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| The '''Anti-Defamation League''' (or '''ADL''') of ] is an American organization |
The '''Anti-Defamation League''' (or '''ADL''') of ] is an American organization dedicated to fighting ], ], ] and bigotry through an array of programs and services. | ||
| The current director of ADL is ]. The national chair is ]. | With an annual budget of over $40 million, the ADL has 29 offices in the ] and 3 offices in other countries. The current director of ADL is ]. The national chair is ]. | ||
| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| ⚫ | Founded in October, ] by ], the ADL's charter stated "The immediate object of the League is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. Its ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizens." | ||
| Founded in October, ] by ], the ADL's charter stated: | |||
| The ADL has opposed anti-Semitism and racism from many groups and individuals, including the ], ], Father ], leader of the ], the ], the ] and the ]. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| The ADL has spoken out against red-baiting and ]. The ADL took a role in opposing the ] accusation that ] was racist, a position that virtually the entire Jewish community agreed was anti-Semitic. | |||
| The ADL has targeted a number of groups and individuals over its time for alleged anti-Semitism, with varying degrees of success. The ADL points to the following as examples of some of those who it has opposed: | |||
| ⚫ | On ] ] the ADL offices in ] and ] were raided by police. It was discovered that the ADL had copies of computer files on 12,000 Americans and more than 950 groups. Among those groups that were being tracked by the ADL were: ] (ANC), ] (ACLU), ], ], ], ], ]. | ||
| * The ] | |||
| * ]'s newspaper, ''The Dearborn Independant'' | |||
| * ], leader of the ] | |||
| * The ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| * The ] resolution saying that Zionism was racist | |||
| * The ] | |||
| * ] leader ] | |||
| ⚫ | The ADL began collecting these and other files in the ], which it describes as its "famous storehouse of accurate, detailed, unassailable information on extremist individuals and organizations". | ||
| ⚫ | On ] ] the ADL offices in ] and ] were raided by police. It was discovered that the ADL had copies of computer files on 12,000 Americans and more than 950 groups. Among those groups that were being tracked by the ADL were: | ||
| *] (ANC) | |||
| *] (ACLU) | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ⚫ | The ADL began collecting these and other files in the ], which it describes |
||
| == Arab and Muslim relations == | == Arab and Muslim relations == | ||
| Although the Anti-Defamation League has not worked together with ]-American and ]-American ] groups (owing to disagreement concerning the ]), the Anti-Defamation League has on numerous occasions publicly condemned slurs against ]. | Although the Anti-Defamation League has not worked together with ]-American and ]-American ] groups (owing to disagreement concerning the ]), the Anti-Defamation League has on numerous occasions publicly condemned slurs against ]. ADL publications on condemning bigotry towards Arabs, Muslims, blacks and members of other minorities have often been used in synagogue adult education programs, and as part of Jewish-Christian and Jewish-Muslim inter-faith dialogue. | ||
| The ADL website notes that: | The ADL website notes that: | ||
| :In the aftermath of the ], ] terrorist attacks against America, ADL has responded to numerous incidents of violence and harassment against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans and other individuals or groups that are perceived to be of ]ern descent. Our message is consistent and clear -- no one should be singled out for hatred, prejudice or blame based on their ethnicity or religion. American unity and democracy is founded on this important ideal. | :In the aftermath of the ], ] terrorist attacks against America, ADL has responded to numerous incidents of violence and harassment against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans and other individuals or groups that are perceived to be of ]ern descent. Our message is consistent and clear -- no one should be singled out for hatred, prejudice or blame based on their ethnicity or religion. American unity and democracy is founded on this important ideal. | ||
| == Black relations == | == Black-Jewish relations == | ||
| Historically, African-Americans and the ADL worked closely together in the civil rights struggle. Since the 1970s relations have been less smooth, owing to diverging opinions on a range of issues (including affirmative action, welfare, Israel and a range of other topics). | Historically, African-Americans and the ADL worked closely together in the civil rights struggle. Since the 1970s relations have been less smooth, owing to diverging opinions on a range of issues (including affirmative action, welfare, Israel and a range of other topics). | ||
Revision as of 21:03, 24 February 2003
The Anti-Defamation League (or ADL) of Bnai Brith is an American organization dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism, Anti-Zionism, racism and bigotry through an array of programs and services.
With an annual budget of over $40 million, the ADL has 29 offices in the USA and 3 offices in other countries. The current director of ADL is Abraham Foxman. The national chair is Howard Berkowitz.
History
Founded in October, 1913 by Sigmund Livingston, the ADL's charter stated "The immediate object of the League is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. Its ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizens."
The ADL has opposed anti-Semitism and racism from many groups and individuals, including the Ku Klux Klan, Henry Ford, Father Charles Coughlin, leader of the Christian Front, the German-American Bund, the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Nation of Islam.
The ADL has spoken out against red-baiting and McCarthyism. The ADL took a role in opposing the United Nations accusation that Zionism was racist, a position that virtually the entire Jewish community agreed was anti-Semitic.
On April 8 1993 the ADL offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles were raided by police. It was discovered that the ADL had copies of computer files on 12,000 Americans and more than 950 groups. Among those groups that were being tracked by the ADL were: African National Congress (ANC), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), United Auto Workers, ACT-UP, Mother Jones magazine, Greenpeace, National Lawyers Guild.
The ADL began collecting these and other files in the 1930s, which it describes as its "famous storehouse of accurate, detailed, unassailable information on extremist individuals and organizations".
Arab and Muslim relations
Although the Anti-Defamation League has not worked together with Arab-American and Muslim-American civil rights groups (owing to disagreement concerning the Israeli-Palestine conflict), the Anti-Defamation League has on numerous occasions publicly condemned slurs against Islam. ADL publications on condemning bigotry towards Arabs, Muslims, blacks and members of other minorities have often been used in synagogue adult education programs, and as part of Jewish-Christian and Jewish-Muslim inter-faith dialogue.
The ADL website notes that:
- In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against America, ADL has responded to numerous incidents of violence and harassment against Arab Americans, Muslim Americans and other individuals or groups that are perceived to be of Middle Eastern descent. Our message is consistent and clear -- no one should be singled out for hatred, prejudice or blame based on their ethnicity or religion. American unity and democracy is founded on this important ideal.
Black-Jewish relations
Historically, African-Americans and the ADL worked closely together in the civil rights struggle. Since the 1970s relations have been less smooth, owing to diverging opinions on a range of issues (including affirmative action, welfare, Israel and a range of other topics).
ADL speaks out against some voices in the Black-community, especially the Nation of Islam, which the ADL consider to be black supremacist. However, the ADL also works to combat racism against all racial groups, including racism against blacks. In 1997 the National Center for Black-Jewish Relations of Dillard University (a historically Black University in New Orleans) awarded the director of the ADL, Abraham H. Foxman, with the first Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. - Donald R. Mintz Freedom and Justice Award.
The ADL has investigated the African National Congress closely, with the justification that the ANC "were violent, they were anti-Semitic, they were pro-PLO, and they were anti-Israel.".
Criticism
The ADL is criticized for equating views critical of Israeli policies with anti-semitism, and thereby stifling discussion about Israeli policies.
Noam Chomsky, a Jewish critic of Israel wrote in his 1989 book Necessary Illusions:
- "The ADL has virtually abandoned its earlier role as a civil rights organization, becoming 'one of the main pillars' of Israeli propaganda in the U.S., as the Israeli press casually describes it, engaged in surveillance, blacklisting, compilation of FBI-style files circulated to adherents for the purpose of defamation, angry public responses to criticism of Israeli actions, and so on....These efforts, buttressed by insinuations of anti-Semitism or direct accusations, are intended to deflect or undermine opposition to Israeli policies, including Israel's refusal, with U.S. support, to move towards a general political settlement."
The ADL has a generally negative opinion of Chomsky. In 1991, after he wrote the introduction to a book by French revisionist Robert Faurisson, they supported Alfred Kazin in his description of Chomsky as a "dupe of intellectual pride so overweening that he is incapable of making distinctions between totalitarian and democratic societies, between oppressors and victims".
See also: AIPAC, JCPA, Presidents' Conference, Anti-Semitism, Racism
External Links
- Anti-Defamation League website
- Necessary Illusions - segment on the ADL
- History of the ADL
- Spy vs Spite - SF Weekly's article on the ADL and its 'HateFilter'.
ADL position statements:
- ADL Responds to Violence and Harassment against Arab Americans and Muslim Americans
- ADL Condemns Hate Literature Distribution at Honolulu Mosque
- ADL statements against racism and bigotry
- Advocating for Israel: An Activist's Guide
News articles: