Hate on the Internet
By Rabbi Jason Miller
Preface
This past summer, I had the fortunate opportunity to serve as a staff intern at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which is located in
Southfield
,
Michigan
on the fourth floor of the
Prudential
Town
Center
’s 4000 building. Throughout my internship people constantly asked me two questions: First, they wanted to know exactly what the ADL does; and second, what my role as an intern in the agency was. The ADL was founded in 1913 with the stated mission “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike.”[1] The League was created by a handful of proud American Jews drawn together in anger over rampant anti-Semitism and incensed over the arrest of Leo Frank; an innocent Jewish man who was later lynched based on false murder charges. The agency has progressed through the years to become more of a human rights agency than merely an organization to fight the virulent, crude, and undisguised anti-Semitism of the Jewish people. While, its goals remain the same, it adapts and shifts in response to new challenges and needs in changing times. ADL has remained in the forefront of
America
’s struggle against all forms of bigotry and hatred. The organization, which has twenty-eight regional offices throughout the country, is a leader in the development of materials, programs, and services that build bridges of communication, understanding and respect among diverse racial, religious, and ethnic groups.[2]
Part of ADL’s work includes fact-finding, research, and public education. They prepare and distribute special reports and materials to schools, the media, law enforcement agencies, and elected officials. The ADL has its own attorneys who help draft legislation to fight the haters, and work in the courts to protect the guarantees of civil rights for all citizens. The headquarters of ADL (the National Office) is located in
New York
and their staff oversees the twenty-eight regional offices. The ADL also has affiliated offices in
Canada
and
Israel
. I was a guest at the
Israel
office, located in
Jerusalem
, on a recent visit to the country. It was very interesting to see the differences and similarities of their office and the role they play in the region. The regional offices respond to the needs of individual victims of prejudice, and help educate and protect communities against bigotry, racism, and anti-Semitism. In fulfilling its current mission statement of “translating democratic ideals into a way of life for all people… to secure justice and fair treatment for all citizens,” the League not only combats prejudice and discrimination, but also promotes tolerance and understanding.[3]
The ADL does not necessarily need to be “contracted” to protect the democratic rights of individuals; it usually takes the initiative to combat hate groups and potential problems before the act of anti-Semitism or racism is carried out. While in most cases, the Jewish people are the chief financial supporters of the ADL,[4] the league has many non-Jewish clients and works with and assists other human rights groups, some of the more prominent organizations include: The Triangle Foundation,[5] the
Asian American Justice
Center
,[6] and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. The
Michigan
office also provides assistance to the NAACP, Urban League, Chaldean Federation of America, and the National Association for Women. Through the Michigan ADL Police Consortium, law enforcement officers in the state have been educated about different hate groups, and have learned tolerance and understanding. Every
U.S.
president since Truman has made remarks of praise about the ADL, which for more than eighty years has been fighting bigotry and hatred.
For me, the most rewarding aspect of the internship was that it allowed me to work with Richard H. Lobenthal. Mr. Lobenthal is the executive director of the
Michigan
regional office of ADL and has since retired from the position after more than three decades. Being in the office and playing a role in his closure with the organization was very enlightening. This was a very important transition to not only observe, but to be a part of in many ways. Mr. Lobenthal was interviewed many times by members of the local and national media and it was a very important learning experience to listen to his anecdotes from thirty-seven years with the League. It was a very sentimental part of my internship when I helped him move his personal files[7] and belongings out of the office. When I touched the boxes containing his personal things, it was if I was touching part of his life—his legacy. I am glad that I was lucky enough to have served my internship while Mr. Lobenthal was still director.
Before I began my internship, I had worked with the agency briefly because of my role as the Chairperson of the Jewish Student Union at
Michigan
State
University
. Therefore, I possessed some knowledge of what ADL did, but I learned a great deal more once I began my internship in the office. My knowledge of the Detroit Jewish community, computers, fund-raising, the Holocaust, and the Internet also proved to be to my advantage, but anyone who is willing to learn can also serve an internship at ADL. Whether directly or indirectly, every task or job I completed for the agency related to the overall mission of the ADL. Through my interaction with the staff, I have learned how to work better with others. Oral communication and interpersonal skills are very important character traits that are necessary in the professional world. While there are only a handful of employees, there seems to be a lot of opinions on any one issue. Being able to compromise and listen to other co-workers’ ideas is necessary in making policy, decisions, and solving problems every day. Another important trait I learned at the agency was self-management. Usually, either the director or other staff members would give me tasks to complete for the entire day, but there were also times that they expected me to be assertive and create my own assignments. Mr. Lobenthal usually evaluated my work by guiding me in ways that I could improve. Even before I began interning at the ADL, I thrived under pressure and I think I excelled the most this summer when I had important time deadlines to meet.
I worked in many exciting areas at ADL including fact-finding, fund-raising, and organizational development. Out of these three broad areas, the one I enjoyed the most and learned the most about was the fund-raising aspect. I had many tasks to complete for the organization -- some of them were interesting and some seemed meaningless at the time. One of the major clerical or “grunt work” tasks I took on almost once a week was referred to as “green bars.” “Green bars” are sheets of paper listing contributions made to the
Michigan
office through the national office. These lists are sent to
Michigan
from
New York
and it was my job to enter them into the computer. Lucky for me, I have a lot of data base entry experience and I could enter the items quickly. There were other forms of clerical work, such as photocopying, answering phones, typing memos and reports, and filing documents. After a while though, I learned how to enjoy such things as filing because as I read the files, which the director encouraged, I learned a lot about the cases that ADL takes. One of the tasks that I grew to enjoy was monitoring hate groups. There were many different ways that I monitored, such as watching news videos put out by ADL, searching newspapers and magazines for ADL-related articles, listening to audio-cassettes of extremist radio programs, and my weekly monitoring of the “bigot hot-lines.” Monitoring the bigot hotlines was one of my biggest responsibilities. It entailed calling various hate groups’ hotlines, recording their messages, transcribing the messages, and then reporting my findings to the director. This activity really opened my eyes to the type of hate that is out there from such groups as the KKK, white supremacists, Holocaust deniers, racists, and many others. In fact, I still do this form of monitoring on a weekly basis though I have completed my internship.
While the monitoring was very interesting, as I mentioned before I enjoyed the fund-raising and development, the most. Locally, the ADL raises over $1-million annually and national ADL has close to a $50-million budget each year. The Development Division raises the financial resources necessary for ADL to fulfill its mission, to provide for its future security and to recruit and develop a strong lay leadership to assure agency growth.[8] I helped coordinate many different fund-raising events throughout my internship, like phone-a-thons, honorary-award dinners, and the solicitation of tribute donations. Fund-raising gave me an opportunity to improve my development technique and use my connections within the
Detroit
community. I was also able to establish connections through my correspondence and networking with the national office.
In addition to development, I worked on some specific projects throughout the course of my internship such as the A World of DifferenceSM Institute[9] and the “Children of the Dream” project. The Anti-Defamation League established the A World of Difference Institute to oversee and create programs which combat prejudice in schools, the community, on campus and in the workplace. In addition to its on-going programs, the Institute is developing other innovative projects to help human relations’ specialists combat racism, prejudice and other forms of bigotry. The “Children of the Dream” is a project that ADL regional offices may pursue through the Jerusalem ADL office. The Michigan Regional Office is only one of a few other ADL offices which participates in the “Children of the Dream” project, which brings Black Israeli teenagers (originally from
Ethiopia
) to the local area for a two week visit. While in the community the four teenagers and their chaperone visit area public schools, Jewish Day Schools and Churches. It is designed to combat stereotypes of Jews and
Israel
. One of my jobs was to contact area principals and encourage them to have their schools participate in the program. To my surprise many area principals not only did not wish to have their schools participate, but did not even want to learn more about this important program aiming to fight bigotry. In addition to arranging which schools our guests would be visiting, I helped plan much of their itinerary including the opening night kickoff event with Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer. I was very happy and proud to see this successful event come to fruition in early October.
When I was not involved in organizational development, clerical work, fact-finding, fund-raising, or program development, I was usually participating in board meetings, conferences, consortiums, or ad hoc task forces. Throughout this field experience, I found myself to be very busy and constantly learning new aspects of what the Anti-Defamation League does to preserve and translate into greater effectiveness the ideals of American democracy.
Hate on the Internet: Racist and Extremist Groups Exploit the Web with Propaganda·
It is an unfortunate fact that there are many individuals in our society who not only hate other people and minority groups, but spread their messages of hate to others. These haters use many different means to carry out their message to their audience. In recent years, due to the rise in new technology, they have found their best communication tool yet – The Internet. This paper will explain why the Internet has quickly become a useful device for hate groups.
Due to the fast spreading technology of the Internet and World Wide Web, users* have, either by accident or through curiosity, encountered hate-filled messages and images on the screens of their computers in their homes, schools and offices. Hate groups and individual haters have found a quick, easy, and cheap way to get their propaganda to their largest audience ever. As computers and modems become less expensive, simpler to use and thus more common, bigots of all kinds are using the power of modern technology to spread messages of hate. The Internet is a worldwide computer network linked by high-speed phone lines that makes information easily accessible. The Internet was not, until recently, an easy place for the average person to navigate. The development of the World Wide Web is probably the single factor that has made the most computer users in the world aware of the Internet. The World Wide Web is a compound of several major technologies: the Internet, multimedia, and hypertext[10]. The World Wide Web has many different sites, which are found on computers at many different locations. Each site has an identifying address or “URL” which is known to computers on the Internet. Software developers have built products, such as Web browsers and Web construction kits, to make navigating the World Wide Web and creating Web pages easy for just about all users. Ease of access by both providers and users is what gives the Web its power. The Internet is a wonderful and innovative invention, but when people are using it for the wrong reasons, problems arise.
Neo-Nazis, racist Skinheads, anti-Semitic Identity churches, Ku Klux Klan groups, and several Holocaust deniers are just some of the extremist groups that have sites on the World Wide Web. These efforts represent a well-thought-out campaign to reach more people than these groups could ever have previously contacted through other means, such as traditional mailings, handouts, hotlines, and demonstrations. The World Wide Web and the entire Internet are ideal merchandising tools for the hate groups and bigots. Such propaganda, some fear, will indoctrinate a new generation of racial hatred and bigotry.[11] There are many issues that surround the problem of these messages of hate being available on the Internet, such as freedom of speech, censorship, rating systems, monitoring, and responsibility. Groups on both sides of the “censoring the Web” debate have very legitimate concerns. Are there possible solutions? Whose responsibility is the issue of hate on the Internet? Should parents be responsible for what their children access on the Web? Should government make legislation regarding use of the Internet?·
It is important to understand why so many hate groups and racist individuals have flocked to the idea of using the Internet to get their message out. The Internet usage is growing rapidly and will continue to grow.[12] An ex-member of the United States Nationalist Party, who quit the party because he did not like the followers they were attracting feels that “the Internet will bring many of our more educated people together in order to form strong leadership alliances.”[13] Hate groups have fallen in love with the Internet because they are able to purchase the services cheaply. In many parts of the
United States
, a person with a computer and a modem can have access for less than a dollar a day. In addition, most college students have free access to the Internet.[14]
Besides the low cost and growing audience of the Web, the providers of hate also like the control they have over their message.[15] On other media, such as television talk show, radio call-in programs, or even chat sites (i.e., USENET and IRC), opponents are able to challenge their ideas. On the Web, publishers of hate material create their site and need not worry about the opposition challenging their viewpoint. Another positive aspect of the Web for the bigot is that it is impossible for people to know if the creator of the site is reputable or if their sources or information is credible. For most of the groups using the Web as a medium for presenting hate-filled lies, there is no opposition anywhere on the Web and this can make their information seem more credible. The Web is very appropriately named – it truly has international reach. This of course is another advantage for the extremists. The Internet eliminates national borders and restrictions and as such, makes containing it seem impossible. These haters use the Web to create an alternative channel to spread their words of hate and reach the impressionable. They also create a following of those who believe their message on this new, easy-to-use, powerful communication tool.
Referent The history of haters on the Internet actually precedes the World Wide Web. Hate groups used, and still use, other Internet tools such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol), IRC (Internet Relay Chat), and USENETs. Many authors of bigoted articles keep their writing in FTP sites so those who wish to, can copy the file to their computer’s hard drive. This is a way that many hate group members download[16] and distribute articles from around the world to other members. Conversations between racists have been taking place on the IRC facility for years now.[17] In “chat mode” extremists can discuss, and often argue, about racist ideas. The USENET is a collection of thousands of public discussion groups on which haters of all sorts and their opponents write, read, and respond. These “newsgroups,” such as alt.politics.white-power, are very common.[18] Electronic Mail listservs, mailing lists for individuals of related interests, have also flourished along with the other tools. These lists are more private than IRC and the USENET because they are only available to subscribers. Direct, person-to-person communication by use of E-mail is also readily used by extremists, but obviously, not as a method of targeting the widest audience with their propaganda.[19] The communication tools accessible to suppliers of hate have definitely evolved, making their radio programs, telephone hot-lines, Bulletin Board Systems, and short-wave radio broadcasts almost obsolete.
One man on the Web, after becoming so shocked and angered by the hate pages he saw while navigating the World Wide Web, made his own page called the “Hate Page of the Week[20].” It showcases a new Web site filled with racist material every week. It also has links (shortcuts to other sites) to over thirty other hate pages. By just glancing at the list of linked sites, the reader will get an idea of which hate groups and individuals are on the Web. Most are seasoned hate and extremist groups, while others are Holocaust deniers, Skinheads, and individual bigots. The first documented hate page that began the problem of extremism on the Web was Don Black’s Stormfront site.[21] Since then, most of the more established racist groups have created their own Web sites. The quality of their pages varies. Some are actively maintained and kept current, while others sit idle and the material becomes outdated. The typical Web site is colorful and filled with pictures or symbols. The neo-Nazi sites usually stick to black, red and white colors.[22] Occasionally, some of the more impressive sites will feature real-time video, sound and eye-catching effects.
Tom Metzger is the creator of the White Aryan Resistance (W.A.R.) page[23] and he definitely does not hide the fact that he is a racist. In fact, his homepage[24] proclaims in bold type: “THIS IS A WHITE RACIST WEB PAGE” and invites the navigator to enter the “Hate Room.” Metzger started his Web page in November 1995, but began his Internet activity earlier with E-mail.[25] Although he is new to the Web, he has circulated his URL to thousands of his followers through flyers and hotlines, making his W.A.R. site quite popular. For instance, the EAEA’s (European-American Educational Alliance) White Racist Joke Hotline,[26] in June, announced several hate-sites on the Web and specifically cited Metzger’s as one of the best. Metzger’s site, which he created with his son John, has a collection of grotesque, offensive cartoons, and assorted writings from his W.A.R. newsletters. Metzger’s page is very anti-Semitic and also contains many extremist references to the destruction of the Branch Dividian complex in Waco, Texas, the shoot-out at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, between the FBI and white-separatist Randy Weaver, and the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The opening page of his site contains only one cartoon and has a “hotspot” that says, “Click Here To Experience WAR.” Once hitting[27] there, the navigator is given several options, such as racist videos, audiocassettes, WAR newsletters, etc. One can also enter the “Hate Room” to chat with other White Racists.
The National Alliance site,[28] which was created in July 1995, is a neo-Nazi group led by a man, Dr. William Pierce, who fantasized that racially motivated serial murder is just.[29] He writes about an apocalyptic race war in which chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons are launched at “Jewish New York City, Toronto, Israel, and China.” The National Alliance homepage is nothing spectacular. It shows a “Y” shaped cross surrounded by a laurel wreath with the words “National Alliance” in gold. The “Y” associates the Alliance with the Nordic mythology commonly taught by racists and stands for “Yggdrasil,” the giant ash tree of Norse myth that holds the universe together.[30] The general type of hate on the Alliance page can be characterized as paranoia. The Alliance uses the Web mostly for recruitment purposes, which shows they are clearly aware of the power of the Internet. Before starting its Web site, the Alliance maintained an FTP site. When it first started its Web page the monthly newsletter, Free Speech, ran an article urging all members to spread the new Web site address around as widely as possible.[31] In late 1995 many angry Internet users sent E-mail to the Alliance’s Internet provider, Netgate Communications, arguing about the organization’s racist propaganda. In self-defense, Netgate suspended the National Alliance Web account for several weeks.[32] The Alliance page does not contain links to other sites, but many other hate sites (especially maintained by individual racists) link to the National Alliance homepage.
By just typing in “KKK” into a search engine[33] such as Yahoo!, one will find thousands of sites related to the Ku Klux Klan. It is no wonder then that there are various Web sites for the largest Klan group operating today, the Knights of the KKK.[34] Although, due to internal power struggles and legal attacks, the Klan is not the strong organization it once was. Nonetheless it remains the racist organization with the broadest public recognition. The Klan’s appearance on the Web indicates that even hate groups that have been around for decades recognize the current potential of the Internet. The page contains many of the writings and speeches of director Thom Robb, who is trying to make the Klan look more respectable and less racist, and former Congressman David Duke. The page has numerous links to other hate pages, Knights of the KKK sites maintained by individuals, and many “Christian Identity” Web sites which are all filled with virulent anti-Semitism. The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan site only shows that the Klan really are the same racists in white sheets, they are just technologically advanced now[35].
The Stormfront site is one of the most popular White Nationalist pages on the Web and not just because it was the first. The page is maintained by computer consultant Don Black and has several features: a site on the Web, an Internet E-mail listserv for subscribers, and a dial-in bulletin board system. Since the 70s, Black has been actively involved in anti-Semitic, racist and anti-immigrant activities.[36] Black became leader of the Knights of the KKK and ran for a U.S. Senate seat from Alabama with the support of the Liberty Lobby.[37] He now says that he is no longer a member of any particular organization, but wants to remain active in support of the “white nationalist cause.[38] Black’s goal is stated in the Stormfront logo on his homepage: “White Pride World Wide.” Unlike many sites operated by organizations with a certain perspective, Black has examples of many styles of anti-Semitic and racist hate posted on his homepage and in his archives. The archives contain the extremist writings of David Duke, William Pierce, and many Holocaust deniers. Of course, like most extremist pages, Stormfront includes far-right conspiracy propaganda related to Waco, Ruby Ridge, and the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. In addition to the text archives on the Stormfront site, there is also a download library of white power, neo-Nazi graphics. Black links his site to other racist sites, like The Aryan Crusader’s Library and the National Alliance.
“Pastor” Pete Peters[39] takes a different approach to his hate. Peters operates the Laporte Colorado Church of Christ and he relies upon theology and history to justify and support his bigotry.[40] Peters, whose organization is “Scriptures for America,” uses the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion[41] as “proof” for the Jewish conspiracy of Judeo-Christianity. Peters sees his task as spreading the message of a warrior-like Aryan religion. His homepage shows the Scriptures for America emblem, which is a map of the United States with the Bible and broadsword superimposed. The site was opened in October 1995, but he managed an FTP site before. The site is almost always “under construction” and it continues to grow. “Pastor” Pete has connections with extremist right-wing groups, such as the murderous right wing gang, “The Order,” and the militia movement. Peters is considered by most to be the leader in the Identity Church movement and he definitely is a leader on the Internet as well.
A man by the name of George Hawthorne has made sure that the Skinheads are not left off the racist bandwagon to making Web pages. ADL has described neo-Nazi Skinheads as “bigotry’s shock troops.”[42] Hawthorne’s group Resistance Records[43] downplays overt racism, portraying itself as struggling for the integrity and survival of the “white race.” Hawthorne’s homepage includes four sections to choose from: The Music of Resistance, Info about the organization, a form to send an E-mail message to Resistance Records, and a request to subscribe to the E-mail newsletter. None of this is extraordinary, but Hawthorne’s site is different from other racist sites in that it mixes hate with selling goods (other than organizational propaganda). Resistance Records sells compact discs and audiocassettes by such groups as “The Third Reich.” Unlike most homepages, Hawthorne is considerate enough to put a warning to minors and those who are easily offended. He also warns those on his hot-line[44] that if they are not “into racist rock to hang up.” After the warning to those under eighteen, however, he does add that “if you are bold and independent-minded enough to think for yourself - proceed…”
A major advantage of the wide audience that the Internet gives the hate groups is the ease of membership promotion. Membership numbers for most of the racist organizations, including the Klan and Skinhead groups, have risen since they began recruiting on the Web.[45] One popular site even asks for help in constructing other web pages with an ad, “The White Race wants *YOU* for web page construction.”[46] Wyatt Kaldenberg’s personal hate site contains many links to Hate Group pages and aims to recruit others into the movement through postings like “Join the White Working Class revolution! Write the White Aryan Resistance… or call the Aryan Update… for radical pro-White phone message”. These individuals are not being paid to spread the message of hate by advertising and recruiting on the behalf of established organizations. They simply feel they are doing their part to help the movement grow and using the Internet as the weapon. Groups make membership application a very simple process on the Web by featuring forms to fill out on-line and simply send via E-mail. Other sites, not yet up to the current technology, have application forms that the prospective member must first print out and then mail in or FAX. Milton John Kleim, Jr., who describes himself as “Net Nazi Number One,” has even taken the time to publish an article entitled “On Tactics and Strategy for USENET” in which he reveals his plan for extremist use of the Internet for recruitment.[47] His article is found on numerous neo-Nazi and other anti-Semitic sites. Kleim believes the Net is the way to recruit and increase numbers. “There are millions of people who agree with us and feel isolated and helpless because they don’t know who to contact to network with others who feel similarly.”[48]
While, it is still premature to decide if the Web recruitment strategy will work, it is evident that these hate groups realize the possibilities of the Internet. The haters understand that they can leave their traditional hangouts and set up recruiting posts anywhere on the Net, try to pick up new recruits and stir up even more hatred and distrust.[49] The Web not only allows the extremist recruiter to attract new members in a quick, easy, effective, and appealing way, but more important is the fact that it is far less costly than traditional means. There are no postage costs for mailing brochures, and this is quite an advantage when considering that the Web allows free expansion to international markets. A neo-Nazi skinhead group in Sweden can appeal for U.S. members without mailing membership information across the world. Militia membership has climbed to over 15,000, partly due to this effective communication system. Abraham Foxman, the national director of the ADL, said, “The tools of today’s technology are being utilized to promote their conspiratorial, anti-government, anti-gun control and sometimes anti-Semitic message.”[50] The messengers of hate will continue to exploit the Internet, and specifically the Web, for recruitment until a better means comes along.
In addition to the well-known, established groups and individuals, the ease of publishing on the Web has made it possible for a number of new and younger haters to enter the scene. These new bigots, with virtually unknown names, have made a name for themselves on the Web. Most of the sites maintained by the lesser-known haters are essentially packed with links to other sites, especially to the more established sites. Most of these site owners list their favorite sites or hotspots and also push for membership to the big groups. A site that the Chicago Tribune dubbed as the “the hub of the white nationalist network”[51] is The Aryan Crusader Library. Inspired by Don Black, the Aryan Crusader is filled with extremists’ reference works by the likes of William Pierce, Louis Beam, and Yggdrasil. There are many articles by college age haters and links to several other organizations apparently run by other college students, in fact, the site’s creator is most likely a University of Texas student named Teuben Logsdon.[52] Other hate pages by previously unknown haters include the First WWW Banned Media Page by Joe Bunkley and “Reverend” Ron Schodel’s Identity Church page. Bunkley’s page includes dozens of links to like-minded Web pages, such as the National Alliance, Resistance Records and Aryan Crusader. The Internet is making it easier than ever for the narrow-minded followers of racist and anti-Semitic groups to establish themselves in the business of paranoia, hate and violence.
Holocaust deniers are anti-Semites seeking to vindicate Hitler and the Nazis by slandering the Jews.[53] Deniers claim that the figure of 6 million Jewish deaths is an exaggerated estimate and that there is no proof of any gas chambers ever existing under Nazi German control. The Internet offers these “Revisionists” a structure to make their arguments and increase their appeal by making them seem more credible. Most deniers offer the readers of their sites a chance for “open debate” about the Holocaust and most of the sites present an academic look to make their lies seem more believable. The Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust (CODOH)[54] presents their “statement of purpose” on their Web site. “CODOH was founded to encourage intellectual freedom with respect to the holocaust [sic] controversy. CODOH is not a membership organization and is not affiliated with any political party or religious group.” Bradley Smith is the director of CODOH, and one of the “players” in the Holocaust denial business. Smith, knowing that college campuses are full of impressionable students who are devoted to debate and inquiry, tries to sell his revisionist theories to universities across the United States and Canada. He attempts to have his paid advertisements placed in college newspapers and now, he has included the Web as a medium for his argument. The CODOH Web site has been “hit” over 20,000 times from October 1995 to September 1996. It contains links to sites belonging to other well-known deniers of the Holocaust including the Adelaide Institute, Zündelsite, Professor A.R. Butz, and the Institute for Historical Review. Many articles can be located on CODOH’s site, like “The Tangled Web: Zionism, Stalinism, and the Holocaust Story,” which strongly suggests that the Holocaust is fiction created to promote Stalinist and Zionist goals. Other articles include, “Gas Chambers and Gas Vans” and “War Crimes Theories.” Bradley Smith works hard to present himself as an “honest” man who simply wants to encourage reasonable debate among reasonable people.[55] Smith would like to legitimize Holocaust denial as part of Holocaust study. Currently, Smith has been placing ads in student newspapers offering “46 Unanswered Questions About the Nazi Gas Chambers - FREE” and then posting his Web site address to located the information. The Web site also contains a section entitled “The Campus Project” listing schools where the ads were published, where they were denied, and the controversies that surrounded the effort. Toward the bottom of his homepage is the blue ribbon, common to many hate sites, symbolizing the “Free Speech Online Campaign.” On the same page as the ribbon, just above it, is an article proclaiming Smith as one of the two most dangerous men in America.[56]
It is the blinking phrases, not impressive graphics that attract the attention of the visitor to Ernst Zündel’s Zündelsite. Currently, the most impressive section of Zündelsite is the online debate taking place with Ken McVay, creator of the Nizkor[57] Page[58] [a site in response to revisionism], and the Simon Wiesenthal Center. The first choice the visitor must make is in which of the many languages offered they would like to view the page, or perhaps they would like to hear from Zündel “live” (a recording of his voice). Reprints of articles by many neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers appear on the page including arguments over whether the gas chambers were not for killing humans, but really fumigation chambers for purposes of hygiene. Zündel attempts to vindicate Hitler and the Nazis and he resourcefully uses the Web to do it.
Much like Zündelsite, Greg Raven’s Web site for his Institute for Historical Review (IHR)[59] is free of any impressive pictures, but makes up for it in files, links, and articles. One major difference between Raven’s site and most other hate or denial pages is his “Caveat Browser.” At the beginning of his site is the following notice: “Although I firmly believe in the truth and accuracy of the materials on this Web site, I also understand that they might be offensive to some. If you are one of those who are or would be offended please browse elsewhere.” He also asks that “if you find material on this Web site that is untrue, please tell me and I will change it. If you find material on this Web site that is racist or hateful, please tell me and I will remove it.” The only links on the site are for other revisionist sites, including Islamic sites in other languages. Although Raven is the director of IHR, he strangely posts a disclaimer at the beginning of his homepage noting that “This Web site is my personal “spare time” project, and is not supported, sponsored, or financed by the Institute for Historical Review…” Most of the articles and pamphlets on the site are put out by Raven’s IHR.
Perhaps the best way to fight “Hate on the Internet” is on the Internet. Monitoring groups such as the Anti-Defamation League[60] and the Simon Wiesenthal Center[61] have opened their own Web sites to provide individuals with the information they need to counter the messages of hate. Thomas Maier, of Newsday, writes, “Realizing that this is the price we pay for living in a society that protects all speech, even hateful speech, the ADL has set up its own Web page on the theory that one fights bad speech with ‘more speech.’ ”[62] ADL national director Abe Foxman called the agency’s home page an “Internet Monitoring Unit and an Online Information Service.”[63] ADL provides access to all of their press releases, documents, pamphlets, and books on their site. The Wiesenthal Center has a portion of their Web site, called “Cyberwatch.” It includes a section on the Center’s perspective on the Internet use by hate groups, a survey to fill out,[64] a “hot-line” to report incidents of hatred and bigotry on the Web, and an “Action” program designed to alert about the Center’s efforts in response to specific incidents. Established groups like the ADL and SWC are not the only ones fighting and monitoring the virulent propaganda on the Internet. These groups seek to ensure that information responding to racist rhetoric on the Internet is also available on-line.[65]
Many believe that the best way to combat hate on the Internet, short of censorship, is by making the general public more informed. Web sites like “The Hate Page of the Week” and “Bizarre Pages”[66] aims to show people “what’s out there.” The Hate Page of the Week chooses one site each week to showcase and also includes links to many of the hate sites. Bizarre Pages is a little more organized in their listing of sites. It categorizes over 100 hate sites by topic and urges readers that if “they have a problem with the content of these pages, to use their First Amendment rights and write the site’s Internet Provider.” Ken McVay, of the Nizkor Project, is devoted to countering the claims of neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers on the Internet. Nizkor features showcased collections of information about Holocaust-denial and the Holocaust, responses to the most frequently perpetrated denier myths regarding the Holocaust, human rights reports, documents, and information related to skinhead and racist activities. These groups seek to ensure that information responding to racist rhetoric on the Internet is also available on-line.[67] Before McVay started Nizkor, one of the most popular Jewish on-line networks, Jerusalem One,[68] took McVay’s Holocaust files and attempted to bring them to public access in a concise, systematic manner. Jerusalem One still maintains a “Fight Against Hate” gopher site. Other groups such as the Central Organization for Jewish Outreach (COJO) and the Center for Democracy and Technology are also attempting to counter the Internet hate. Yosef Kazem of COJO sees a positive side to hate sites. “By posting their addresses, fundamental tenets, and activities, these groups are easier to track. The more they expose themselves, the worse off they are going to be.”[69] While it may not be an absolute solution to the problem, monitoring and countering these hate groups on-line with true information and statistics is helping in the fight to curb hate on the Internet.
Groups like the ADL are so concerned about the proliferation of racist and anti-Semitic messages on the Internet because of the Web users who will encounter this hate. Motivated by the number of impressionable youth who now use the Internet, the ADL published the pamphlet “Warning! Hate Zone, A Parent’s Guide: Help Your Child Safely Navigate the Internet.” The ADL suggests parents remain active participant in their children’s computer exploration because it is very easy for children to find hateful messages on the Web, both intentionally and inadvertently. A student using the Web to do research on the Holocaust will find a plethora of both factual sites of information and denial sites. When asked how his organization found so many hate pages on the Web, Kazem, replied that they were “just searching for [the keyword] ‘Jewish,’ which can turn up a long list of anti-Semitic sites.”[70] One of the most famous search engines, Yahoo!,[71] have run into problems categorizing Holocaust resistance Web sites along side of factual sites filled with information, survivor testimony, and factual documents. Obviously, many complaints were made to Yahoo! about their listing of denial sites under the keyword Holocaust and eventually they created a sub-topic heading of “Holocaust: Revisionism.” Yahoo!, as with other search engines, also heard numerous complaints surrounding their inclusion of Messianic Judaism[72] under the listing of Society and Culture:Religion:Judaism. Yahoo! yielded to the complaints and reclassified Messianic Jewish sites, like the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, under Christianity with a cross-reference from Judaism. Of course, this caused the MJAA to protest that they were now being incorrectly labeled.[73] The Web is very difficult and possibly impossible to index into any organized structure. It is very easy for children to find their way to hate sites and rarely are there signs warning children about what they are entering. Most of the pages are packaged as credible resources and can be mistaken, by an unsuspecting child, for factual information.[74] The colorful graphics, music, and immediate response on-line membership forms make the sites very appealing to impressionable children.
Attempts to control these Web pages filled with virulent anti-Semitic, racist, and false information are controversial among defenders of free speech. Many believe restrictions on the Internet are unconstitutional.[75] While many Internet service providers include a disclaimer stating that they are not responsible for the content of the Web sites, and many universities implement an “acceptable use policy,” the hate continues to be available on-line. Acceptable use policies differ from school to school, but many universities have speech codes that prohibit racist and sexist language and have extended these to apply to their computer networks.[76] Internet advocates contend that legislation that limits what goes on-line is considered regulating speech and that censoring the Internet and Web will hinder its growth as a communication medium.
The question of who is responsible for what is published on the Internet is a difficult one to answer. Some service providers have removed hate sites from their network.[77] The U.S. government has been unsuccessful in their attempts to curb what is available on the Internet. After several attempts, Congress was unable to pass the Communication Decency Act, which would essentially regulate the Internet. Web users are quite divided on the issue of free speech on the Internet. Even groups that take on the responsibility of monitoring the Internet have differing opinions. The Wiesenthal Center takes a controversial position saying that not all speech is free, not all speech is permitted, while ADL would rather just keep the suppliers of hate from having an audience. Thomas Maier, of Newsday, notes that “this is the price we pay for living in a society that protects all speech, even hateful speech, the ADL has set up its own Web page on the theory that one fights bad speech with more speech.”[78] ADL pushes to have warning signs and perhaps implement a rating system. The problem with a rating system is that it is only as good as those assigning the ratings.[79] For example, if a member of the Religious Right rated what was acceptable to be included on the Internet, perhaps Web sites on “safe-sexual education” would be deemed inappropriate and banned. Of course, the other issue at hand is who would make the decision about what is acceptable. Before the content of the Internet can be controlled, it is necessary to decide how to control it, which agency should control it, can something as large and free as the Internet even be controlled, and perhaps the most important question of all – ought the Internet be controlled?
Some countries, including Germany· , have instituted regulations on Internet hate, but in the US, the First Amendment¨ forbids silencing people because of the content of their words. Therefore the contents of hate Web sites are protected free speech just as the same information would be protected free speech if it were spoken or written in a book or newspaper. One cannot prevent hateful or hurtful messages if those statements are not personally libelous.[80] Faced with a problem that is growing as fast as the Internet itself, lawmakers are scrambling to try to regulate this “new frontier” [in the US].[81] Groups that have sponsored legislation to make it illegal to harass someone by computer and similar initiatives, explain that these laws are simply an extension of the protections that already exist to deal with conventional forms of harassment.[82]
Any attempts to regulate speech on the Internet have been met with great opposition, such as the argument that regulations violate free speech. The Internet is described as the unrestrained, bordering on anarchical flow of ideas.[83] Attempts to control the contents of the Web are characterized as censorship and invoke all the negative connotations of that word.
Internet advocates stand tall behind the guarantees of the First Amendment. While many view racist and extremist web sites as unsavory, they are nonetheless expressions of free speech that are constitutionally protected. It is for this reason that groups who seek to counter hateful speech choose to open their own Web sites.[84] Lawmakers are presently debating whether new laws must be written, old laws modified, or if current laws are sufficient to deal with hate on the Internet.
Issues of free speech complicate the process of governing the Internet and specifically the World Wide Web. For now, as more and more virulent racism, anti-Semitism, bigotry, Holocaust denial, and extremism are added to the Internet, the only possible solution is that people and groups of goodwill, truth and tolerance must
continue to monitor and counter the propaganda that makes up the
“Hate on the Internet.”
Preface
[1] ADL. “ADL in Action.” Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, 1994.
[2] ADL. “Annual Report - 1995.” Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, 1996.
[3] The league does this through its distribution of materials, visiting schools (A World of Difference Institute), and educational programs.
[4] The ADL is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that can only function through the financial support of individuals and corporations.
[5] The most common organization protecting the rights of homosexuals.
[6] Michigan Regional Director Richard H. Lobenthal helped to create this group.
[7] It was as if he had a story for every file.
[8] ADL Michigan Regional Advisory Board. “Member’s Resource Handbook.” Nancy K. Simpson, Ed., 1995.
[9] An AWOD coordinator leads this division of ADL.
Hate on the Internet
[10] The method of connecting computer-based documents.
[11] Keith W. Watters, “On-Line Racism.” NBA Magazine, February 10, 1996.
[12] A 1995 study by Nielsen Media Research suggests that about 24 million adults in the U.S. and Canada use the Internet.
[13] Lisa Scmeiser, “Computer Mediated Communication as the Cult of Tradition.” CMC Magazine, December 1, 1995.
[14] Some college students use their university accounts to manage “hate sites” on the Internet even though most universities have an “acceptable use policy.”
[15] David S. Hoffman. “The Web of Hate.” Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, 1995.
[16] Downloading is the transfer of computer information from a host computer to the user’s local computer.
[17] Hoffman. “The Web of Hate.”
[18] In addition to such USENET groups as alt.white-power, extremists have been known to use other groups that were not intended to be used for their racist rhetoric. In 1994, a discussion group relating to the O.J. Simpson trial was turned into a racist group by White supremacists.
[19] Hoffman. “The Web of Hate.”
[20] The “Hate Page of the Week” is located at www.owlnet.rice.edu/~efx/hpotw.html
[21] Don Black’s Stormfront site can be located at www.stormfront.org
[22] David S. Hoffman. “ADL Research Report: Hate Group Recruitment on the Internet.” Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, 1996.
[23] Metzger’s W.A.R. site can be located at www.resist.com
[24] A homepage is the point of entry into a site.
[25] Hoffman. “Web of Hate.”
[26] The EAEA hotline can be accessed at 313-729-1702.
[27] A “hit” is a click of the mouse to request a site.
[28] The National Alliance site can be located at www.natall.com (it recently moved from another server).
[29] Hoffman. “Web of Hate.”
[31] Hoffman. “ADL Research Report: Hate Group Recruitment on the Internet.”
[32] Hoffman. “Web of Hate.”
[33] A “search engine” is a Web site that allows the user to search for all of the sites containing a specific keyword.
[34] The main site for the Knights of the KKK is located at www.alpha.org/kkk
[35] The site includes a picture of the “traditional” cross burning, but not on the homepage (it’s on a linked page).
[36] Hoffman. “Web of Hate.”
[37] The Liberty Lobby is the most important anti-Semitic organization in the United States.
[38] Letter to anti-Semitic propagandist, Wyatt Kaldenberg, Oct 27, 1995.
[39] “Pastor” Pete Peters’ Internet activity is described in a site at www.almanac.bc.ca/hweb/orgs/american/adl/paranoia-as-patriotism/pete-peters.html
[40] Hoffman. “Web of Hate.”
[41] Peters refers to this book as a “blueprint for one world government.” ADL, in “The Protocols: Hoax of Hate,” June 1990, calls the Protocols a classic in paranoid, racist literature and the most notorious political forgery of modern times.
[42] ADL. “The Skinhead International.” Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, 1995.
[43] The Resistance Records Web site address is www.resistance.com
[44] Resistance Records Hotline (based in Detroit) 313-438-1440.
[45] ADL. “ADL Report: Racists and Anti-Semites Extend Reach Via World Wide Web.” Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, 1996.
[46] Barney, Doug. “News: Web of Hate” Network World, January 8, 1996.
[47] Hoffman. “ADL Research Report: Hate Group Recruitment on the Internet.”
[48] Crawford Kilian. “The Virtual Reich,” .net, October 1995.
[49] Hoffman. “ADL Research Report: Hate Group Recruitment on the Internet.”
[50] ADL. “Beyond the Bombing: The Militia Menace Grows.” Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, 1995.
[51] Chicago Tribune, December 12, 1995.
[52] Hoffman. “Web of Hate.”
[53] Sally Greenberg, ADL Boston. “Threats, Harassment and Hate On-line.” Unpublished Paper, 1996.
[54] Bradley Smith’s site is located at www.codoh.com
[55] Hoffman. “Web of Hate.”
[56] Louis Farrakhan being the other.
[57] Nizkor is the Hebrew for “we will remember.”
[58] The URL for McVay’s Nizkor site is www.nizkor.org
[59] Raven’s Web site is located at www.kaiwan.com/~ihrgreg/
[60] ADL is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism and racism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
[61] The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a Jewish human rights organization in Los Angeles that has been tracking hate on the Internet for about 2 years.
[62] Thomas Maier, “New Web Page to Fight Hate.” Newsday, February 28, 1996.
[63] ADL. “Press Release: ADL goes on-line to counter hate propaganda.” Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, 1996.
[64] The purpose of the survey is to help the Center determine the degree of understanding and level of concern Internet users have regarding the use of the “Information Highway” by groups and individuals to promote bigotry and hatred.
[65] April Lindgren. “Activist Urges Caution in On-Line War of Hate: Censoring the Internet Risky.” Ottawa Citizen, May 1, 1996.
[66] Bizarre Pages can be found at www.teac.com/~steveb/bizarre.html
[67] Lindgren. “Activist Urges Caution in On-Line War of Hate: Censoring the Internet Risky”
[68] The Jerusalem One Network’s homepage is located at www.jer1.com
[69] Barney. “News: Web of Hate”
[71] The search engine Yahoo! Is located at www.yahoo.com
[72] Messianic Jews, like the members of “Jews for Jesus,” are born of Jewish mothers and are hence, by definition, Jews. But they also believe that Jesus Christ is the messiah.
[73] Steve G. Steinberg. “Seek and Ye Shall Find (Maybe).” Wired 4.05, 1996.
[74] ADL. “Warning! Hate Zone. A Parent’s Guide: Help Your Child Safely Navigate the Internet.” Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, 1995.
[75] “Congress shall make no law… abridging freedom of speech…” United States Constitution, Amendment 1.
[76] “E-mail Mischief Gets Cornell In Instant Trouble.” San Francisco Chronicle, November 15, 1996.
[77] The Beverly Hills Internet, a provider of free Web pages, removed Tom Metzger’s site in January 1996.
