Ten years ago, a misogynist incel declared “war on women” before embarking on a deadly rampage in the beachside community of Isla Vista, California. On the evening of May 23, 2014, Elliot Rodger stabbed his two housemates and their friend to death before traveling to his ultimate target: a UC Santa Barbara sorority house. In his manifesto, he wrote that these women “represent everything I hate in the female gender.”
Amid ongoing campus protests advocating for a cease-fire in Gaza, a concerning trend has emerged: Right-wing activists, mainstream media, and politicians have begun to recycle decades-old antisemitic tropes to denounce the protests as inherently antisemitic.
The Holocaust stands as an indelible chapter in human history, characterized by unimaginable suffering, persecution and the systematic extermination of millions of people. It is a haunting reminder of the depths of human cruelty and the perils of unchecked racism and discrimination.
America is in the grip of a gun violence epidemic. On average, American young people know at least one person who has been injured or killed by a gun, according to a 2024 report from SPLC, Everytown for Gun Safety, and the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL). Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows “firearm injuries were the leading cause of death among children and teens” in the U.S. in 2020 and 2021. Research also shows gun violence in the United States disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ people.
On Feb. 20, the anti-LGBTQ+ hate group Family Research Council (FRC) released a report it claimed showed an increase in “acts of hostility” at U.S. churches in 2023. Public comments by the group’s president, Tony Perkins, since the release suggest FRC is using attacks on LGBTQ+ and Black Christians to pad its claims about liberal policy threats to “religious freedom.” Despite attacks on LGBTQ+-affirming churches representing nearly 20% of the total incidents documented by FRC, Perkins and others at FRC have cited the report as evidence that LGBTQ+ civil rights policies are threatening Christians’ safety in their houses of worship.
The International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF Summit) held annually in Washington, D.C., is a gathering of advocates and policymakers concerned with freedom of religion or belief (FORB). According to the IRF Summit website, part of the conference mission is to “highlight the personal testimonies of survivors of religious persecution and restrictions on religious freedom.”
A distressing recent surge in antisemitism in the U.S. has included the dissemination of prejudicial tropes by mainstream politicians, the misguided invocation of Adolf Hitler by groups claiming parental rights, and acts of intimidation and terror targeting specific populations. This makes commemorating Saturday’s Holocaust Remembrance Day important not only to honor the memory of the millions who died, but also to educate present and future generations about the atrocities of the Holocaust and how and why it happened.
Ron DeSantis has used his power as Florida governor to intimidate voters, influence elections, threaten immigrants and attack those that advocate for causes he opposes, such as LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance. He even picked a fight with Disney World. He has also positioned himself as the standard bearer for the right wing’s “war on woke,” which is the concept of having an awareness of social injustices and fighting for equity.
Last week, House Republicans elected Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana as Speaker of the House. Johnson brings to the office some of the most extreme hard-right views in Congress on immigration and LGBTQ+ rights.
As school boards and state legislatures across the country work to suppress inclusive education and student diversity, student groups are assembling to protect their rights to learn and exist in schools and communities.
