Anti-bias educators worry hate attacks may rise

With the economy struggling and the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks less than a year off, anti-hate advocates and educators say they worry about a rise in attacks against not only Muslims but other groups including immigrants.

"We all know somebody who hates. We all know somebody who is hated," said Roberta Richin, executive director of the Council for Prejudice Reduction, a Suffolk County-based group that works with public schools to fight bias. "We all know somebody who hurts. We all know somebody who bullies."

On Monday, for the 18th straight year, the group hosted a conference to share practices on how to reduce hate attacks and racism.

"We know people are losing their lives - either taking their own, or taking someone else's" because of hate, racism or prejudice, Richin said at the conference at Stony Brook University's Wang Center. She said the issue was more important than ever.

About 150 people, many of them educators, some community activists, religious leaders and law enforcement officials attended the event.

Joel Block, executive director of the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center in Commack, said he recalled being pointed at or made fun of when he wore a yarmulke while growing up in Long Beach.

He said he came to the conference partly because of his children, ages 9 and 12. "I want to see them have a better future than I did," he said, adding that he is optimistic things will change for the better.

Itzel Nava, 17, and her sister, Emilia, 16, both Mexican immigrants and students at Southampton High School, said that while they've seen some improvement, racism persists on the East End, as evidenced by name-calling and the fact students self-segregate in the school's hallways and lunchroom.

"I just want to see it get better," Emilia said.

Sandra Dunn of the Port Washington-based Hagedorn Foundation, which addresses immigration issues among other topics, said she saw some hope with the forming of community groups such as one in Hampton Bays that is "trying to temper the debate on immigration."

Some people "are trying to make a change," Dunn said. "We just need more people doing that."