Newspaper headlines displayed the disturbing news: 13 Jewish homes in Thornhill were vandalized in one night; swastikas and hateful messages were spray-painted on a synagogue and day school. Most of us would agree that the hate crimes committed against the Jewish community over the last few weeks are reprehensible and unacceptable. But how do these events affect students attending U of T who are not of Jewish origin?
None of us is immune to hatred and injustice. Consider the following circumstance: My family moved into a new neighbourhood many years ago, only to be welcomed by individuals who were intent on frightening us away. Week after week, they showed up to express their intolerance, hurling huge rocks at our screen door and smashing the glass into smithereens. Calling the police proved fruitless. For the next few months we lived in fear, waiting for the next senseless attack, knowing that the next knock could be “Them,” ready to intimidate us yet again.
This is the first time I write publicly about this event. I do so to demonstrate that hate is not targeted at or limited to one specific community. I was, perhaps naively, surprised when I read about the swastikas and other hurtful messages sprayed across Maria Leib’s door. It was then that I fully comprehended the connection between the Liebs’ marred door and my own shattered front door many years ago. There are other parallels: the similarities between Thursday’s attacks against a Pickering mosque and the attacks against a synagogue in the York region prove that acts of hate do not affect just one individual or one community. The sad reality is that many groups are targets of hate crime. Tomorrow it could be your community that is victimized.
We cannot ignore injustice and hatred when it does not affect us directly. We must view hate crimes and vandalism as crimes committed against the entire community; as collective problems that must be tackled by all Canadians.
Regardless of religion, ethnic origin, language, age, sex, or any other differentiating characteristic, we need to act in solidarity to show that racism and injustice will not be tolerated. It is clear that the perpetrators of such attacks did not adequately attempt to understand the “other.”
If we show that we can stand together despite our differences, we will convey a very powerful message: in working to eliminate hatred and injustice, we ourselves can serve as proof of the potential benefits when understanding and respect are cultivated among diverse communities.
Many organizations and individuals are now coming together to respond to the attacks. As a member of the Muslim-Arab-Jewish Dialogue Committee, I assure you that we are working with students, individuals and organizations both on and off campus to ensure that this campus-and the wider community-becomes a safe and inclusive place for all. There are several projects and events that are underway. I urge you to join in our efforts. In doing so, we can become empowered to eliminate acts of ignorance and misunderstanding in a cooperative and compelling way.
