A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF TOLERANCE

Executive Council Resolution
A Statement in Support of Tolerance
Adopted May 16, 2002

At its meeting in February 2002, the AFT executive council passed a resolution, "On the Events of September 11th and the War Against Terror." An important part of that resolution dealt with support for tolerance and against racial, religious and ethnic hatred.

Specifically, that resolution states:

"we must note that respect for differences--racial, religious and ethnic--is one of the key values that the terrorists sought to destroy on September 11^th. Thus, the recent acts of violence and discrimination against Arab and Muslim Americans across the U.S. are an absolute betrayal of all those who have fought and died to secure and defend our freedom and our values."

We will continue to strongly support the rights of Arabs and Muslims and to vigorously speak out against any acts of violence and discrimination against them. Based on these same principles, the AFT has an equal responsibility to speak out against the current onslaught of anti-Semitic behavior.

Israel has been subjected to inflammatory and inaccurate statements. We abhor the statement in the official Saudi newspaper that Jews use the blood of young Christians and Muslims for religious pastries! We note and condemn incidents of attacks on Jewish communities in Western Europe. Synagogues have become targets of gasoline bombs and stones in France's big cities. Anti-Semitic attacks have increased markedly in Belgium. A truck full of explosives recently killed 15 people outside of a synagogue in Tunisia. Yemeni preachers have demanded that the country's Jewish citizens be stripped of their nationality. The state-sponsored newspaper in Eqypt, Al-Akhbar, expressed, "Thanks to Hitler, of blessed memory, who on behalf of Palestinians, revenged in advance, against the most vile criminals on the face of the earth."

In keeping with the declaration of February 2002 and in light of the acts and statements of anti-Semitism in the United States, Europe and many Asian countries' and particularly in Middle Eastern countries--the AFT executive council reiterates its unequivocal opposition to statements and acts of anti-Semitism as anathema to the ideals of our union.

We note the right of Israel, the only democratic state in that part of the world, to defend itself. We reiterate our belief in the right of the Israelis to live in peace within secure borders in the Middle East, and we condemn all acts and statements that suggest that Jews are part of a grand international conspiracy such as is found in the infamous, libelous and anti-Semitic "Protocols of the Elders of Zion."

The AFT has a long history of speaking out against ethnic, religious and racial hatred and we rededicate ourselves to continue the fight against such heinous actions--both for our Israeli brothers and sisters as well as our Arab and Muslim brothers and sisters. As workers, as trade unionists, and as educators, we can do no less.