[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 41 (Monday, March 6, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3542-S3543]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


COMMENDING THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO COMBAT HATE 
                                 CRIMES

 Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I rise today to applaud the Anti-
Defamation League [ADL] for their continuing work to expose and combat 
hate crimes, and to bring your attention to their most recent ``Audit 
of Anti-Semitic Incidents.'' For the past 16 years, the ADL has 
compiled data about anti-Jewish attacks. Their efforts in the 
collection of data and the development of programs regarding anti-
Semitic acts increase public awareness of this problem, and help 
generate constructive solutions. I commend ADL for continuing this 
important endeavor, and would like to share with you some of their 
recent findings.
  Unfortunately, the ADL's 1994 survey indicates that the number and 
severity of anti-Semitic hate crimes has worsened nationwide. There 
were 2,066 incidents reported to ADL from 46 States, the District of 
Columbia, and Puerto Rico in 1994 alone. This represents an overall 
increase of more than 10 percent from 1993, and constitutes the first 
time the audit total has gone over 2,000. I was particularly troubled 
by the dramatic rise in the number of violent, destructive, and, in one 
case, deadly assaults against Jews. For the fourth year, the number of 
anti-Semitic acts against individuals outnumber the incidents of 
vandalism against institutions and other property. The number of 
reported incidents of assault, threat, and harassment totaled 1,197. 
This represents almost an 11-percent increase from 1993. In fact, acts 
of harassment and personal assault have risen 291 percent in a 10-year 
span. Shootings, arsons, and firebombings were also far more prevalent 
than in previous years. In 1994, there were 25 arsons and 10 arson 
attempts, compared with the total of 41 arsons in the 5 previous years 
combined.
  While these numbers make a dramatic statement about the magnitude of 
anti-Semitic hate crime, some specific examples more graphically 
illustrate the sad story of hatred present in our society today. The 
most violent incident occurred in New York City, where, on March 1, a 
lone gunman opened fire on a van filled with Hasidic students crossing 
the Brooklyn Bridge. One student died in the attack and three other 
students were seriously wounded. The ADL reports that in Memphis, two 
older teenagers attacked two 13-year-old Jewish boys with a sword while 
yelling anti-Semitic epithets.
  In February, in Eureka, CA, a bedroom of a Jewish family's home was 
set afire and a message was left: ``I got a Jew.'' In Michigan, in 
November, a Jewish couple received a package in the mail containing a 
severed dog's head wrapped in a plastic bag, on which was written 
``Dirty Jew'' and swastikas.
  Tragically, anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses continued to 
rise and increased by 17 percent from 1993. At South Alabama 
University, a Jewish faculty member found a note in his campus mailbox 
reading, ``Death to Jews--That means you* * *'' At Northwestern 
University, ``Kill all the Jews'' was written on a residence hall 
adviser's memo board in response to the question, ``What do you think 
of race relations at NU?'' At Temple Law School, a student was harassed 
by a member of the Western Heritage Society who said, ``I heard you 
discussing cross burnings and I'd like to arrange one for you.'' From 
February through April, nearly 300 books in the library of Cleveland 
State University in Ohio were defaced with hate stickers incorporating 
Nazi themes.
  The ADL's report did contain some positive information, however. The 
number of arrests made in connection with anti-Semitic crimes more than 
doubled from the 1993 total. This may be attributable in part to the 
growing impact of State and Federal hate crime legislation and improved 
hate crime training programs for law enforcement officials. For 
example, Colorado law enforcement agencies recently brought charges, 
resulting from an 8-month investigation into Denver-area hate groups, 
against 21 young adults, ages ranging from 19 to 26, who were members 
of white supremist and skinhead organizations.
  [[Page S3543]] In closing, I again want to commend the ADL for its 
outstanding and important work.


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