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By Lisa Scott

Since 2015, Christians, Jews and Muslims have come together in dialogue as Abrahams Table of Long Island, seeking understanding, solidarity and common purpose. Recently 100 people attended If You See Something, Say Something Confronting Hate on Long Island Today.

Speakers shared personal stories of how hatred is on the rise, intensifying and escalating here on Long Island. League of Women Voters representatives shared a table with Catholic nuns and Protestant clergy, and we met many social justice group members as well as concerned individuals.

The Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center and the Turkish Cultural Center provided an Iftar dinner breaking the Muslim Ramadan fast for all attending. The speakers reflected this diversity, teaching us that hate knows no bounds and will continue to grow unless each of us takes responsibility and speaks out. Whether or not you identify with an organized religion, the words and experiences shared that evening should move each of us to connect, speak, witness, protest and advocate.

There were calls to action regarding rising hate against Jewish, Black, Latinx, Muslim, Asian and LGBTQ+ people in our communities. Eric Post, LI Director of the American Jewish Committee, noted that Jews are two percent of the American population yet (according to the Suffolk County Police) 61% of hate incidents overall were anti-Semitic and 93.5% of religious hate crimes were anti-Semitic in nature. He then introduced a young Jewish man who suffered a violent assault in Manhattan who spoke of the attack and subsequent trauma.

Tracey Edwards, Long Island Regional Director of the NAACP NYS Conference, said that Long Island has two problems. Residents are reluctant to report hate crimes, and when they do the police departments and district attorneys make a predetermination of intent before they do a proper investigation and charge a hate crime. Thus hate crime data is reported as down or not counted on Long Island while national data shows an increase across the country. We cannot fix the problem if we dont acknowledge that we have a problem.

On a personal level, David Kilmnick of the LGBT Network of Long Island reported a decade of hate letters and threats to the police for investigation, but the FBI was kept unaware during those years. Jocelo Lucero, who has presented programs to thousands of Long Island students, spoke against hate crimes and for tolerance. He is the brother of Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero who in 2008 was fatally stabbed in Patchogue after he and a friend were surrounded by seven teenagers who had gone out looking to attack Latinos; a bias crime that drew national attention to Suffolk County.

Also presenting were Dr. Isma Chaudhry of the Islamic Center of Long Island and Soh Young Lee-Segredo of the Asian Pacific American Council of Educators.

Hate is real and hate crimes are growing whether we hear about them or not, yet all of us are to some degree complicit in tolerating a climate of hate in our communities. Passivity and words and racist jokes have been seeds of violence and even genocide through the centuries. Social conditions give rise to hate, such as the need to scapegoat or blame the other people who look or speak or worship or think or act different for our social and personal troubles.

Economic downturns and inflation; COVIDs myriad effects on health, emotional well-being, and family cohesion; massive migrations of people fleeing violence all over the world; misinformation and magnification of perceived threats to long-held beliefs and values; a personal sense of danger due to increased crime and the prevalence of gun violence; falling status and insecurity leading to feelings of less worthy people taking our place; all are contributing factors to the rise of hate in 2022. Silence is not an option.

Connect with a stranger; teach and live diversity, equity and inclusion in your families, schools, congregations, workplaces and communities; speak up when you hear hateful speech; report acts of hate to school officials or police; demand that government enact laws and policies to stop hate; support organizations that work against hate; participate in public vigils and rallies to protest hate and write letters to the editor that condemn acts of hate on Long Island.

Thanks to Richard Koubek, Chair of Abrahams Table of LI,www.abrahamstableli.org, and to his Steering Committee and program presenters for guidance, inspiration, witness and work. Lets all actively combat hate now the next generation deserves no less.

Lisa Scott is president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit https://my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-countyor call 631-862-6860.

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Making Democracy Work: Confronting rising acts of hatred on Long Island - TBR News Media

Nigeria celebrates Democracy Day as a national holiday. The day commemorates the commencement of the longest continuous civilian rule since Nigeria's independence from the colonial authority in 1960 when the military handed over power to an elected civilian government in 1999. It is observed every year on June 12th. Importantly, sending your countrymen and loved ones happy Democracy Day wishes is a great way of marking the day.

Send one of these lovely happy Democracy Day wishes and quotes that will make your fellow citizens smile and remind them of the long history behind this unique day. You can also include photos with Democracy Day quotations to share with them.

As a patriotic Nigerian, there is no better way to celebrate this holiday than by wishing your fellow countrymen a happy Democracy Day. As you celebrate this lovely day, here are some of the best wishes you may offer to your family, friends, and coworkers.

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Democracy Day is one of the essential festive seasons to remember as wonderful, passionate, and patriotic citizens. Here are some cute messages to share with your fellow people as you celebrate another year of democratic governance.

A happy life is completely free, and you should make every effort to live it. It is also your responsibility to protect your ecosystem. Here are some inspiring words to share during Democracy Day in Nigeria.

Every year, Nigeria celebrates Democracy Day, a public holiday that commemorates the country's return to democracy. The event that is currently observed every year occurred in 1999 when Olusegun Obasanjo was democratically elected the President of Nigeria, ending the country's decades-long military rule.

Democracy Day is celebrated on June 12th every year.

You can send your family and friends the above Happy Democracy Day wishes and quotes. Sharing messages is an important aspect of remembering your past and educating future generations about your countrymen's struggles.

READ ALSO: WAEC recruitment in 2022: portal, how to apply, vacancies, closing date

Legit.ng recently published a post about WAEC recruitment in 2022, including how to apply, vacancies, deadlines, and more. The West African Examinations Council has grown to become one of the largest and most well-known exams in West Africa since its establishment.

Qualified applicants are invited to apply for available positions at the Nigeria National Office. Check out this post for information on how to apply and all of the open positions.

Source: Legit.ng

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50+ Happy Democracy Day wishes to send to your friends and family - Legit.ng

Although a welcome development, the recent US and European escalation of arms shipments to Ukraine is insufficient to curb Russian President Vladimir Putins designs on expanding illiberalism.

Thats because the Kremlin isnt alone: Both Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping view the expansion of democracy as a threat to their grip on power and key to the advancement of US and allied influence around the world. Disrupting democracy and strengthening authoritarianism globally are therefore central elements of their strategic competition with the United States.

Before Putins brazen invasion of Ukraine, both he and Xi had long recognized that interference in open societies to advantage illiberal friends is preferable to and far less costly than military invasion. There is no shortage of examples: In Ethiopia and Kenya, for instance, Beijing has invested in training the ruling parties on the same strategies and tactics the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses to stay in power. It has also poured money into countries such as Cambodia and Serbia without demanding progress on human rights or democratic development, reinforcing authoritarian trends there. For its part, Russia actively uses a range of online information operations to advantage illiberal populist allies abroadfrom bolstering euroskeptic actors in the Netherlands to promoting a Kremlin-friendly narrative in government-controlled media in Hungary.

Chinese and Russian efforts to undermine democratic institutions and bolster illiberal leaders also frequently complement one another.Russian disinformation campaigns and efforts to exacerbate societal divides are often more effective in countries that are increasingly dependent on Chinese investment and convinced by its promotion of an authoritarian development model. While these efforts are typically undertaken independently, there is mounting evidence of coordination, particularly on propaganda and disinformation.

The Kremlins evident failings in Ukraine will likely spark fear among among Putin, Xi, and their elite support networks that this could snowball into more democratic successes in their neighborhoods. As this perceived threat escalates, so too will the dedication among the leaders of Russia and China to advance illiberalism and undercut democratic movements. Beyond its immediate periphery, Beijings protection of its expanding global interests will increasingly result in efforts to prevent inconvenient political transitions.Its recent deal with the Solomon Islands allowing it to send security forces to assist in maintaining social order is only a harbinger of things to come. Meanwhile, Russias war has injected new life into the NATO alliance and broader transatlantic relationship.

The United States needs to strike while the iron is hot to establish deeper collaboration with allies to shore up democracy. There are two steps that can keep the West ahead of Putin and Xi as they shift their promotion of authoritarianism into overdrive.

First, the United States must secure the resources necessary to protect democracy from Beijing and Moscowin Eastern Europe and beyond. While President Joe Bidens proposed fiscal year 2023 budget rightfully includes increases for the Pentagon (bringing its budget to $773 billion) to enable US armed forces to address simultaneous threats from China and Russia, the challenge from Moscow and Beijing is not a unidimensional military one. From Ukraine to Taiwan, Central African Republic to El Salvador, Putin and Xi use a multiplicity of political, economic, and diplomatic tactics to exert influence and undermine fledgling and established democracies.

Democracy has not faced as significant a challenge from expansionist authoritarianism in decadesyet the US budget to protect and promote democracy by non-military means is a mere $3.2 billion, or less than one-quarter of the cost of a single aircraft carrier.

Congress must address this discrepancy between todays threat profile and the resources at the disposal of the United States. Swiftly passing legislation such as the bipartisan Democracy in the 21st Century Act, introduced late last year by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Chris Coons (D-DE), would be a good place to start: The bill provides forty million dollars to a Fund to Defend Democracy Globally. These modest funds could go a long way toward girding vulnerable democracies against adversaries attempts to undermine institutions, discredit elections, spread disinformation, and co-opt elites.

Second, the United States also must capitalize on Europes newfound recognition of the protracted contest it faces with both Russia and China, having watched Beijings craven response to the tragedy in Ukraine. They must collectively amplify a powerful allied narrative about the need to protect democracy and punish adversaries who seek to undermine it. This is essential at a time when Beijing is trying to redefine the very meaning of democracy, claiming the concept as its own while gleefully cataloging the failures of US democracy and promoting its own repressive system of governance.

The United States has done well to rally European and key Asian allies against Russia, bringing them together to levy sanctions, transfer arms, and present a joint diplomatic front. This same grouping can do more to support and fund democratic activists and critical journalists working to expose opaque deals between their own governments and the CCP and the Kremlin. Electoral processes, the lifeblood of any democracy, must also be shored up against Russian and Chinese interference and corruption.

Democratic allies also need stronger partnerships with platforms and regulators to share best practices on combating disinformation. Chinas brazen campaign amplifying Russian lies about the horrors unfolding in Ukraine underscores their joint challenge to the global information ecosystem.

To achieve maximum strategic impact ahead of an expected uptick in authoritarian pressure on democracies, developed democracies must play to their strengths. The United States and its allies should together determine how national aid agencies, diplomats, development finance institutions, and democracy promotion and civil society organizations can combine forces and split responsibilities to bolster critical institutions and democratic actors in countries targeted by China and Russia.

To its credit, the Biden administration has updated the shopworn sanctions playbook by going bigtargeting Russias foreign currency reserves, for instancerather than using the meager measures deployed after Putins annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas in 2014. The United States should build on this by exploring forceful penalties other than sanctions that are sufficiently consequential to alter the behavior of adversaries.

At the moment, Russia and China are employing the equivalent of hypersonic weapons to undermine democratic processes, while the United States and its allies are fighting with something akin to Cold War-era rifles. To defeat Putin and confront the long-term challenge both he and Xi pose together, the democracies of the world need to arm Ukraine but also redouble their arsenal in support of democracy.

Patrick W. Quirk is senior director for strategy and research at the International Republican Institute and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. Previously, he served on the US Secretary of States policy planning staff.

David O. Shullman is senior director of the Global China Hub at the Atlantic Council. Previously, he served as deputy national intelligence officer for East Asia on the National Intelligence Council.

Image: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold talks in Beijing, China, on Friday Feb 4, 2022. Photo by Eyepress via REUTERS

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Putin and Xi are accelerating their push against democracy. Here's how the US can fight back. - Atlantic Council

Gretchen A. Peck

Gretchen A. Peck | for Editor & Publisher

The Washington Posts newsroom is well-experienced at deep-diving journalism and covering news of national significance. Still, this year, The Post is making a significant investment in telling the story of America in this precarious moment when democracy itself seems under assault. The Washington Post hopes to begin telling that story with meaningful coverage of states where there's an erosion in trust related to elections, and the very right to vote is being challenged.

Managing Editor Steven Ginsberg, Deputy National Editor Philip Rucker and National Editor Matea Gold introduced the Washington Posts Democracy Team in mid-February 2022. Gold spoke with Editor & Publisher (E&P) via video conference in early April to expound on the initiative and how the team is coming together.

National Editor Matea Gold seen here with her colleague Deputy National Editor Philip Rucker introduced The Washington Posts Democracy Team in mid-February 2022. (Photo courtesy of The Washington Post)

The idea for this team grew out of our coverage of the 2020 campaign and then what ensued in 2021, Matea Gold told E&P. I was running our voting coverage and our political investigations team at the time. We put together sort of a precursor to this team really, a group of reporters around the room who we aimed at the question of how voting would work in the pandemic.

They actually ended up covering a long-running effort to subvert the results of the 2020 election, and as we documented and mapped what followed, throughout 2021, we realized that this was an ongoing story that was going to be something we needed to bring sustained resources to cover it, because theres now such a widespread sense of distrust spread across the country and in many communities, about whether our elections are freely and fairly held, she continued. People are questioning whether they have fair access to the ballot. People are questioning whether results are fairly counted. And we feel that its part of The Posts public service mission to document this in an authoritative and revelatory way.

Peter Wallsten, senior national investigations editor, will lead the Democracy Team. (Photo courtesy of The Washington Post)

The plan is to deploy journalists to three initial posts, covering Georgia, Arizona and the upper Midwest. Those journalists will be the boots on the ground, reporting on the local, state and regional perspectives, but theyll also collaborate with The Washington Posts investigative journalists for national context. Politics Editor Peter Wallsten will lead the Democracy Team.

Its very important to us that the news and developments of whats happening on the ground informs our bigger thematic stories, Gold said. We want the reporters who are experts and deeply sourced in those communities to be surfacing the pieces and the trends that we want to write about in a big way.

One of the first state-based journalists to be named to the team is Matt Brown, who will cover Georgia. Brown is himself a Georgia native, and before joining the Democracy Team in late March, Brown reported for USA Today, where he was a White House correspondent. He has experience covering issues of national importance, including misinformation, conspiracies and social and racial justice protests.

In addition to Matt Brown in Georgia, Griff Witte was appointed editor of the Democracy Team on April 19.

One of the things we want to do is make sure that theres kind of a constant interplay and collaboration between the reporters based in the states and reporters who are covering this as part of a 30,000-foot elevation, Gold explained.

In a mid-term year, voting and elections are at top-of-mind for the team, but the coverage and the team itself may grow.

Democracy is a very broad term, Gold acknowledged. These reporters are going to be examining and documenting and digging into changes to voting laws across the country how the rules of ballot access are being shaped by different advocacy groups, and how theres a growing divide in our country about your experience of voting, depending on geography. And then well also have a big focus on election administration, which is an aspect of coverage that news organizations, I don't think, had ever historically spent much time on because it usually was so non-controversial. But we have seen such a sustained effort to sow doubt about whether votes are being counted accurately.

Another area the team will explore public distrust.

We really want to tell illuminating stories that help people understand what it means if you lose faith in the idea that your elected representatives were actually elected and fairly? What does it mean for your belief in your government, Gold said. And what does it mean for those public officials who are facing this level of doubt? Those are the three main areas of coverage, but I imagine we will go in lots of different directions, depending on how the story unfolds.

Another question the team will explore is why America is so polarized and how that political division seeps into voting, election lobbying and legislation.

One of the things I hear from readers all the time is a real sense of questioning the direction the country is taking because they don't recognize each other. Whether youre in a red or a blue state, I hear that from people all across the political spectrum, and the mission I laid out for the national staff this year is that we have a real responsibility to explain America to itself at this moment, Gold said.

We really need to understand what the fissures are dividing us and how can we bring a sense of illumination and understanding to some of the big issues that are reshaping how we live our lives and how we believe our system of governance should work, she suggested. And, so, the story of democracy is a much bigger story. Its a story of America at this moment.

Gretchen A. Peck is a contributing editor to Editor & Publisher. She's reported for E&P since 2010 and welcomes comments at gretchenapeck@gmail.com.

Link:
The Washington Post deploys Democracy Team: State-based reporters to collaborate with national journalists to cover elections, voting rights and other...

Hillary Rodham Clinton:

I think a lot of Americans just took for granted that, despite opposition to reproductive choice, it would not go away. There was a complacency, an acceptance.

I remember, during the 2016 campaign, I gave speeches about this. I talked about the dangers that would be posed to this right and other rights if my opponent were elected, because of the promises that he'd made to the extreme factions within the Republican Party.

And, honestly, Judy, people didn't believe me. They their attitude was, oh, that sounds really farfetched. That will never happen.

So, oftentimes, in politics, the entrenched status quo position is just not as vigorously defended as the opposition position. And so those who wanted to overturn Roe, those who wanted to turn the clock back were very motivated. And those who said, oh, well, that's settled law, including people sitting on the court who are going to vote on this decision, when asked in their confirmation hearings, gave every reason to reassure the American public.

Oh, no there's such a thing called stare decisis or, yes, I follow precedent.

Either they have had some kind of brain change, or they were deliberately misleading the American people. So, yes, the energy was on the side to overturn. Now I hope that energy will shift to the side of those of us who want to protect the progress we have made.

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Hillary Clinton on war in Ukraine, democracy and Roe v. Wade - PBS NewsHour