Alliance hate messages spark concern
ALLIANCE – Many community members have called for increased dialogue about social justice since hate messages were discovered spray-painted in several areas downtown in July.
No arrests have been made in connection to the incidents, but police have said they believe the acts were the work of juveniles.
Another racially motivated act was perpetrated Aug. 12 when Alliance Police and officials at the YWCA of Alliance say a surveillance camera captured a male cutting down a banner that read “Hate has no place here” from a YWCA staircase.
The male, as seen in still photos taken from the video, was wearing an arm band with a swastika as he slashed the sign with a knife after cutting it down.
Police say no arrests have been made, and that the case remains under investigation.
Alliance City Council is exploring different options for prosecuting hate crimes and vandalism. Councilwoman Sheila Cherry, D-1, has expressed a desire for stronger laws that hold parents accountable in instances where children perpetrate such crimes.
City Council's Safety and Judiciary Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Alliance Area Senior Center, 602 W. Vine St., to review sample policies regarding curfews, graffiti, hate crimes and parental accountability. The purpose of the special meeting will be to determine their applicability with the codified ordinances of the City of Alliance.
The meeting is open to the public, and was moved to the center so a larger crowd can be on hand for the discussion.
With an increase in discussions about inclusion and diversity in the community, children might be coming to parents and caregivers with questions about differences in race and religion.
Sarah Torok-gerard, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Mount Union, said it's important for people to engage in conversation about these topics because they force us
to understand the ramifications of discrimination and prejudice.
“Having discussions around issues like racism, like sexism, like sexual orientation and gender identity are imperative so that kids can understand what they actually are and what the real-life implications are for different groups of oppressed people,” she said.
Torok-gerard teaches a course at Mount Union called “Psychology of Prejudice and Power,” which explores group dynamics and how stereotypes form.
Although these topics are complex, there are many ways parents can break them down to help their children understand.
Use tangible terms
Helping children understand discrimination requires parents and caregivers to put the issue into terms they understand, Torok-gerard said.
She cited educator Jane Elliot's famous Blue Eye/brown Eye exercise as an example of how to make children understand the effects of discrimination. In the experiment, Elliot, who was a thirdgrade teacher, told her students that
people with blue eyes were better than those with brown eyes and gave them preferential treatment. On the second day, she reversed the experiment and said people with brown eyes are superior.
“She's giving the kids an experience of what it's like to be made fun of or oppressed on the basis of an arbitrary physical characteristic,” Torok-gerard said. “Now I'm not saying pick on your kid if they have blue eyes or anything like that, but being able to put things into tangible terms for younger kids especially (...) is going to be beneficial to them.”
Coach
Parents can also help their children understand the importance of tolerance by consistently pushing them to be accepting, said Aaron Howell, an assistant professor at Mount Union who studies urban sociology.
“We put them in a lot of situations where they're coached to compete. We put them in a lot of situations where we assess them and think of where they are on certain academic or social and emotional levels, but we may not spend as much time pushing these more collective goals,” Howell said.
Lead by example
A parent's attitudes and actions can have a significant effect on their children, Torok-gerard said, and children often will replicate their parents' behavior.
“We have to demonstrate acceptance and tolerance of people from other groups as well through our own interactions and reactions to them,” she said.
Additionally, Torok-gerard said it's crucial that parents be open to having conversations about these subjects so their children can have an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings. This will help parents get a better sense of how their children perceive different groups, she said.
Meet different people
Introducing children to people who are different in terms of race or religion can help them see the value of tolerance, Torok-gerard said. This will show them that although there may be differences between themselves and others, there are also many similarities.
“(It's important) really trying to expose them to that so they can see ‘There are certain things about this person that are just like me,'” she said.
Consult resources
Parents and educators can also consult books and online resources to help their children learn more about these topics and find real-life examples of how prejudice and discrimination can affect people's lives.
Howell said many libraries, including Mount Union's, have put together reference lists of books about racial injustice that people can use as a starting point.
“If the situation means you're learning just as much as your child in that moment, that's a good thing,” he said.
Torok-gerard also suggested using websites such as the Zinn Education Project, which provides lesson plans and articles about the history of the U.S.
Reach Paige at 330-580-8577 or pmbennett@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @paigembenn.