In June, I arrived in Washington, D.C., to represent ADL (Anti-Defamation League) at the National Urban League's annual conference. Standing at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial entrance on a balmy summer day amidst friends and partners, I was humbled. Looking out at the crowd of passionate activists around the country was a moving moment. 

When my turn came, I spoke of ADL's unwavering commitment to fight hate in all its forms. As a 110-year-old organization, ADL remains stalwart in honoring our founding mission: to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Yet, as intolerance has evolved and spread in recent years, it is all too clear that the fight is more urgent than ever. 

Over the last seven years, Americans have witnessed the increased normalization of racist, bigoted, extremist, and antisemitic rhetoric directed at marginalized communities, particularly Black Americans, AAPIs, American Jews, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Once relegated to the fringes of society, this rhetoric is creeping into the mainstream – and is particularly evident on the political right. This phenomenon gives hateful beliefs far broader reach, significantly increasing the likelihood that they will influence future bad actors. 

Unfortunately, much of this rhetoric is influenced by white supremacist ideology. White supremacy can inspire believers to employ violent action, as was the case in May 2022 when the Buffalo shooter targeted a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood. Before the attack, the shooter wrote that his goal was to "spread awareness to my fellow whites about the real problems the West is facing" and "encourage further attacks that will eventually start the war that will save the Western world." He also expressed hatred toward Jews, writing, "Jews are the biggest problem the Western world has ever had. They must be called out and killed; if they are lucky, they will be exiled..."

The Buffalo shooter was influenced by dangerous and false conspiracies such as the Great Replacement Theory, which alleges that people of color are "replacing" white people through immigration, birth rates, and other economic, social, and political means. While the theory is not new, it was given new life through prominent media personalities like Tucker Carlson and elected officials like Rep. Matt Gaetz and Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The widespread adoption and promotion of toxic conspiracy theories by mainstream politicians and TV personalities are key factors in mainstreaming extremism in the United States.

Along with extreme rhetoric, racist language reached disturbing levels of prominence throughout the 2022 midterm campaign. Numerous political ads targeted Black candidates with racist language. For example, in Wisconsin, Republicans ran an ad juxtaposing a photo of Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, who is Black, with images of three Democratic House members who are women of color alongside the words "different" and "dangerous." 

Emboldened by mainstreaming their ideologies, white supremacist groups have stepped up their activities. Groups such as White Lives Matter and the antisemitic Goyim Defense League work tirelessly to reach new audiences. They have engaged in thousands of incidents of public propaganda distribution in 2022 alone to provide non-extremists with steady exposure to their racist, antisemitic beliefs.

So where do we go from here? 

Those who hate aim to divide and isolate us. They seek to demonize and marginalize those they target. The antidote to hate and extremism must therefore be unity and collaboration. We are stronger and safer when we work in partnership. We at ADL are so grateful and honored to be in a trusted partnership with the National Urban League.

Addressing a pervasive and complex issue like hate requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. In 2022, the National Urban League and ADL launched new initiatives to address these rising threats and collaborate with multiple stakeholders to prevent and respond to extremism. In June 2022, we announced the launch of Project CODE (Collaborative Organizations to End Domestic Extremism), a new partnership bringing together two venerable civil rights organizations to fight the dire and deadly threats of domestic extremism and political violence. In September 2022, on the heels of the White House's United We Stand Summit - a convening our organizations jointly called for - ADL and National Urban League launched the Community Solidarity & Safety Coalition (CSSC), an alliance of non-governmental and non-partisan leaders that will work with faith groups and minority communities to collectively address critical safety issues, especially focused on communities that have been targeted by hate-fueled violence. 

Moreso than at any time in memory, America's democratic values and institutions—and civil rights protections—are being challenged. And while there is no one panacea to address the rising hate we face, we are taking action to meet the challenge and asking our partners, friends, and neighbors to join us. In 2023, we will continue to move forward, hand-in-hand, to ensure that we are pushing extremist and hateful rhetoric back to the fringes where it belongs while protecting our most vulnerable communities. We are stronger together, have work to do, and cannot do it alone.