By Dan Murphy
Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah recently penned an editorial for USA Today which talks about how we all need to fight hatred and bigotry. Her words point to a story we recently wrote about, when I poll found that 45% of Americans believe we are headed towards another Civil War.
We agree with Rocah and do not agree with the poll. Let’s stop a Civil War before it happens.
“My father and his parents narrowly escaped the Holocaust. This is something I talk about frequently — not only because I feel compelled to share their remarkable story of survival, but because the Holocaust must stand as a reminder of the violence that can come from hate, disinformation, and dehumanizing people. The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was a stark warning that we need to fight this hatred and bigotry now, before it escalates into a cancer we can’t contain,” writes Rocah.
DA Rocah, and her family’s personal story, give us confidence in her ability to prosecute hate regardless of political party. “Local prosecutors like me have a unique responsibility to prosecute hate crimes and to advance initiatives that will reduce the proliferation of hate and increase feelings of security in our communities. ..Hate crimes often go underreported. Victims might not report acts that targeted them due to feelings of shame or out of fear that reporting will require them to reveal their immigration status. Even when they are reported, these are difficult crimes to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.”
We recently uncovered acts of anti-Semitism in a Westchester Town department of public works. The allegation made by a Jewish employee, date back to 2008, and who had to continue to hear “a continuous barrage of anti-Semitic remarks.”
Unfortunately, we still see Swastikas and hate crimes in Westchester in 2021. Rocah writes, “Local authorities across the country must demonstrate their commitment to ensuring that everyone in their communities feels safe. We all must recognize the severity of this moment with our actions, not just our words.”
