Home-grown terrorismWhite House needs clear action plan in wake of Charlottesville: ADL

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called on President Donald Trump to follow up his words on Monday with a strong plan of action that will ensure the kind of white supremacist violence and anti-Semitic and racist incitement witnessed in Charlottesville will not happen again.

In Monday’s remarks from the White House, Trump denounced the haters and white supremacists involved in the violence in Charlottesville, and called out the tragic loss of life that came about as a result of the so-called “Unite the Right” rally. The ADL notes that his statement came two days after the events, and after a disappointing initial reaction from the president that seemed to equate the haters with counter protesters.

“This is a moment when we desperately need leadership,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “But I think we should expect our leader in the highest office in the land to step above the lowest possible bar. Statements are not sufficient at this stage in the game. We need to move from words to action. The threat is not over. The hate groups are feeling emboldened and are already organizing a number of other rallies. The President needs to engage broadly, with leaders in Congress and others in the civil rights community, to execute a plan to stop the threat of further violence.”

Among the displays of hate witnessed during the Charlottesville rally were anti-Semitic chants such as “Jews will not replace us!” and “Sieg Heil,” people bearing torches marching through the town doing “Heil Hitler” salutes; swastikas, and confederate flags carried side by side by racists; and chants of “Blood and Soil,” which are ripped directly from Nazi-era slogans.

ADL has reported extensively on right-wing extremism and the rise of the alt-right. The ADL says that Friday’s killing in Charlottesville was the latest in a long string of murders tied to right wing extremism and domestic terrorism.