August 03, 2012Jewish day school funding is a real challenge and doesn’t lend itself to easy solutions. Letters to the EditorThe Jewish Telegraphic AgencyTo the Editor: Jewish education and religious freedom are both vital to the American Jewish community.  But it would be a mistake to sacrifice one for the other, as advocated by Shai Franklin (“ADL must reassess opposition to gov’t support for parochial schools,” Aug. 1).  We are in agreement that Jewish education is essential to strengthening the community and countering assimilation.  My June 29 op-ed highlighted the importance of elevating Jewish identity and connection with Israel through increased community funding for Jewish education.  Mr. Franklin, however, advocates a shortsighted solution that would be bad for religious freedom and bad for the community. As I pointed out in my op-ed, Jewish day school funding is a real challenge and doesn’t lend itself to easy solutions.  But Mr. Franklin’s call for the seemingly easy, quick fix of government funding would come at an unacceptable cost.  Set aside questions of scarce government funds and divisions within our community about the need for tax increases to pay for existing government health and social welfare commitments.  If government foots the bill for Jewish education, it must also do so for other religious schools – some of which may teach inaccurate or even extreme views about Jews and Israel.  Requiring taxpayers to fund religious views that they do not observe – or are contrary to their beliefs – is antithetical to religious freedom. And then there are practical realities to consider.  How well should we expect our small Jewish community to fare in the inevitable, tough competition for these scarce government funds?  And do Mr. Franklin and others who share his view really think these public dollars would come to Jewish schools with no strings attached?  Are we prepared to risk our independence and autonomy in day school curriculum and hiring decisions?   Mr. Franklin is right that in recent years the U.S. Supreme Court has opened the door to government funding of religious schools under limited circumstances.  But what’s legal and what’s wise policy can be two very different things.  Jews have thrived in this great country precisely because religion-state separation has ensured our full acceptance as equal citizens.  Simply put, the Jewish community should not press for a government handout at the expense of undercutting constitutional protections that have served us so well for more than 200 years.  If Jewish education is truly an imperative for our community, we should not have to rely on the government to pay for it. Sincerely, Abraham H. FoxmanNational Director

June 10, 2011 The Honorable Rick Perry Office of the Governor State of Texas P.O. Box 12428 Austin, TX 78711-2428 Dear Governor Perry, We write to express our deep concerns regarding your official involvement in a day-long assembly of prayer and fasting sponsored by the American Family Association (AFA) and called “The Response: a call to prayer for a nation in crisis.” The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) believes that prayer is extremely valuable. However, our core concern is with your official encouragement of citizens and fellow elected officials to attend and participate in a sectarian Christian prayer meeting. Instead of joining Americans together, your leadership of the event is proving to be exclusionary and divisive. As a staunch advocate for religious freedom, ADL has long urged elected officials at all levels to respect the separation of church and state and to refrain from endorsing or promoting religion. Official statements and proclamations which divide Americans along religious lines are not a productive way to address the problems our society needs to confront. In your official capacity as Governor of Texas, the web-site for the AFA event refers to you as the “Initiator of the Response.” Furthermore, the site quotes you as stating:   Right now, America is in crisis: we have been besieged by financial debt, terrorism, and a multitude of natural disasters. As a nation, we must come together and call upon Jesus to guide us through unprecedented struggles, and thank Him for the blessings of freedom we so richly enjoy.   Some problems are beyond our power to solve, and according to the Book of Joel, Chapter 2, this historic hour demands a historic response. Therefore, on August 6, thousands will gather to pray for a historic breakthrough for our country and a renewed sense of moral purpose.   I sincerely hope you’ll join me in Houston on August 6th and take your place in Reliant Stadium with praying people asking God’s forgiveness, wisdom and provision for our state and nation. There is hope for America. It lies in heaven, and we will find it on our knees. Your invitation to join in a Christian prayer meeting suggests to non-Christians that they are outsiders. Coming from someone elected to serve a religiously pluralistic constituency, it is misguided and deeply insensitive. There is no question that many Texans and indeed many Americans are facing serious challenges. However, these individuals and families come from a wide range of religious and cultural backgrounds. It is perfectly appropriate for a minister, priest or other religious leader to call for members of a congregation to look to Jesus for guidance, but it is a religiously divisive and inappropriate message coming from an elected leader. Our concern is in no way based on hostility toward religion. Rather, it is based on a deep belief in religious freedom. It is one of America’s greatest strengths. The best way to safeguard religious liberty for all Americans is for our government to keep its distance. We therefore urge you to reconsider your participation in and involvement with The Response event. We would appreciate hearing from you regarding this serious issue. Sincerely, Martin B. Cominsky Director, ADL Southwest Region Houston, TX Mark L. Briskman Director, ADL North Texas Region Dallas, TX

March 08, 2011 The Honorable Barack ObamaPresidentThe White HouseWashington, D.C. 20500Dear Mr. President:  We welcome the opportunity to participate in the White House Bullying Prevention Conference later this week. In advance of the Conference, the Anti-Defamation League is pleased to submit the attached policy and programming recommendations for Federal action.  Over the past decade, the League has built on its award-winning anti-bias education and training initiatives and become a leading national source for innovative programming and advocacy to address bullying and the pernicious new form of harassment affecting children and students known as cyberbullying.  Bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary educational settings is a continuing problem for school districts, parents, and students across the nation. In addition, cyberbullying is on the rise, as an increasing number of youth are misusing Internet and cell phone technology to bully, harass, and even incite violence against others. For some perpetrators, in-person bullying and harassment, as well as online cruelty, may be precursors to more destructive behavior, including involvement in hate groups and bias-related violence. The impact of bullying has been well documented – studies have shown that difficulty making friends, loneliness, low self-esteem, depression, poor academic achievement and truancy are all associated with being bullied.  The Federal government, in partnership with non-profit and community organizations, can play a critical role in ensuring that our schools and communities are safe places for all students.  Federal leadership on these important issues helps nurture a climate and a culture in which most members of the community are willing to condemn bigotry, bullying and harassment. We believe that while laws and appropriate, inclusive school-based policies can be a focal point for addressing bullying, education strategies, training programs, and community involvement are necessary complements to any effective response. Mr. President, we very much appreciate the fact that your Administration has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to address bullying and cyberbullying in a comprehensive and inclusive manner.  The Department of Education Office of Civil Rights Bullying and Harassment Guidance, the significant work of the Department’s Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools on the topic, the new and expanded federal partners and CDC Web sites, and the video messages you and members of your Cabinet made to elevate the issue and empower targets all demonstrate your clear recognition that leaders can make a difference addressing this issue.  Finally, we applaud your initiative in calling together this important White House Conference on Bullying Prevention.  We stand ready to partner with you as you continue to build on these initiatives and develop, fund, and promote proactive strategies to confront bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment in schools and in the community.Sincerely, Robert G. SugarmanNational Chair Abraham H. FoxmanNational Director

March 26, 2008Note: The following is the text of a letter sent to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Chair, and Sen. Michael B. Enzi, Ranking Member, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and to Rep. George Miller, Chair, and Rep. Howard McKeon, Ranking Member, House Education and Labor Committee, in an effort to support a provision that would improve campus hate crime data collection, and calling for changes that would give students and parents a more complete picture about campus safety. Dear Chairmen Kennedy and Miller and Ranking Members Enzi and McKeon:As members of the House Education and Labor Committee and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee meet to reconcile differences in the Higher Education Act reauthorization legislation, the undersigned civil rights, religious, education, law enforcement, human rights, professional, and civic organizations urge you to support the House-passed provision to improve campus hate crime data collection (H.R. 4137, Title IV, Section 488). This simple, straightforward provision will merely make the Department of Education's campus hate crime categories identical to the crime categories that have been collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under the Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA) since 1991. This much needed change will give students and parents a more complete picture about campus safety. Every year, thousands of students are the victims of bias-motivated slurs, vandalism, threats, and physical assaults on college campuses. In 1998, to increase awareness of hate violence on college campuses, Congress enacted an amendment to the Higher Education Act (HEA) requiring all colleges and universities to collect and report hate crime statistics to the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) of the Department of Education. Currently, colleges must report only those crimes involving bodily injury in which the victim was targeted because of his/her race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or disability. Unfortunately, the Department of Education’s current hate crime statistics reflect very substantial underreporting http://ope.ed.gov/security/Search.asp. Even worse, the limited available data directly conflicts with campus hate crime information collected by the FBI under the HCSA. For example: In 2006, the FBI recorded 10 hate crimes at the University of Connecticut. OPE reported zero; At the University of Minnesota, the FBI has reported 22 hate crimes since 2004. OPE has reported zero hate crimes at Minnesota over that time period; Virginia Tech University has reported 15 hate crimes to the FBI since 2004. OPE has reported zero hate crimes at Virginia Tech over that period. The inconsistencies in the current data gathered by the Department of Education and the FBI result, in large part, from discrepancies between the FBI definition of a hate crime and the HEA definition. The FBI definition includes larceny/theft, intimidation, simple assault, and destruction/damage/vandalism – all categories currently omitted by the Department of Education. The omission of these crime categories has resulted in significant gaps in OPE data, substantial inconsistencies between FBI and OPE statistics, and confusion for parents and students trying to obtain a more accurate sense of campus security issues. The House-passed HEA reauthorization legislation we support merely adds the omitted crime categories to the Department of Education hate crime data collection mandate. Uniform hate crime data collection efforts will also enable campus police to utilize the excellent FBI hate crime training materials already widely in use across the country. In 2006, the FBI documented over 7,700 hate crimes, reported by more than 12,600 law enforcement agencies across the country. Schools and colleges were the third most-frequent location for these hate crimes. The HCSA has proven to be a powerful mechanism to confront violent bigotry against individuals on the basis of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin. Importantly, the HCSA has also increased public awareness of the problem and sparked critical improvements in the local response of the criminal justice system to hate violence. We urge you to support the House-passed provision to revise the Department of Education hate crime categories to make them parallel those collected by the Department of Justice. Sincerely, 9to5, National Association of Working WomenAfrican American Ministers in ActionAmerican-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADCAmerican Association of University Women (AAUW)American Federation of TeachersAmerican Islamic CongressAmerican Jewish CommitteeAmerican Psychological AssociationAnti-Defamation LeagueAsian American Justice CenterAssociation for Gender Equity Leadership in EducationAssociation of Welcoming and Affirming BaptistsBazelon Center for Mental Health LawB'nai B'rith InternationalBrethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests (BMC)Buddhist Peace FellowshipCenter for the Study of Hate & ExtremismCenterLinkChurch of the Brethren WitnessChurch of ScientologyDisciples Justice Action NetworkEqual Partners in FaithFeminist MajorityGLSEN - the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education NetworkHadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of AmericaHuman Rights CampaignHuman Rights FirstThe Interfaith AllianceInternational Association of Campus Law Enforcement AdministratorsInternational Association of Chiefs of PoliceIslamic Society of North AmericaJapanese American Citizens LeagueJewish Council for Public AffairsJewish Foundation for Group HomesJewish Reconstructionist FederationJewish War Veterans of the USAJewish Women InternationalKESHETKeshetRabbis: The Alliance of Gay-Friendly Conservative RabbisLeadership Conference on Civil RightsMANA, A National Latina OrganizationMen of Reform JudaismMexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)More Light PresbyteriansMuslim AdvocatesMuslim Public Affairs CouncilNational Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good ShepherdNational Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc.National Center for Lesbian RightsNational Coalition for the HomelessNational Council of Jewish WomenNational Council of La RazaNational Council of Women’s OrganizationsNational Council on Independent LivingNational Education Association (NEA)National Fair Housing AllianceNational Gay and Lesbian Task ForceNational League of CitiesNational Organization for WomenNational Partnership for Women & FamiliesNational Urban LeagueNational Women’s Law CenterNorth American Federation of Temple YouthOrganization of Chinese AmericansParents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) NationalPeople For the American WaySikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)Southern Poverty Law CenterUnion for Reform JudaismUnitarian Universalist Association of CongregationsUnited Methodist Church, General Board of Church and SocietyUnited Methodist Church, General Commission on Religion and RaceUnited States Student AssociationUniversal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community ChurchesWomen of Reform JudaismWomen’s Research & Education Institute (WREI)The Woodhull Freedom FoundationYad HaChazakah-The Jewish Disability Empowerment Center IncYWCA USAcc: House Education and Labor Committee Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

August 01, 2012 William Porter “Billy” Payne Chairman Augusta National Golf Club 2604 Washington Road Augusta, GA 30904 Dear Mr. Payne: We write to join the chorus of voices objecting to Augusta National Golf Club’s adherence to its policy of excluding women from its membership. As a civil rights and human relations agency, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry and prejudice.  For nearly 100 years, ADL has served as a resource for government, media, law enforcement, educators, organizations and the public.  We are quite familiar not only with the harm that exclusionary policies can cause, but also with the importance of addressing such discrimination in an effective manner. Mr. Payne, you demonstrated an appreciation of the importance of inclusivity and non-discrimination when you made it possible for women to achieve substantial gains in Olympic competition.  We urge you to exercise that same leadership and commitment with respect to Augusta National.  Augusta National is not just a private club.  It is an institution in American sports.  Its discriminatory policy sends a powerfully wrong message to the people of this country -- women and girls in particular -- that it is acceptable to discriminate based on gender.  That message is magnified when your club does not admit the female CEO of IBM when it admitted her male predecessors.  You have the ability to send the right message -- that discrimination should not be tolerated in any form and any arena. While Augusta National may have the legal right to set its own criteria for membership, it is not in the club’s or our nation’s best interest.  We urge you to do what is morally right -- open your doors to women members.  At one time, Augusta National excluded Jews, African Americans and Asians.  It is a better place now having abandoned those hurtful policies.  It is well past time to remove the restrictions and welcome women into your membership ranks as well. Sincerely, Robert G. SugarmanNational Chair Abraham H. FoxmanNational Director

August 10, 2012 The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr. Attorney General of the United StatesU.S. Department of Justice950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20530-0001 Dear Attorney General Holder:On behalf of the Anti-Defamation League, we write to urge the Department to collect separate data on hate crimes directed against Sikhs as part of the Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA) data collection programs. There is substantial evidence that Sikhs have been specifically targeted for violence because of their religious practices, appearance, and apparel, including the distinctive beards, turbans, and head coverings worn by many observant Sikhs. As you stated in your speech at the memorial service for members of the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Guardwara today, violence against the Sikh community has become too common in recent years. The tragic shooting that targeted Sikh worshippers in Oak Creek is only the latest in a disturbing series of violent attacks against Sikhs and their houses of worship. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the number of hate crimes directed against Arab Americans, Muslims, and Sikhs escalated dramatically. Just four days after the September 11 attacks, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh American, was murdered in Phoenix by an individual who irrationally acted against him in the mistaken belief that he was in some way connected with this terrorism. In March, 2011, two elderly Sikhs wearing traditional turbans were shot and killed on a street in Elk Grove California. In fact, the FBI has tabulated 80 bias-motivated murders under the HCSA since 2001. Though a disturbingly high number of these individuals have been Sikhs, the Bureau does not currently separately track that information, The only religion-related bias motivations that the FBI current disaggregates are: Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Muslims, Atheists/Agnostics, and "Other." The federal government appropriately has done substantial work to educate officials and the public about Sikhs including a 2007 Community Relations Service roll call training video for state and local law enforcement officials, and TSA posters about "Common Sikh American Head Coverings" and "Sikh Americans and the Kirpan." Under your leadership, Sikhs have been included in the very significant outreach and engagement efforts US Attorneys and other Justice Department officials have made with Arab and Muslim community members. As you know, the Anti-Defamation League has been a national leader in crafting innovative programs, policies, and laws to confront violent bigotry. We have worked closely with you and other Justice Department and FBI officials to implement and expand the BureauÕs excellent hate crime data collection and outreach efforts. Despite an incomplete reporting record over the first twenty years of the program, the FBIÕs HCSA program has proven to be a powerful mechanism to confront violent bigotry against individuals on the basis of their personal characteristics. Importantly, the HCSA has also increased public awareness of the problem and sparked improvements in the local response of the criminal justice system to hate violence.We urge you to task the FBI to separately tabulate hate crimes directed against Sikhs. A mandate that the FBI expand their fine HCSA work to begin collecting specific data on hate crimes directed against Sikhs will increase public awareness of these crimes, encourage Sikhs to report these crimes, and expand relationships between law enforcement authorities and the Sikh community. Sincerely,Abraham H. FoxmanNational Directorcc: FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III

January 11, 2010The Anti-Defamation League and other organizations, working to improve the federal response to hate violence, wrote a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning the implementation of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The Honorable Robert S. Mueller III Director Federal Bureau of Investigation 935 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20535-0001Dear Director Mueller: Our organizations co-chair the coalition of national civil rights, law enforcement, education, and religious organizations that support Federal and state hate crime education, awareness, and prevention initiatives in Washington, DC. We write in regards to the FBI’s implementation of new hate crime data collection and reporting responsibilities under the recently enacted Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA). The HCPA amends the Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA) to require the Attorney General to collect data on hate crimes motivated by gender and gender identity – and “data about crimes committed by, and crimes directed against, juveniles.” Our organizations, and the groups that have lobbied together on behalf of the HCPA over the past decade, stand ready to help the Bureau implement its new responsibilities. You may know that many of these same groups worked closely to implement the HCSA in the immediate aftermath of its enactment in 1990 – working closely with Bureau professionals to craft the FBI Hate Crime Data Collection Guidelines and the FBI Training Guide for Hate Crime Data Collection, and participating in a number of training and outreach seminars for law enforcement officials on the new law. We would like to offer our services again to ensure the broadest, best possible implementation of the HCPA. To accomplish its new mandate, we believe it would be important for the FBI to begin collecting hate crime statistics from police agencies on the new categories as soon as possible, but no later than July 2010. To begin the process of collecting this new hate crimes data, we believe the FBI must update The Quarterly Hate Crime Report form; The Hate Crime Incident Report form; The Hate Crime Data Collection Guidelines; and The Training Guide for Hate Crime Data Collection. As previously mentioned, members of the hate crime coalition are ready and willing to serve as resources for information needed to update these FBI publications. We are convinced that the FBI’s HCSA program has provided greater awareness and understanding of the nature and magnitude of the hate crime problem in America. Through enactment of the HCPA, Congress has now recognized that hate crimes motivated by gender and gender identity, as well as hate crimes by and against juveniles, are national problems that require federal tracking. We recognize that the collection of new hate crime statistics starting in July 2010 will not be easy. However, we believe this data and the accountability it creates with local jurisdictions is critically important. We are committed to working in partnership with the Bureau to ensure that a July 2010 date is achievable. We are very appreciative of the hard work done by the FBI to produce the annual Hate Crime Statistics report – which, though clearly incomplete because many local agencies fail to report hate crimes in their jurisdictions, is now the most important annual report on the issue. Our coalition stands ready to assist the Bureau in complying with the new requirements of the HCPA, and we look forward to seeing new data collection and reporting as soon as possible. Sincerely, Abraham H. Foxman National Director Anti-Defamation League Joe Solmonese President Human Rights Campaign Wade Henderson President & CEO The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Nancy Ratzan President National Council of Jewish Women

February 17, 2010 His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva President of Brazil Palácio do Planalto - Presidência da República
 Praça dos Três Poderes, Brasilia Brazil Dear Mr. President: We very much appreciated your presence and the strong message about the lessons of the Holocaust you delivered at the ceremony for the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, held in the oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, the Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue in Recife.    Sadly, as acts of genocide continue to plague this world and as the voices of those who wish to deny or trivialize the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis grow louder, it is increasingly urgent for those leaders who are committed to respect and acceptance to speak out against hatred and to stand up against injustice.  As you stated, during the President of Iran's recent visit to Brazil, you made clear that it is unacceptable to deny the Holocaust and that nobody can ignore the extermination of the Jewish people.  We hope you encourage other regional leaders to understand the importance of publicly condemning Holocaust denial.  Mr. President, you rightfully declared that the most important way to fight discrimination and intolerance is through democracy. Unfortunately, we believe your planned visit to Tehran conveys a contrary message.   The Iranian regime led by Ahmadinejad continues to blatantly reject and violently suppress the voice and freedom of its people. We believe your visit will be seen to confer legitimacy on this repressive regime and respectfully request you to reconsider this trip.  Since 1913 the Anti-Defamation League has worked to fight against hatred and bigotry and to promote understanding and respect. We know you value and promote diversity and have worked hard to build a society of respect in Brazil. We join you in your commitment to these ideals and we look forward to our work together to ensure that the world continues to learn the lessons of the Holocaust and fight against those who choose prejudice over acceptance and hatred over respect.  Sincerely, 
Abraham H. Foxman
 National Director cc: His Excellency Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Ambassador of Brazil to the United States

August 02, 2010Fox News host Glenn Beck sent the following letter to ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman in response to an ADL letter raising concerns about on-air comments he made during a July 13 broadcast. Mr. Foxman,Thank you for the note and for reaching out to me. As you assumed, it was certainly not my intention to say what I have been accused of saying. I strongly believe that it is a historical fact that the Romans, not the Jews, put Jesus to death and that fact has been confirmed by the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian denominations. Although the words I chose did not make this clear, I was trying to reference accusations that have been made against the Jews and how some of those accusations have led to horrors like the Inquisition as they were permitted to go unchallenged. While as a non-Jew, I can never fully understand the suffering that has resulted from the historically inaccurate deicide charge, as someone with German heritage, I recognize the horrors that have been perpetrated on Jews throughout history and have asked if my ancestors knew what was taking place and looked the other way or how they could not have known of the horrors taking place. Thank you again for reaching out to me, I appreciate the opportunity to clarify my thoughts and would welcome the chance to continue the dialogue so I can better understand the injustices that your organization is committed to fighting. Sincerely, Glenn Beck

August 31, 2006The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) welcomed the responsiveness of MoveOn.org Political Action in removing anti-Semitic messages that had been posted on the Action Forum on their Web site. In response to a letter of concern, Eli Pariser, Executive Director of MoveOn Political Action, has been in direct contact with ADL. He indicated that MoveOn.org found the comments abhorrent and had them removed. ADL is pleased with Mr. Pariser's responsiveness to our concerns and believes the matter has been resolved satisfactorily. The exchange of letters in this matter is reprinted below: Eli Pariser Executive Director MoveOn Political Action   Dear Mr. Pariser: We have received complaints that anti-Semitic messages have been posted on the Action Forum under the auspices of MoveOn.org. Some of the examples are "media owning Jewish pigs," referring to Senator Joseph Lieberman as "Jew Lieberman," "Zionazis," and "why are the Jews so Jew-y?" We recognize that the Action Forum is an open forum intended to foster the free flow of ideas. Nevertheless, since such profoundly offensive content is appearing on a board clearly linked to MoveOn.org, we believe you should assume some responsibility to respond to this hateful content. Specifically, we would urge you to exercise your own First Amendment rights and issue a statement making it clear that your organization finds such messages abhorrent. The First Amendment free speech guarantee allows all of us to speak our minds, and, like you, we treasure that freedom. It has long been the Anti-Defamation League's position that the best response to bad speech is not censorship, but good speech. However, the First Amendment carries certain obligations with it. The primary obligation of responsible citizens and organization is to speak out and to condemn bigotry, anti-Semitism and other forms of hate. Haters may have the right to express their hate, but that hate should not go unchallenged. Most importantly, those who allow hate to rear its ugly head under their auspices bear a special responsibility to distance themselves from that hate, and to speak out against it, as loudly as possible. Sincerely, Abraham H. Foxman National Director Anti-Defamation League         Dear Mr. Foxman, I'd like to bring to your attention the statement (attached below) that we issued today and posted on our website in response to your letter. I'd appreciate an opportunity to follow up. Sincerely, Eli Pariser Executive Director MoveOn.org Political Action         Statement from Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org Political Action "MoveOn's ActionForum is an open forum where members of the public and MoveOn members can post their thoughts regarding important political issues. Once in a while—as in any public forum—inappropriate material is posted. Recently, a few of the thousands of comments that are posted every week contained anti-Semitic language. The comments that were posted were abhorrent. We were dismayed to see them, and removed them as soon as they came to our attention 17 days ago. Many of the comments identified were not, in fact, made by MoveOn members. We are working to discern whether they were made as a part of a right-wing campaign to target the organization. Clearly, any attempt to tie MoveOn's 3.2 million members to the hateful comments of a few non-members on an online public forum is wrong. We were pleased to see that so many MoveOn members rose to sharply criticize the hate speech that was posted – even before it was brought to our attention."

July 16, 2009 Her Excellency Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
President of the Argentine RepublicDear Madame President: In a few days, we will commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of the terrorist bombing of the AMIA-DAIA building in Buenos Aires. We are committed to preserving the memory of the eighty-five people who lost their lives and the hundreds of Argentineans wounded on that tragic day, July 18 1994, and to help bring some closure to those who lost a loved one or were injured in this terrorist attack. In New York, we will be marking the anniversary with a special commemoration, which will include a tribute from Argentina's Ambassador to the United States, Héctor Marcos Timerman.  We commend your government for the important progress that has been made in recent years in investigating and exposing the international connection to the attack, and we continue to encourage you to publicly affirm that Argentina will spare no effort to identify and prosecute all those involved in this heinous attack, both inside and outside of Argentina. Madam President, as Iran and Hezbollah have been found responsible for masterminding the AMIA-DAIA bombing, we urge you to continue working with other regional and international leaders to stand up to the dangerously destabilizing force Iran and Hezbollah play in Latin America, the Middle East and elsewhere in the world. We look forward to continuing to work with your government to put an end to terrorism and those supporting it, and to maintain strong relations between Argentina, the United States and the State of Israel. Sincerely, 

 Glen S. Lewy
 National Chairman Abraham H. Foxman 
National Director

August 01, 2006The following is the text of Mel Gibson's apology to the Jewish Community for his anti-Semitic statements. There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of Anti-Semitic remark. I want to apologize specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I said to a law enforcement officer the night I was arrested on a DUI charge.I am a public person, and when I say something, either articulated and thought out, or blurted out in a moment of insanity, my words carry weight in the public arena. As a result, I must assume personal responsibility for my words and apologize directly to those who have been hurt and offended by those words. The tenets of what I profess to believe necessitate that I exercise charity and tolerance as a way of life. Every human being is God's child, and if I wish to honor my God I have to honor his children. But please know from my heart that I am not an anti-Semite. I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith. I'm not just asking for forgiveness. I would like to take it one step further, and meet with leaders in the Jewish community, with whom I can have a one on one discussion to discern the appropriate path for healing. I have begun an ongoing program of recovery and what I am now realizing is that I cannot do it alone. I am in the process of understanding where those vicious words came from during that drunken display, and I am asking the Jewish community, whom I have personally offended, to help me on my journey through recovery. Again, I am reaching out to the Jewish community for its help. I know there will be many in that community who will want nothing to do with me, and that would be understandable. But I pray that that door is not forever closed. This is not about a film. Nor is it about artistic license. This is about real life and recognizing the consequences hurtful words can have. It's about existing in harmony in a world that seems to have gone mad.

February 24, 2011ADL commended the Justice Department's DOMA Statement in a February 24, 2011 letter to Attorney General Holder. The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.Attorney General of the United StatesUnited States Department of Justice950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20530-0001 Dear General Holder: We write to commend you for your statement yesterday announcing that the U.S. Department of Justice believe that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional and will no longer defend it in court. Since its enactment, DOMA has been an unfortunate obstacle to equal access to the benefits of civil marriage for same sex couples, unfairly discriminating against Americans on the basis of their sexual orientation and who they wish to marry. With this important statement, the Obama administration and the Department of Justice have taken a significant step forward in the pursuit of individual liberty and equality for all. As an organization that supports equal access to civil marriage for same-sex couples, the Anti-Defamation League has actively opposed legislative efforts to refuse to recognize legal same-sex marriages. It is our hope that the judicial and legislative branches will soon reach the same conclusion that you have now reached -- tat the arguments offer to defend DOMA cannot withstand serious constitutional scrutiny. With all best wishes, Sincerely, Robert SugarmanNational Chair Abraham H. FoxmanNational Director

July 11, 2001 Mr. Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Hilfiger Corporation c/o Tommy Hilfiger U.S.A., Inc. 25 West 39th Street New York, NY 10016Dear Mr. Hilfiger: The Anti-Defamation League has received recurring inquiries regarding a number of defamatory rumors that have been spread on the Internet and by word-of-mouth in recent years about you and your company. Based upon our investigation, it is apparent to us that you never made the statements that attribute racist remarks to you. In some cases, the rumor alleges that you appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and made racist remarks, causing a supposedly irate Oprah to ask you to leave. We have concluded that these rumors are completely false, and it is apparent that you never made the statements attributed to you, nor did you appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show. According to our information, these allegations about you and your company, Tommy Hilfiger Corporation, began circulating through the Internet via e-mail in the United States in 1997, and have since continued to circulate by means of chat rooms, bulletin boards, faxes, e-mails, and word-of-mouth in the United States and elsewhere. ADL has investigated the matter in response to the requests of constituents and other community members. We have concluded after careful investigation that the malicious rumors circulating about you and your company are without merit and lack any basis in fact. We feel that it is important to be aware of the dangers of believing everything on the Internet and we intend to make these facts known to anyone inquiring about the subject. Please feel free to use this letter and the ADL findings in any way you wish. Sincerely, Abraham H. Foxman National Director Anti-Defamation League

May 16, 2007 Mr. Esad Rizaj President Albanian American Society Foundation 2548 Davidson Avenue Bronx, NY 10468 Dear Mr. Rizaj:Thank you for sharing your concern that some people may blame and target Muslims, including Albanian-Americans, in the aftermath of the recent arrests in the Fort Dix case. It is vitally important that we show strength and determination in fighting terrorism, and we congratulate those law enforcement authorities responsible for uncovering and successfully foiling this plot. At the same time, stereotyping and blaming all Muslims or assuming that all Muslims are terrorists just because those arrested in this case are Muslim is simply unacceptable. As we said following the tragic attacks on our country on September 11, 2001, "Threats, harassment or acts of hate-motivated violence against members of a group are un-American and must be forcefully condemned." Those who would lay blame on an entire people undermine our nation's core values of equality and respect for the individual, and we stand ready to join you in vocal opposition to anyone who targets another because of hatred or prejudice or who blames all Albanians because some of the perpetrators in this case were Albanian-Americans. We will never forget the kindness extended to the Jewish community by the Albanian people who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Best Regards.  Sincerely,  Abraham H. Foxman National Director

November 30, 2004 Dear CJIS Advisory Policy Board Member:  On behalf of the coalition of national civil rights, law enforcement, education, and religious organizations below that support hate crime education, awareness, and prevention initiatives in Congress, the federal agencies, and the states, we write to emphasize the importance of the FBI's efforts to collect and publish hate crime data from state and local law enforcement officials. We urge you to join us in strongly supporting the Bureau in efforts to secure comprehensive implementation of this important data collection mandate - and we urge your support for series of refinements to existing practices. Background: The Impact of Hate Violence All Americans have a stake in effective response to violent bigotry. These crimes demand priority attention because of their special impact. Bias crimes are designed to intimidate the victim and members of the victim's community, leaving them feeling isolated, vulnerable, and unprotected by the law. Failure to address this unique type of crime could cause an isolated incident to explode into widespread community tension. The damage done by hate crimes, therefore, cannot be measured solely in terms of physical injury or dollars and cents. By making members of minority communities fearful, angry, and suspicious of other groups -- and of the power structure that is supposed to protect them -- these incidents can damage the fabric of our society and fragment communities.  The urgent national need for both tough law enforcement response and education and programming to confront violent bigotry has only increased since the September 11, 2001 terrorist incidents. In the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the nation witnessed a disturbing increase in attacks against American citizens and others who appear to be of Muslim, Middle Eastern, and South Asian descent. The perpetrators of these crimes irrationally lashed out at innocent people because of their personal characteristics - their race, religion, national origin or ethnicity. In the aftermath of those crimes, the Justice Department launched more than 500 federal civil rights investigations, resulting in over 100 prosecutions initiated by federal, state, and local prosecutors for crimes including murder, arson, and assault.  The Hate Crimes Statistics Act: A Firm Foundation on Which to Build The FBI has been collecting and publishing data on hate crimes in America under the mandate of the Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA) since 1991. Enacted in 1990, the HCSA requires the Justice Department to acquire data on crimes which "manifest prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or ethnicity" from law enforcement agencies across the country and to publish an annual summary of the findings. Many of the signatories to this letter have welcomed the opportunity to work jointly with Bureau professionals in support of comprehensive hate crime data collection efforts. Representatives of a number of civil rights and law enforcement groups worked cooperatively with the FBI in the drafting of the FBI's thoughtfulTraining Guide for Hate Crime Data Collection and its Hate Crime Data Collection Guidelines which have been widely distributed to police agencies across the country. The FBI has taken important steps to make the information reported to the Bureau accessible to researchers, law enforcement officials, civic leaders, and community relations professionals. In 1996, for the first time, the FBI incorporated an HCSA summary report in its Crime in the United States (CIUS) report. Because CIUS is a primary resource for criminologists, policymakers, and analysts, inclusion encourages researchers and criminologists to study hate violence, helps place it on the agenda for criminal justice and crime prevention conferences, and sends the signal to law enforcement officials that the HCSA is a permanent, integral part of the FBI's comprehensive crime data collection programs. As documented by the FBI in its 2003 HCSA report, (released earlier this month) violence directed at individuals, houses of worship, and community institutions because of prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, and disability is disturbingly prevalent. While the overall number of crimes reported to the FBI in 2003 decreased by 3%, reported hate crimes increased slightly from 7,462 in 2002 to 7,489 in 2003. Highlights from the Bureau's 2003 report include:  Approximately 51 percent of the reported hate crimes were race-based, with 18 percent on the basis of religion, 17 percent on the basis of sexual orientation, and 14 percent on the basis of ethnicity;  Overall, approximately 66 percent of the reported race-based crimes were anti-Black, 22 percent of the crimes were anti-White, and 6 percent of the crimes were anti-Asian/Pacific Islander. The number of reported "anti-Islamic" crimes decreased from 155 in 2002 to 149 in 2003. In addition, the number of hate crimes directed at individuals on the basis of their national origin/ethnicity decreased from 1,102 in 2002 to 1,026 in 2003.  The 927 crimes against Jews and Jewish institutions comprised 12.4 percent of the overall total -- and 69 percent of the reported hate crimes based on religion. 149 anti-Islamic crimes were reported in 2003, 11% of the religion-based crimes.  11,909 police and sheriffs’ departments reported HCSA data to the FBI in 2003, yet almost 85% of these agencies affirmatively reported to the FBI that that they had zero hate crimes. Only 1,967 agencies reported one or more hate crimes to the Bureau. Further, more than 5,000 agencies did not participate in this hate crime data collection effort at all. The publication of the annual jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction report, Hate Crime Statistics, has been especially useful in helping to gauge the seriousness with which communities and police departments are approaching the Federal hate crime data collection effort. For example, in 2003, four states (Alabama, Louisiana, Montana, and Mississippi) reported 10 or fewer hate crime incidents - and Hawaii did not participate in the HCSA program at all. In addition, of the 100 most populous cities in the U.S., eleven did not participate in the reporting of hate crime data at all: Detroit, Indianapolis, Honolulu, San Juan, St. Louis, Birmingham, Baton Rouge, Montgomery, Shreveport, Augusta, and Mobile. In addition, data collected from several other cities among the fifty largest in the country is questionable on its face. For example,  Jacksonville, Austin, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Atlanta, Omaha, Miami, Denver, and Oakland all reported fewer than 10 hate crimes in 2003, while cities of comparable size - Boston, Portland, and Las Vegas - each reported over 80 hate crimes to the FBI in 2003. Despite this incomplete reporting record, the HCSA has proved to be a powerful mechanism to confront violent bigotry against individuals on the basis of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin. Importantly, HCSA has also increased public awareness of the problem and sparked critical improvements in the local response of the criminal justice system to hate violence. For example, in recent years, dozens of law enforcement agencies across the country have promulgated new policies and procedures for addressing hate violence. Building on model policies drafted by, among others, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), departments have complemented their participation in the HCSA data collection initiative with the development of protocols for their officers on how to identify, report, and respond to hate violence. Police officials across the country have come to appreciate the law enforcement and community benefits of tracking hate crime and responding to it in a priority fashion. Law enforcement officials now better understand that they can advance police-community relations by demonstrating a commitment to be both tough on hate crime perpetrators and sensitive to the special needs of hate crime victims. By compiling statistics and charting the geographic distribution of these crimes, police officials may be in a position to discern patterns and anticipate an increase in racial tensions in a given jurisdiction. The obstacles to comprehensive reporting, however, are significant. Studies by NOBLE and others have revealed that some of the most likely targets of hate violence are the least likely to report these crimes to the police. In addition to cultural and language barriers, some immigrant victims, for example, fear reprisals or deportation if incidents are reported. Many new Americans come from countries in which residents would never call the police -- especially if they were in trouble. Gay and lesbian victims, facing hostility, discrimination, and, possibly, family pressures because of their sexual orientation, may also be reluctant to come forward to report these crimes. These issues present a critical challenge for improving law enforcement response to hate violence. When police departments implement HCSA in partnership with community-based groups, the effort should enhance police-community relations. In order to build on the important successes of the HCSA, we recommend that the FBI take the following steps: 1) The Hate Crime Incident Report should be revised to provide space to encourage additional narrative about the bias motivation present. The facts surrounding these crimes are all-important in determining whether the crime was, in fact, motivated by bias. Responding officers should be encouraged to provide relevant background information that documents why he or she believes the crime to be bias motivated - and space should be allocated to it on the Hate Crime Incident Report form. Professor Jack McDevitt, director of the Center for Criminal Justice Policy Research at Northeastern University, has also stressed the need for an expanded narrative in reporting hate crimes. In his September 2002 report, Improving the Quality and Accuracy of Bias Crime Statistics Nationally, funded by the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics, McDevitt suggested that more detailed reporting can reduce the occurrence of "information disconnect" between the investigating officer and UCR reporting officials. 2) The Hate Crime Incident Report should provide additional specificity in the Bias Motivation section, under Ethnicity/National Origin and under Sexual Orientation. The current form provides a box only for "Anti-Hispanic" and "Anti-Other Ethnicity." In 2000, the FBI documented 911 such crimes, but in 2001 there were 2,098 crimes in this category. It is very likely that a considerable portion of the dramatic increase in these types of bias crimes were in connection with bias-motivated attacks against individuals who "looked like" the terrorists. We strongly recommend that the FBI include, at least one other box in this section for "anti-Arab" crimes. At a minimum, the "Anti-Other Ethnicity/National Origin" line should include a line that includes "anti-Arab" as an example of such a crime. In addition, although the current Hate Crime Incident Report form breaks down crimes directed at individuals because of their sexual orientation into five categories, the form does not provide an opportunity to capture and isolate reports of bias crimes against transgender individuals. Because there is increasing evidence that these bias crimes occur with disturbing frequency, we recommend that another category, "anti-transgender," be added to this section. 3) The revised Hate Crime Incident Report should include a box in the Bias Motivation section for gender-based hate crimes. As states continue to enact hate crime statutes, the clear trend has been to include gender-based crimes in these laws. In 1990, only seven of the statutes in the thirty-one states that then had hate crime statutes included gender. Today, including the District of Columbia, twenty-seven of the forty-six states with penalty-enhancement hate crimes statutes include gender. Eight states now include gender in their hate crime data collection mandate. Gender-based crimes are also subject to Federal sentencing enhancements under 28 U.S.C. 994. In June, 2004, by a vote of 65-33, the Senate approved pending federal hate crime legislation which included a provision to mandate the inclusion of gender-based crimes as part of the HCSA collection effort. However, Congress adjourned before this bill could be enacted. 4) The revised Incident Report should provide a place for the age of both the victim and the suspected offender. Where it is readily obtainable, the suspected offender's age - and the age of the victim -- would be highly relevant facts to include in the Hate Crime Incident Report. This information would be especially useful in efforts to learn more about juvenile hate crime offenders and victims. The FBI's annual HCSA report does not currently provide specific information about either juvenile hate crime offenders or victims. There is, in fact, a paucity of information about juvenile involvement in hate violence. A September 2001 Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Hate Crimes Reported in NIBRS, 1997-99, closely examined about 3,000 of the almost 24,000 hate crimes reported to the FBI during that period. That report provided disturbing information about the too-frequent involvement of juveniles in hate crime incidents. The report documented that a disproportionately high percentage of both the victims of hate violence and the perpetrators were young people under 18 years of age:  33% of all known hate crime offenders were under 18 - 31% of all violent crime offenders and 46% of the property offenders;  Another 29% of all hate crime offenders were 18-24;  30% of all victims of bias-motivated aggravated assaults and 34% of the victims of simple assault were under 18;  34% of all persons arrested for hate crimes were under 18 - 28% of the violent hate crimes and 56% of the bias-motivated property crimes;  Another 27% of those arrested for hate crimes were 18-24.  5) The revised Hate Crime Incident Report form should be accompanied by the distribution of a revised and updated Training Guide for Hate Crime Data Collection. The last revision of this comprehensive and inclusive document was in 1996; its companion, Hate Crime Data Collection Guidelines, was last revised in 1999. Revising the guidelines would provide an opportunity to provide the needed rationale for requesting greater specificity in reporting hate crimes directed against individuals on the basis of their national origin, sexual orientation, or gender - as well as the need to report both the age of the suspected offender and the victim of the crime. In addition to refinements in the Hate Crime Incident Form and revisions in the Training Guide for Hate Crime Data Collection, we urge the Advisory Policy Board to join us in support of several other systemic improvements that we believe will promote expanded participation in the FBI HCSA initiative:  The Justice Department and the FBI should provide additional incentives for HCSA implementation, including national recognition, matching grants for training, a network to promote replication of successful programs, and awards for exemplary departments.  FBI Field Offices should be encouraged by headquarters to work more closely with police departments in their jurisdictions to promote participation in the HCSA reporting effort. Collecting data under the HCSA -- and training officers to identify, report, and respond to acts of violence based on prejudice -- demonstrates a resolve to treat these inflammatory crimes seriously. These positive steps can be amplified by involving representatives of minority communities in the training sessions. Especially at this time of increased terrorist threat, we welcome the continuing efforts of the Bureau to spark improvements in the response to an especially consequential form of domestic terrorism - hate violence. Thank you for your consideration of these proposals. We look forward to our continued partnership with the FBI and other law enforcement authorities in support of education and outreach efforts to improve the response to hate violence in America.  Sincerely, American Association of University WomenAmerican-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)American Jewish CommitteeAmericans for Democratic ActionAnti-Defamation LeagueArab American Institute B'nai B'rith InternationalHuman Rights CampaignThe Interfaith AllianceJapanese American Citizens LeagueJewish Council on Public AffairsLeadership Conference on Civil RightsNational Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC)National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ)National Council of Jewish WomenNational Council of La RazaNational Gay and Lesbian Task ForceNational Urban LeagueOrganization of Chinese AmericansPeople For the American WayPolice FoundationUnited States Students Association

December 16, 2012 Chief, Crime Statistics Management UnitModule E-#1000 Custer Hollow RoadClarksburg, West Virginia 26306 The broad coalition of civil rights, religious, education, civic, and professional organizations below support efforts to collect separate data on hate crimes directed against Sikhs, Arabs, and Hindus as part of the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990 (HCSA) data collection programs.  There is specific, demonstrated evidence that Sikh, Arab, and Hindu individuals and institutions have been targeted for violence and vandalism because of their religious practices, appearance, and apparel – including distinctive beards, turbans, traditional forehead art, or head coverings. The FBI has been tracking and documenting hate crimes reported from federal, state, and local law enforcement officials since 1991 under the HCSA. The Bureau’s annual HCSA report now provides the best single national snapshot of bias-motivated criminal activity in the United States.  In 2011 (the most recent FBI report available) the FBI documented 6,622 hate crimes reported by over 14,500 law enforcement agencies across the country.  Racial bias was the most frequent motivation for these crimes, but almost twenty percent of the reported hate crimes nationally were motivated by religious bias – and almost twelve percent were motivated by national origin bias. In the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the nation witnessed a disturbing increase in attacks against Americans who appeared to be of Muslim, Arab, Middle Eastern, and South Asian descent.  Although the FBI HCSA program collects information about bias-motivated crimes directed at Muslims, it does not collect separate data on hate crimes directed against Arabs, Sikhs, or Hindus.  As evidenced by the recent tragic bias-motivated murders of six Sikh worshippers at their Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and numerous other acts of hate over the past decade, there is substantial evidence that these communities have been targeted for bias-motivated violence. We urge the Justice Department to support FBI and law enforcement efforts to separately tabulate hate crimes directed against Sikhs, Arabs, and Hindus.  A mandate that the FBI expand their fine HCSA work to begin collecting specific data on hate crimes directed against individuals on the basis of these personal characteristics will increase public awareness of these crimes, encourage victims to report these crimes, and expand existing engagement and relationships between law enforcement authorities and these communities. African American Ministers in ActionAmerican-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)American Association of University Women (AAUW)American Civil Liberties UnionAmerican Jewish Committee (AJC)Anti-Defamation LeagueArab American InstituteAsian American Institute, a member of Asian American Center for Advancing JusticeAsian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)Asian American Justice Center, a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing JusticeAsian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF)Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIOAsian Pacific American Legal Center, a member of the Asian American Center for Advancing JusticeAsian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL)Baptist Joint Committee for Religious LibertyBAPS Swaminarayan SansthaThe Center for Asian Pacific American WomenCoalition of Hindu Youth (CHY)Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)Church of ScientologyDemosEvangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaGLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network)Groundswell, Auburn SeminaryHuman Rights CampaignInterfaith AllianceInternational Center for Advocates Against Discrimination (ICAAD)Hindu American FoundationHindu American Seva Charities (HASC)Hindu Mandir Executives' Conference (HMEC)Human Rights FirstInternational Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)Islamic Networks Group (ING)Islamic Society of North AmericaJapanese American Citizens LeagueJewish Council for Public AffairsLeadership Conference on Civil and Human RightsLeague of United Latin American CitizensMexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)Muslim AdvocatesMuslim American SocietyMuslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA)National Asian Pacific American Women's ForumNAACPNational Association of Social Workers (NASW)National Black Justice CoalitionNational Center For Lesbian RightsNational Center for Transgender EqualityNational Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community DevelopmentNational Council of Jewish WomenNational Council of La Raza (NCLR)National Disability Rights NetworkNational Gay and Lesbian Task ForceNational Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC)National Organization for WomenNational Urban LeagueNorth American South Asian Bar Association (NASABA)OCAPeople For the American WayPFLAG National (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays)Religious Freedom Education Project of the First Amendment CenterServices and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)SojournersSouth Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)Southern Poverty Law CenterThe Sikh CoalitionUnion for Reform JudaismUnited Methodist Church, General Board of Church and SocietyUnited SikhsWomen of Reform JudaismWorld Hindu Council of America

August 05, 2014 Mr. Richard HortonEditorThe LancetMs. Rebecca CooneyNorth American EditorThe Lancet Dear Mr. Horton and Ms. Cooney: The Lancet has failed its readership and sullied its reputation by publishing a one-sided perspective of the recent hostilities resulting from Hamas’s indiscriminate firing of thousands of missiles and rockets at millions of Israeli civilians in “An Open Letter for the People of Gaza” (July 23). The “Letter,” is unabashedly propagandistic, charging Israel – including Israeli physicians – with full culpability for the situation in Gaza.  Its failure to even reference Hamas actions, much less the 3,000 rockets it has fired at Israeli cities, and the diversion of tens of millions of dollars and material that should have gone to improve the lives of Gazans to build dozens of tunnels for the sole purpose of attacking Israeli civilians, speaks to its obvious bias. Certainly, as editors of The Lancet you have the right to determine if you wish your journal to become a vehicle for partisan, highly politicized screeds on the issues of the day.  However, we believe that when you choose to do so, you have a responsibility to your readers to provide some context, and some balance.  Running the “Letter” without an accompanying statement from others with opposing perspectives, such as Israeli physicians or others with experience on the ground highlighting conditions in Israel, is contrary to the basic elements of fairness.  The subsequent posting of “related correspondence” certainly does not give the respondents the same important platform and visibility as the original posting. Sincerely, Abraham H. Foxman National DirectorAnti-Defamation League

August 05, 2014 Her Excellency Michelle Bachelet President of the Republic of Chile Palacion de la Moneda Morandé 130 Santiago Chile Dear Madame President: We are deeply troubled by the actions and decisions of your government, in coordination with others in the region, issuing harsh one-sided statements toward Israel and recalling Chile’s Ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultation. Chile’s public statements and actions have put the onus for this conflict solely on Israel, despite the  indisputable evidence that Hamas is indiscriminately targeting Israeli civilians with a relentless barrage of rockets and missiles, has built scores of tunnels with the intention of conducting terrorist attacks and kidnappings of Israeli civilians and soldiers, and  the well-documented cruel indifference of Hamas to the lives and safety of its own people in Gaza through the situating of rockets, weapons depots and terrorist operations inside mosques, schools, hospital and other medical clinics. There is no more compelling evidence of the moral bankruptcy and depravity of Hamas than its willingness to violate a humanitarian ceasefire which would have benefitted the people of Gaza by carrying out a suicide attack on Israeli soldiers and kidnapping one of them. Inexplicably, nowhere in Chile’s statements is there a recognition of Israel’s responsibility to protect its citizens - the majority of which live under the threat of Hamas rocket and tunnel attack.  Respectfully, we urge you to return your Ambassador to Israel, and help to ensure Hamas will cease firing on Israel, give up its weapons and abandon its goal of seeking the elimination of Israel. By doing so, Chile can play a constructive role in bringing an end to the suffering of the people of Gaza and the Israeli people. Sincerely, Abraham H. Foxman National Director

August 25, 2014 His Excellency Rafael CorreaPresident of the Republic of EcuadorGarcía Moreno N10-43 entre Chile y Espejo170401 / Quito - Ecuador  Dear Mr. President: We are deeply troubled by the Foreign Ministry’s harsh and one-sided statements toward Israel and your government’s decision to recall Ecuador’s Ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultation. There is indisputable evidence that Hamas indiscriminately targets Israeli civilians with its relentless barrage of rockets and missiles and the cruel indifference of Hamas to the lives and safety of its own people in Gaza is well-documented. Israel has acted to fulfill its duty and responsibility to protect millions of its citizens living in Israel who have been terrorized by Hamas’ ongoing attacks.  At the same time, the Israel Defense Forces have adhered to the highest international standards of military operational procedures and ethics in carrying out their mission in Gaza. Moreover, we note that your government has failed to speak out against Hamas’ goal of eliminating the state of Israel, to condemn its indiscriminate acts of terrorism against Israeli civilians and the horrific suffering Hamas cause to its own people by its tactics of drawing fire to densely populated areas. The statements made and actions taken by Ecuador are contrary to the standards of decency and respect for which Ecuador is well known and create the appearance that your government condones the unspeakable terror Hamas has wreaked on Israel and the tragedy it has imposed on the innocent among its own people. This impression will only encourage Hamas to continue on its destructive path. Respectfully, we urge you to return your Ambassador to Israel, condemn Hamas and help to ensure that it will not be able to continue firing on Israel, give up its weapons and abandon its goal of seeking the elimination of Israel. By doing so, Ecuador can play a constructive role in bringing an end to the suffering of the people of Gaza and the Israeli people.  Sincerely, Abraham H. FoxmanNational Director