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Members of communities impacted by swastika incidents have not been silent. They have made their voices heard in public venues, published statements, social media, and in our schools and institutions. Below is just a small sample of the verbal resilience that communities members enact in response to the manifestation of swastikas in their communities. You too can add your voice.

All signs of hate in our community must be challenged….Silence is, in effect, acceptance or approval of abhorrent behavior. When left unchallenged, hate persists and grows….Hate speech and crimes not only cause many community members to feel angry, frightened, or unsafe, especially marginalized citizens, they damage the whole community.

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Marcelle Wood, chair of the Ledyard Democratic Town Committee In response to a swastika incident in Ledyard, CT, 2020

This is the time for Boiseans to say this is not who we are….
But the words will be empty, if we don’t get out there and show that this is not who we are because who we are is ultimately determined by our actions–by the actions of the majority, who I believe are good and caring and compassionate and want to say no to hate and will say no to intimidation.

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Rabbi Dan FinkIn response to a swastika incident in Boise, ID, 2020

I don’t need apologies, I don’t need for you to express your anger & shock online. I need you to understand that acts of hate like this & worse than this are part of the fabrics of even the most ‘progressive,’ commUNITYs. I need you to understand how to work to be an ally in verb form, learning to get behind and empower those oppressed. I need you to realize that Trump didn’t create these issues, Russia isn’t responsible for bigotry & that systemic racism exists and is often supported rather Democrat or Republican is in charge. This isn’t about civility or balance, as balance is impossible when individuals have never been on equal playing fields.

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Anthony Clark, teacher and community activist In response to a swastika incident in Oakpark, IL, 2018

Each year on the day new students move in and begin their orientation, I have the privilege of offering words of welcome to [our college] family. The one element of those opening remarks that remains unchanged from one fall to the next is an unwavering affirmation, “Who comes here belongs here.” If ever there was a time for William & Mary to re-affirm that foundational claim in both words and actions, now is that time. Each one of you belongs here – you were specially chosen to be a part of this campus community, and you are of immeasurable worth because of the diverse experiences, perspectives, identities, traditions, affiliations, and abilities you bring with you. What can never belong here at W&M are any behaviors that harass, intimidate, or threaten others. It grieves me to know that students in our community are witnessing or directly experiencing such behaviors, as well as the accompanying pain, confusion, and fear they engender. Since last week’s presidential election, students have shared with us, both anonymously and through more formal channels, information about such threats and harassment.

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Dr. Virginia Miller Ambler, Vice President for Student Affairs at William & Mary CollegeIn response to a swastika incident in Williamsburg, VA, 2016
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Hate speech of any kind in Burlington is unacceptable. …It undermines our work to be a welcoming and inclusive community for all, and threatens the diversity that enriches our community. Such an act is particularly troubling when it occurs at our public library, a cornerstone of our democracy that offers free access to information and encourages intellectual freedom and freedom of speech.

Miro Weinberger, Mayor
In response to a swastika incident in Burlington, VT, 2017
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In a society that has turned increasingly divisive and polarized, it is crucial that we emphasize kindness, empathy, and respect for difference and continually speak out with a unified voice against hate. We seek to find those responsible for these acts and we must continue to educate our entire community if we hope to prevent these acts from reoccurring.

Kathleen M. Boynton, Principal, Reading Memorial HS
In response to a swastika incident in Reading, MA, 2018
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It’s disturbing and outrageous that there are those in our society that feel they have a right to deface property either public or private….Hateful acts don’t just damage the victim: they can damage our entire community, along with our reputation.

Carla Filkins, Mayor
In response to a swastika incident in Cadillac, MI, 2019
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Educating our children and residents on how to respond and fight hate is an important proactive measure we can take to create safe and inclusive communities. We have seen the response from the Washington Heights community speaking out against recent acts of bias and we stand with them and will continue working together to make every neighborhood no place for hate.

Evan Bernstein, Regional Director of the ADL in New York and New Jersey
In response to a swastika incident in New York, NY, 2018nt in Durham, NC, 2018
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We in Boise, we in Idaho, know because of the history that we’ve had that it is so important to address [hate] to move forward from it, and it’s time that we do it again; that we renew our commitment to doing that again. I want to say from a city perspective, you know I deeply believe that we are a stronger community because we are really willing to address what has been here, what is here, and we’re willing to talk about who we are and who we want to be. That is so important particularly in these tough tough days, and that makes us in many ways unique: the connections that we have to each other, our willingness to be honest about elements that are here, and our deep desire to protect the people of this place and to make this place a better community for it.

Lauren McLean, Mayor
In response to a swastika incident in Boise, ID, 2020
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Though perpetrators of these kinds of incidents seek to spread fear and divisiveness, we are resilient and will not be bullied by this cowardly act.

Joyce Gordon, director of Jewish Life, Duke University
In response to a swastika incident in Durham, NC, 2018
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The effects of the symbols are longer lasting. The (vandal’s) intent is to use that symbol in order to inflict some amount of psychological and emotional harm on other people.

Aron Moreno, business owner
In response to a swastika incident in Los Angeles, CA, 2016
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In light of incidents like these directed toward Jews and other people, we are bringing renewed energy to building relationships across campus with groups who may share our feelings of vulnerability, and we are committed to a vision of a university community where all members feel secure and at home.
Rabbi Jessica Kirschner, director of the university’s Hillel@Standford
In response to a swastika incident in Palo Alto, CA, 2017
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Although the defacing of restaurant property isn’t anything new, the current political climate makes us all hypersensitive to the meaning behind the messages that people leave on walls. Its ridiculous that people feel the need to deface someone else’s property at all, but to try to promote fear and violence by carving a swastika takes it to a much more malicious level than the common tagger.

Ting Su, business owner
In response to a swastika incident in Los Angeles, CA, 2017
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Today’s graffiti was an act of cultural terrorism, meant to frighten us, throw us off balance, and give the false impression that these hateful views are widely held or tolerated. But we will not let the perpetrator of this act change how we live, how we treat our neighbors, and how we affirm our values in word and deed.

Matt Ruben for the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association
In response to a swastika incident in Philadelphia, PA, 2018
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