hope, we now must be vocal. We must all confront with boldness and loudness the hate and prejudice dividing our country and community, and threatening our democracy.

A different life:A Cape Cod woman lived in a homeless camp and died crossing the street. Dawn Squires's siblings tell us her story

BNPFH believes, as stated in a prior editorial by Rabbi David Freelund that we “see the best of the Cape, working hand in hand in a spirit of love.” It’s still there, but not visible enough. This is the time to make evident that care and love are much stronger than the darkness of hate, racism, and antisemitism.

We call on all of the Cape community — youth and adults — to join BNPFH in a communitywide Zoom-based meeting to discuss and plan in partnership an Action Plan of attack against negating prejudices. Please join us in this fight. The date and time of the meeting will be determined by the number of people who sign up. Let us know if you want to attend and help address hate by contacting us at barnstablenpfh@yahoo.com.

Eileen Elias of West Barnstable is the chair of Barnstable No Place for Hate.

Get the Cape Cod news that matters delivered to your inbox. Sign up for our free newsletters.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Opinion: Cape Codders must take a stand against hatred and prejudice