Wanted: One Standard to Identify American Hate Groups

By Richard H. Curtiss

The American public has different standards for dealing with advocacy groups and hate groups, and so do the American media. If a group honestly expresses a deeply held opinion, the public expects the media to interview its leaders, report their statements, and explain their goals so that these can be judged on their merits.

If, on the other hand, the group attributes economic or social problems to innocent people of a particular racial, ethnic, or religious persuasion, or gratuitously imputes evil or anti-social motives to them, the public expects the media to withhold from the group's leaders the exposure they need to set Americans against each other.

What Constitutes a Hate Group?

It is important, therefore, that Americans agree upon the definition of a hate group. Suppose a hypothetical "Brotherhood Bond, Inc." circulates a fund-raising letter that reads: "Dear Friend of BBI:

"Every day we are subjected to a deluge of anti-American propaganda and even more alarming is the fact that that much of this propaganda is directed at the most impressionable of all possible groups—our young students on college campuses across America...

"This is a deliberate and well-organized campaign to undermine the basic beliefs and values of our young people—our children and grandchildren. The Jewish presence on the college campus is poisoning the minds of our young people...

"Fortunately, there is another presence on campuses throughout America ... And while Jewish money is pouring into college campuses all over the United States, BBI is there to combat the attack upon Christian tradition and culture...

"I am writing to you not only in my capacity as President of BBI, but as one American Christian to another. We must join forces and attack the evil. We must support and defend the real HOPE of the Christian people—OUR CHILDREN, OUR YOUTH. The Jews know that to be true, as evidenced by their activity on our college campuses...

"Join us in the fight against the forces that attack our Christian heritage. With your help, BBI will continue to work against the cults, the anti-Americanism, the Jewish influence, and the dissolution of Christian tradition and culture. When you help us, you can be sure that your tax-deductible gift will be put to immediate and effective use, so please don't put my letter aside intending to make a gift later. We need your help now ... (Signed) Spencer D. Rich, President, Brotherhood Bond, Inc."

By American standards that's not a tract from an advocacy group, but rather from a hate group. Journalists would decline to amplify its religious and racial poison. Most people would question its federal tax exemption.

Does a Double Standard Exist?

This, however, is not a hypothetical situation. Substitute "anti-Semitism" for "anti-Americanism," "Arab" for "Jew" and "Jewish," and "Judaism" for "Christianity," and you have actual excerpts from a fund-raising letter mailed recently by B'nai B'rith International's President Seymour Reich, the recently elected president of the Council of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Here are the excerpts from Reich's letter:

"Every day we are subjected to a deluge of anti-Semitic propaganda and even more alarming is the fact that much of this propaganda is directed at the most impressionable of all possible groups—our young students on college campuses across America...

"This is a deliberate and well-organized campaign to undermine the basic beliefs and values of our young people—our children and grandchildren. The Arab presence on the college campus is poisoning the minds of our young people...

"Fortunately there is another presence on campuses throughout America ... And while Arab money is pouring into college campuses all over the United States, B'nai B'rith Hillel is there to combat the attack upon Jewish tradition and culture...

"I am writing to you not only in my capacity as President of B'nai B'rith International, but as one American Jew to another. We must join forces and attack the evil. We must support and defend the real HOPE of the Jewish people-OUR CHILDREN, OUR YOUTH. The Arabs know that to be true, as evidenced by their activity on our college campuses...

"Join us in the fight against forces that attack our Jewish heritage. With your help B'nai B'rith will continue to work against the cults, the anti-Semitism, the Arab influence, and the dissolution of Jewish tradition and culture. When you help us, you can be sure that your tax-deductible gift will be put to immediate and effective use, so please don't put my letter aside intending to make a gift later. We need your help now. (Signed) Seymour D. Reich, President, B'nai B'rith International."

So, will Americans label B'nai B'rith a hate group? Will the federal tax exemption on donations in support of its activities be rescinded? Will the media shun Seymour Reich?

The answer to all three questions, of course, is no. When the Middle East is involved, Americans apply a totally different standard. It's called the double standard.

Richard H. Curtiss, a retired Foreign Service information officer, is chief editor of the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.