Benjamin Smith's repulsive ideology, learned from Matt Hale's Peoria-based World Church of the Creator, and violent actions that stemmed from it, left two dead and nine wounded, including my neighbor, Ricky Byrdsong. To begin with, we must acknowledge the problem.
American society is faced with unprecedented population diversity.
By 2035, researchers say, Caucasians are expected to be a minority group in this country. This demographic change fuels the paranoia of racist hate groups, who are now taking full advantage of the Internet to recruit and propagandize in increasingly sophisticated ways. The level of violence in our society, and particularly the frightening rise of armed violence in our schools, demonstrates that being reactive is not enough. Our schools have a proactive role to play against hatred and in favor of tolerance and respect. Prejudice reduction and conflict-resolution programs, such as the American Jewish Committee's Hands Across the Campus , can help schools cope successfully with diverse faculties and student bodies, and develop effective mechanisms to promote tolerance and conflict resolution.