Description: Hope Kelly reports on an increase in the incidence of anti-Semitic incidents in Massachusetts, some of which may have been provoked by the Persian Gulf War. Interview with Sally Greenberg an attorney at the Anti-Defamation League. She says that the incidents include threats, assaults, and beatings, and age-old stereotypes of Jews are being resurrected by Holocaust revisionists, Ku Klux Klan members and others. Kelly reviews statistics for hate crimes against various racial and ethnic groups as well as against gays and lesbians in Boston. Kelly reports that hate crimes rose by 20% in Boston in 1990. Kelly's report is accompanied by footage of Fred Leuchter, Jr. (Holocaust revisionist) and David Duke (Louisiana politician) and by footage of anti-Semitic graffiti and flyers.
1:00:08: Visual: Shots of anti-semitic graffiti on a building. Hope Kelly reports that 1685 incidents of anti-semitism were reported in the US in 1990; that there were 250 more incidents in 1990 than there were in 1989. V: Footage of Sally Greenberg (attorney, Anti-Defamation League) being interviewed by Kelly. Greenberg says that the number of reported anti-semitic incidents has grown for the past four years. Greenberg says that Massachusetts has the fourth-highest rate of anti-semitic incidents and vandalism in the country. Kelly reports that Greenberg has worked for the Anti-Defamation League for five years. Kelly notes that law enforcement now tracks the incidents in a more thorough manner. Kelly adds that violent bigotry is common. V: Shot of a Boston Police cruiser pulling out of a parking lot. Shot of anti-semitic graffiti. Footage of Greenberg being interviewed by Kelly. Greenberg says that the 1685 incidents included threats, assaults and beatings. Greenberg says that age-old stereotypes about Jews are being resurrected by Holocaust revisionists, Ku Klux Klan members and others. Shot of Fred Leuchter, Jr. (Holocaust revisionist). Greenberg mentions Louis Farrakhan (leader, Nation of Islam) and David Duke (Louisiana politician and former Ku Klux Klan member). Greenberg says that Duke received 60% of the white vote when he ran for Senator in Louisiana; that Duke is a former Klan member who has cleaned up his image. Shots of Duke being sworn in as a state representative in Louisiana; of fellow representatives applauding. Footage of Duke from February of 1989. Duke says that he has put his past behind him; that his future actions will counteract any past acts of racism. Kelly reports that the Persian Gulf War has exacerbated the situation. V: Shots of US Army tanks during the Persian Gulf War. Shot of an anti-semitic flyer which reads, "Georgie's Jewish War." Footage of Greenberg being interviewed by Kelly. Greenberg says that the anti-semitic flyer was sent to someone at the Anti-Defamation League; that the flyer is signed by Adolph Hitler (former dictator of Germany). Greenberg says that the Persian Gulf War has provoked anti-semitic incidents. Kelly reports that anti-semitism can take many forms; that the city of Boston classifies acts of hate against any group as "hate crimes." Kelly reports that hate crimes rose by 20% in Boston in 1990. V: Shots from the window of a car of city streets at night. Kelly reports that the Boston Police Department reported 243 hate crimes in 1990. Kelly reports that African Americans were the victims of 82 hate crimes in 1990; that African Americans were the victims of 65 hate crimes in 1989. Kelly reports that Asian Americans were the victims of 39 hate crimes in 1990; that Asian Americans were the victims of 21 hate crimes in 1989. Kelly reports that Latinos were the victims of 38 hate crimes in 1990; that Latinos were the victims of 20 hate crimes in 1989. Kelly reports that the gay and lesbian community saw the largest increase in attacks from 1989 to 1990. Kelly notes that gays and lesbians were the victims of 39 hate crimes in 1990; that gays and lesbians were the victims of 13 hate crimes in 1989. Kelly reports that the white community saw a decrease in attacks from 1989 to 1990. Kelly notes that whites were the victims of 65 hate crimes in 1990; that whites were the victims of 83 hate crimes in 1989. V: On-screen text and visuals detail the hate crime statistics for each group. Footage of Greenberg being interviewed by Kelly. Greenberg says that society's level of tolerance for hate crimes is too high. Greenberg says that more people need to speak out against bigoted remarks and hate crimes. Shot of anti-semitic graffiti on a building.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/04/1991
Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports on the annual Black/Jewish Seder Supper at the Union United Methodist Church. Interviews with Leonard Zakim from the Anti-Defamation League, Charles Stith from the Union United Methodist Church, and Eric Karp from the Temple Ohabei Shalom about the importance of the Black/Jewish Seder supper. Zakim says that the supper celebrates the continuing struggle for freedom and civil rights on the part of both communities. Stith talks about the kinship between the two communities. Karp says that both communities have struggled against oppression. Interviews with attendees about the significance of the supper. Vaillancourt notes that this year's Seder supper falls on the eve of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: James Williams protests lack of minority faculty at MIT
1:00:07: Visual: Shot of the steeple of the Union United Methodist Church at dusk. Shots of the annual Black/Jewish Seder supper at the Union United Methodist Church. Shot of an African American woman and a white man speaking at the supper. A choir sings, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." Meg Vaillancourt reports that a group of local African Americans and Jews celebrated the Seder. V: Footage of Leonard Zakim (Anti-Defamation League) being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Zakim says that the supper celebrates the continuing struggle for freedom and civil rights. Footage of Charles Stith (Union United Methodist Church being interviewed. Stith says that society is polarized along racial lines; that the supper is an celebrates efforts to promote peaceful coexistence between groups of people. Stith says that the supper affirms the goals of Martin Luther King Jr. (civil rights leader). Vaillancourt reports that attendees gathered at the Union United Methodist Church) for the eleventh Black/Jewish Seder. V: Shots of attendees reading from a religious text. The attendees hold pieces of matzoh in their hands. Footage of Eric Karp (Temple Ohabei Shalom) being interviewed. Karp says that the Seder celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from oppression; that the African American community has fought a long battle against oppression. Karp says that the two communities can learn from one another. Footage of an African American woman being interviewed at the supper. The woman says that she is attending her first Seder; that the two communities are brought together through their belief in God. Footage of an older Jewish woman being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Vaillancourt asks what the two communities have in common. The woman says that the two communities share a lot of things including prejudice and hard times. Footage of an older African American woman being interviewed by Vaillancourt. The woman says that African Americans and Jews are treated the same way. Footage of a young Jewish boy being interviewed. The boy says that "prejudice stinks." Shots of attendees at the supper. Vaillancourt reports that the ceremony is Jewish; that the date is important to those involved in the civil rights struggle. Vaillancourt notes that King gave his last speech twenty-three years ago tonight; that King was murdered in Memphis on the following day. Vaillancourt stands outside of the room where the supper is held. Vaillancourt reports that the Passover meal is symbolic of the exodus from Egypt by the Israelites after 400 years of slavery. V: Footage of Stith being interviewed. Stith says that enslaved African Americans identified with the struggle of Moses and the people of Israel. Stith says that there is a theological kinship between the two communities. Footage from the Seder supper. A choir sings, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/03/1991