The Internet Anti-Fascist: Tuesday, 14 December 1999
Vol. 3, Number 102 (#366) __________________________________________________________________________
CALL FOR CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON HATE GROUPS
IN WAKE OF MURDER IN ELHARD, INDIANA
American Jewish Committee (press release -- 24 Nov 99)
CHICAGO -- "Family members, friends and concerned citizens of Sasezley Richardson have organized a public prayer vigil for Thanksgiving morning because hatred has tragically claimed another life," said Mark Schoenfield, Chairman of the National Affairs Commission of The American Jewish Committee. "We are appalled and saddened and add our prayers to those that will be recited tomorrow morning. We call upon the Congress of the United States to commence hearings on the role of hate groups in promoting violence against Americans. How many hate-group motivated killings must take place before Congress acts to expose the groups whose ideologies have already resulted in several murders this year?" Schoenfield added.
"We support the community's call for healing and closure, but as long as hate groups are ignored by good people, none of us are safe," said Jonathan Levine, Midwest Regional Director of The American Jewish Committee. "Racial hatred is not just a problem for minorities -- it's an American problem and all of us have to respond."
One of the two young men who were indicted for murder yesterday told juvenile detention officials more than a year ago that he believed in racist organizations and wanted to join one, according to local news reports.
(The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Elkhart Branch of Indiana Black Expo and 100 Positive Black Men will hold an 8:30 a.m. vigil Thursday morning at Herrold Avenue and Hawthorne Street, where Sasezley Richardson's bleeding body was found on Nov. 17.)