American Hate: Survivors Speak Out

by Arjun Singh Sethi (Editor)

“Amid the ugly realities of contemporary America, American Hate affirms our courage and inspiration, opening a roadmap to reconciliation by means of the victims' own words.”—NPR Books“The collection offers possible solutions for how people, on their own or working with others, can confront hate.”—San Francisco ChronicleAn NPR Best Book of 2018A San Francisco Chronicle Books PickOne of Bitch Media's “13 Books Feminists Should Read in August”One of Paste Magazine's “The 10 Best Books of August 2018”A moving and timely collection of testimonials from people impacted by hate before and after the 2016 presidential election In American Survivors Speak Out, Arjun Singh Sethi, a community activist and civil rights lawyer, chronicles the stories of individuals affected by hate. In a series of powerful, unfiltered testimonials, survivors tell their stories in their own words and describe how the bigoted rhetoric and policies of the Trump administration have intensified bullying, discrimination, and even violence toward them and their communities.

We hear from the family of Khalid Jabara, who was murdered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in August 2016 by a man who had previously harassed and threatened them because they were Arab American. Sethi brings us the story of Jeanette Vizguerra, an undocumented mother of four who took sanctuary in a Denver church in February 2017 because she feared deportation under Trump's cruel immigration enforcement regime. Sethi interviews Taylor Dumpson, a young black woman who was elected student body president at American University only to find nooses hanging across campus on her first day in office. We hear from many more people impacted by the Trump administration, including Native, black, Arab, Latinx, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, undocumented, refugee, transgender, queer, and people with disabilities.

A necessary book for these times, American Hate explores this tragic moment in U.S. history by empowering survivors whose voices white supremacists and right-wing populist movements have tried to silence. It also provides ideas and practices for resistance that all of us can take to combat hate both now and in the future.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Race, Social Justice, Essays, Anthologies, Social Issues

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 7, 2018

About the author

Arjun Singh Sethi is a Sikh American civil and political rights writer, human rights lawyer, and adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center and Vanderbilt University Law School. He has written for CNN, Al Jazeera, the Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Politico, and the Washington Post and is the author of Open Season: Targets of Hate Crimes Speak Out (The New Press). He lives in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[David Wineberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

American Hate tries not to be totally about Donald Trump, but it’s difficult. Trump sets the tone for the nation. He has validated hate in the USA, expressing it often himself, and promulgating executive orders to entrench it in American society. He is far worse than a bad example; he is causing significant increases in incidents of hate and intolerance across the country, from women in general to immigrant children in particular.

Arjun Singh Sethi collected stories from across the country, and reconstituted them as chapters. Jews, Natives, the disabled, Muslims, and more. They are not lurid reporting; they are the view from the victims’ side: innocent bystanders, unintended consequences, legal and medical fallout. And very often, enduring PTSD. The stories are self-explanatory, hurtful, shameful and revolting. Sethi warns early on that “The promises of equality under the law and freedom from harm are often the most enduring and dangerous illusions of American life.”

In the chapter on bullying, we learn that parents have the ability to block efforts to lessen it. In this case, a Sikh gave children lectures on his religion, to demystify it, to help reduce the bullying of a Sikh student at his California school. But parents removed their children from those lectures on the basis of religious freedom – the freedom to close minds to any but their own religion. They don’t even want to hear about it. The bullying is not their problem.

In a chapter on anti-Semitism, we learn that social media are used to rally the stormtroops to harass and threaten Jews at will, with voicemail gunshots, threats, spam, editorials and marches. All that is necessary is for someone to be Jewish in the USA.

For a trans man, there is a double whammy, as he is wheelchair-bound. “White supremacists now act with impunity, and think they have license to hurt others,” he says. He has given up identifying as trans. Dealing with disability is enough of a burden when confronting hate.

Incredibly, hate crimes rarely result in convictions because of the requirement that hate be the sole motivation for the crime. If someone has an ongoing complaint, the murders he commits may not be hate crimes in the United States. It is so pointless that 17% of law enforcement agencies didn’t bother to report a single hate crime for the five years up to 2014. In 2016, 88% reported no hate crimes at all.

In one particularly sickening story, a family in Tulsa was all but destroyed by a man who moved next door. He ran over the mother, got out on bail, and shot the eldest son who was talking to her on the phone from their front porch. They had called the police, but when the gunman, who had been shooting inside the house, did not answer, the police simply left. The family’s offense? They are Lebanese, in Tulsa for decades.

Hate has been normalized. Boys and men are parroting the president, Sethi says. One in six girls now complains of being groped in school.

It might be like a scene from a bad medieval movie, but more than 800 churches find they must provide sanctuary to those hiding from ICE. The mayor of Berkeley leaks word of its plans so immigrants can hide. The governor of California has tried to pardon immigrants in advance. That is what has become of “freedom” and the state of hatred. Clearly, the government is not about to help, since it is the cause.

Sethi says we need a new kind of support group, a hate victims support group, where they can heal together, and the community can understand what is happening. Because it is not just the individuals who are affected by these incidents. Whole communities become disoriented and fearful after a shooting or a stabbing. The work of one lone hater has far reaching and long lingering effects. This goes beyond the big, national protest groups which organize marches, petitions and lawsuits. At the human level, there is gratuitous destruction of families, communities and lives.

The Conclusion of American Hate is 25 pages of resources and hope. There is all kinds of activity battling hate. Sethi says it must come from the bottom up, but I disagree. As long as the leadership of the country signals it is desirable to discriminate, things will continue to deteriorate. The day Donald Trump hugs a Palestinian immigrant, the whole world will change.

David Wineberg

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes I try to put myself into the position of the person who doesn’t see the extent to which white supremacy is embedded into the US past and present, and if this current administration has anything to do with it, well into the future. I try to see what they see, or don’t see, and it makes me feel slightly helpless, as how can we prove to these people that they are continuing to allow hate to be perpetuated through their society, just by not seeing it happen right in front of their noses. Maybe, just maybe, if they read this book they would have a better idea of why silence is complicity.

American Hate is a collection of testimonials from people who have been affected by prejudice, racism, hate, mainly around and after the 2016 election. Arjun Singh Sethi has collected stories from a variety of voices: undocumented people, POC, disabled, transgender, queer, Muslim, Sikh, Jewish, and so on, and lets them tell their stories in their own words. Some of these stories made national headlines, others you may never have heard about before, but they all must be heard, and they are all extremely shocking, and may also be triggering for many.

Arjun Singh Sethi provides an excellent foreword and afterword with information on how we can make positive change with resistance and our voices and actions, as well as how we can be allies, and/or protect ourselves, depending on our situation. We are currently in a country where white supremacy, oppression, and hatred are the main course for those in power, and while they feed on these evils, more and more people are suffering in private and in public from their legacy. These are the testimonials that need a spotlight on them, and need to be shoved in people’s faces until they understand that dismissal and non-reaction to hatred is a huge part of the problem.

We must never let these voices be silenced. Thanks to The New Press and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hate seeks to silence so it is all the more important to hear these voices of survivors of hate crimes in the USA. History is being written now and we need to face these stories head on and try to make a bridge of understanding between people. As diverse as the authors of these stories are, they all have the common experience of dealing with the increased hatred and bigotry of Americans. We, as readers, have the power to hear them and stand up to say that this is not this is not acceptable and this is not the US that we want to have.

I am reviewing an electronic ARC copy of this book through NetGalley.

[Martha Anne Toll]

My review for NPR https://www.npr.org/2018/08/08/636635...

[TE · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there is no struggle, there is no progress.
-Frederick Douglass

One statement in the first few pages really set the tone of this book, for good or ill: Sethi writes:

"We must begin by acknowledging that this country was built on a hate crime. The Native people of this land were displaced and exterminated to make room for Christians and Europeans."

Different than many of the other books I've read about recent times, this one is a compilation of interviews collected by the editor, who has had his own brushes with discrimination. It chronicles individual stories of a diverse group of people who describe their struggles in living in their own American communities. Nigh on the third decade of the twenty-first century, the realization of how little we've really progressed toward equality, and, more generally, simple respect and a basic sense of civility is disheartening. The book also not only includes the stories of the persons affected, and how hate has impacted their lives and communities, but it also describes the tools used to propagate hate, which increasingly involves social media.

I'm glad I read the stories of the individuals who have been directly affected, but the book was excessively political for my taste. I might have rated it higher had it not really sought to focus specifically on what people believe "Trump" has done to the US. I appreciate that the interviewees describe how things have changed for them, but, to me, most poignantly, the accounts demonstrate how things have NOT really changed all that much, frankly, as most of these brave souls describe discrimination throughout their lives, both in and outside the US. Most also point to gruesome violence in their own homelands as well, which is just another type of hate, something there is globally just too much of.

One interviewee stated their belief that a particular hate group "now act[s] with impunity, and think they have license to hurt others," but this has been much the situation for the history of the US, sadly. I recall with dismay one report which stated that the threats against a black president had increased some (?) 400 percent, which suggests that it isn't really the current administration which is inciting further hate and violence. I remember the climate in the US just after 9/11, which many younger people just *don't*. I think, similarly, a series of world events and terror attacks have affected people's outcome toward certain groups in general, misguided though it may be, so it may well have to do more with world events endlessly paraded and sensationalized by mainstream media rather than a single individual.

For example: the editor states that "boys and men are parroting the President," with the result that one in six girls now complains of being groped in school. There are a couple of ways to conceptualize this statistic, however: I think we also need to look at the incidence of reporting. In an era where kindergartners can sexually harass, the changing definition might have something to do with the dramatic increase. I'm not so certain that this hasn't been the case previously, but it was so much more normalized in the past that no one really thought to report inappropriate touching as sexual assault or harassment.

Example: I've had two friends who experienced what I think would be called today "precocious puberty" in junior high school, and were subjected to what I would legitimately call almost incessant sexual harassment and even occasional assault (i.e., "groping"), but no one at the schools (in two different states, mind you, one of them California, a liberal bastion extraordinaire) took it seriously or really took any action at all, having the attitude that "boys will be boys." One teacher (!) even told my friend that "if you don't let it bother you and they see that it doesn't bother you, they'll stop doing it." Fortunately, I think that this type of attitude has changed, which is the first step to changing attitudes and behavior at large. At least it's now being called out.

As such, I think it's simplistic to blame any one person or group, and we need to look much deeper at the roots of hate, in order to also understand the perspectives of the people who are perpetrating it, to try to avoid more people becoming like them. Sethi likewise argues that the solution must come from the bottom up, rather than the top down in the form of a leader serving as an example, but that wouldn't hurt either: it was discouraging to see the rather laissez-faire attitude of my fellow Americans during the Clinton sex scandal, where a known rapist attained the office of the president and continued to perpetrate misconduct, literally inside the Oval Office, with very few repercussions. Clearly, misconduct among those in high places isn't going to improve for the foreseeable future, but We the People should at this point be able to regulate ourselves, and empathizing with people brave enough to tell their stories is a good way to go about it.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

The strength of this book is in the stories it tells of individuals who have been targets of hate. It is only through these stories that we get a sense of these people’s lives, their lives experience and how the incidents of hate affected them. Too often the narrative focuses on concepts, such as community organizing, intersectionality, etc. I felt as if the writers were reciting from bullet pointed power points in trying to convey the need to fight against hate. A little more real life in their stories would have been welcome by this reader.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not an easy read, but it is very much an important one. Covering issues of discrimination during the Trump-era, it tells the story of individuals have faced discrimination in the form of bullying and violence in their own words. While the stories are of hate, violence and discrimination toward the most vulnerable communities in our country, there is also hope and forgiveness from those communities toward the perpetrators.

A couple of things surprised me. One was that the Vietnamese refer to what we call the Vietnam War as the American War. Another was that many of the immigrants did not face the worst discrimination following 9/11 but rather during the campaign and following the election of Donald Trump. Something I didn't understand was the woman who has lived in the US for decades by has not become a citizen and as a result, is facing deportation. I don't recall her going into her reasons for not becoming a citizen, but it could be a statement about borders being man-made. But in my naivety, I wonder if her insistence on making a statement is worth what she will lose if she is deported.

A must read for anyone who believes discrimination does not exist in this country and that immigrants, women, people with disabilities, people who are homosexual or non-gender conforming and/or non-Christians have it easy in our country.


Memorable quotes:

Introduction, page 4: The 2016 predisential campaign and subsequent election of Donald J. Trump emboldened, empowered, enabled, facilitated, and legitimized the very worst in America: racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, sexism, anti-semitism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and anti-immigrant hostility.

Introduction, page 10: If you are a white straight cisgender man, a Christian citizen, and do not have a disability, you are likely safe. Otherwise, you are a target in Trump's America.

Introduction, page 28: Low income individuals and communities are disproportionately subject to hate by everyday people and government authorities.

Chapter 1, page 11: As refugees, we're always afraid that the police or the government will send us home, even when we're the victims.

Chapter 2, pages 12-13: I am reminded of the words of Frederick Douglass: "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." I also told them being first was never easy.

Chapter 2, page 18: We need to lean into discomfort, because nothing happens when we're comfortable. We have to engage in difficult conversations in our communities and not be afraid of taboos.

Chapter 3, page 30: Tikkun Olam is Hebrew for "repair the world."......Think about it. An Arab mother took her daughter to a synagogue, where she learned Hebrew songs in a library dedicated to her Arab uncle. Now that's America.

Chapter 4, page 16: When I ask why they moved, they typically say better schools and jobs, and a higher quality of life. It's the same with immigrants, I tell them. They crossed a state line; we crossed a border. Boundaries are merely administrative decisions.

Chapter 6, page 16: They say and do the most hateful things. Any why not? If the leader of our country does, why can't they?

Chapter 7, page: 8: Registering Americans and banning foreign nationals on account of faith? That's un-American.

Chapter 7, pages 12-13: It's a delicate balance as, ever since then, Muslims and Arabs have been asked to condemn acts of terrorism around the world. It's as though we have to prove our innocence day in and day out. No other community shoulders that burden. Nor should we.

Chapter 7, page 33: Non-Muslims must be willing to listen to us and challenge their inner fears....Just as Muslims have a duty to educate the world about our traditions, non-Muslims have a reciprocal duty to understand the real teachings of Islam before casting judgment.

Conclusion, page 24: Policies that criminalize or withhold rights from vulnerable communities both here and abroad intensify bigotry and hate. They reaffirm narratives of privilege and bias and reinforce dangerous stereotypes, causing communities to recoil and retreat, exacerbating their vulnerability.

Conclusion, page 27: A good litmus test is whether the policy in question would be acceptable if it disproportionately impacted white people.

Conclusion, page 52: A majority of white Americans feel they are victims of discrimination, despite their many immense privileges. These Americans have to unpack their own anxiety, and understand that the projects of justice and equity are not assaults on their racial identity.

[Ayman Fadel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review with hyperlinks here: https://muslimmediareview.blogspot.co...

Arjun Singh Sethi's volume consists of his introduction and conclusion and thirteen accounts by victims of hate crimes and/or their surviving relatives. A web site accompanies the book.

I've never met Professsor Arjun, but he was kind enough to consult in the case of a hate crime in my city.

Even though I'd heard about most of the thirteen cases, the power of the testimonials still overwhelmed me. I had not adequately considered the long-term effects of these crimes on their immediate victims, and many of the initial media accounts did not include poignant details revealed in this volume.

While I've in general been a proponent of emphasizing the continuity between #45Regime & previous administrations, I do agree with Professor Arjun's assessment of Darth Orange's role in the hate crimes described in this book.

And while it is a fact that communities of color, immigrants, people of faith, and others have long faced hate in this nation, something has changed during these past few years. I have spoken and met with organizers, activists, and policy advocates; and sat down with survivors of hate in their offices, universities, community centers, houses of worship, and homes. They all say something similar. The 2016 presidential campaign and subsequent election of Donald J. Trump emboldened, empowered, enabled, facilitated, and legitimized the worst in America: racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, sexism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and anti-immigrant hostility. Much of what we see today is an outgrowth of what we have experienced before, but the hate nowadays is more visceral and widespread than many of us could have imagined just a few years ago. (pp. 2-3)

The conclusion covers a range of important issues, such as the necessity of broad based coalitions among groups which may have recognized their common interests and vulnerabilities, the essential features of good hate crimes laws, the role media and tech companies can play in reducing hate groups' power and the negative impact discriminatory and violent government policies have in green-lighting hate ideology and ingraining it among the dominant groups in a society.

No concluding essay can or should cover everything, but I wished the author would have shared his thoughts on the pressure minority victims of hate crimes receive to forgive the perpetrator.

Another topic which is of great interest to me these days is prison abolition. And, in fact, one group profiled in the book does in fact advocate prison abolition and for this reason did not contact the police in response to the crime which it suffered. When the hate crime occurred in my city, I don't think anybody seriously considered the possibility of not calling the police. In retrospect, that discussion, regardless of the ultimate decision, could have opened the doors to the coalition-building necessary to reverse the losses reactionary movements have inflicted on our society.

Purchase the book from your independent book seller or borrow it from a library near you.

[Roger Smitter · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is little surprise that the opening pages of this book focus on Donald Trump’s position about immigrants coming in the US. Sethi gives us some insights about how to deal with anti-immigration theme.

On page 3, Sethi tells us that Trump has “emboldened, empowered, enabled, facilitated and legitimized the very worst of America: racism, xenophobia, Islamaophiopia, sexism, anti-Semitism,homophobia,transphobia,ableism, and anti-immigrant hostility.” The author holds nothing back in his claim about the President: “He is a racist and an sexist, and his ideologies are white supremacy and greed.” (P. 3). “Now that he is President, he is exercising the worst form of the bully pulpit.” (P. 5)

Having made this powerful claim, Sethi gives us 13 chapters from persons who have experienced anti-immigratation attacks. Most are immigrants. While all of the 13 chapters are worthy of our attention, a few stand out like a red flag.

Syrian Asmara Albukaie lived in Boise, ID, a place with some welcoming people and many who want her gone from the community.

Jeannette Vizguerra is bold in telling us whe is undocumented AND works as a prominent activist in her community.

Tanya Gersh finds some words of humor in her experience as a wedding planner in rural Montana.

Khalid Abu Dawas tells us about his activisism for Palestinians in the US.

There’s some irony that the last chapter when we learn about the injustice experienced by Native Americans.

The chapters are diverse in details and mode of argument. Each chapter works as a case study of what is wrong and what should be done.

I can imagine this book in upper level undergraduate courses that focus on sociology, psychology, and anthropology. I can also see it becoming useful in book clubs.

[Ben Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

American Hate: Survivors Speak Out is a collection of testimonials collected and written by Arjun Singh Sethi and chronicles the stories of individuals affected by hate – particularly in racism. It is a collection of thirteen testimonials, which frankly is thirteen too many.

For the most part, I rather liked most of the contributions in this anthology and as a person of color and immigrant, I related to each and every one of these testimonials. Fortunately, my experiences with hate and racism were not so vile or terrifying, but it could have been.

This book is a series of powerful, unfiltered testimonials, survivors tell their stories in their own words and describe how with the current administration have intensified the bullying, discrimination, and even violence towards them and their communities. Hate has always been around – mostly hidden and done in secret, but with the current administration – it seems that they are embolden and not so hidden anymore.

Diversity is the strength of this collection, which includes the Indigenous, Black, Arab, Latinx, South Asians, South-East Asian, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, the Undocumented, refugee, transgender, queer, and people with disabilities both physical and psychological. It shows the cruelty that humanity could possess. However, in the final pages of the book, there is a sentiment of hope – a hope for the future – a hope for change – hope.

All in all, American Hate: Survivors Speak Out is a wonderfully written book of testimonials of horrific experience dealing with racism and hate that is still prevalent in the world today.

[Beth]

"We must begin by acknowledging that this country was built on a hate crime."

-"The Native people of this land were displaced and exterminated to make room for Christians and Europeans. Hate has been a fixture of our country for as long as it has existed. Land theft, slavery, segregation, xenophobia, and exclusion are defining features of our history."

-"There is no better way to tell these stories than in the words of survivors. For too long, the stories of those who have lost so much have been told by others. When the media produces content about vulnerable communities, they tend to marginalize and exclude us."

-"When survivors come forward and are given a meaningful platform, they are often whisked away to a city they do not know, to sit down with audiences they have never met. It can quickly become exploitative because the trauma that survivors endure is deep, personal, and hard to share."

-"A majority of white Americans feel they are victims of discrimination, despite their many immense privileges. These Americans have to unpack their own anxiety, and understand that the projects of justice and equity are not assaults on their racial identity. They are abut collective liberation, and making the world a better place for us all. They must understand that their waning demographic and economic power is not the result of discrimination; it is a more level playing field."

[Tamara Hossain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope everyone gets the chance to read this book at least once in their lifetime. I hope kids get a chance to read this book. I hold elders get to read this book. I just finished and I’m in awe of all the stories I’ve been lucky enough to learn about.

American Hate takes pre and post Trump era and details the rise of hate crime, racism, sexism, ableism, and all the nasty isms. Each chapter is written by a different survivor of injustice and they tell their own story about how they faced and survived hate. It took me a while to get through this book because I often had to stop and cry after each chapter. There are chapters written by trans folks, refugees, people who are Jewish, Muslim, teens, families, Native American, Disabled individuals. So many intersections, so much community. You will not regret reading this book. The editor writes in the beginning that it’s an honor to be able to learn about these stories from the survivors themselves. Please read this, I love it with all of my heart.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked that this book includes so many varied experiences, from hate crimes as "small" as online harassment to ones as big as murder, covering basically every reason for oppression imaginable: race, religion, sexuality, disability, etc. In that way, it felt extremely well rounded. I felt like I got to hear the perspective of so many different communities. Also, I expected to feel depressed after reading this, but I came away feeling hopeful, I think because so many of the survivors were hopeful themselves, which was nice.

However, it does have a very strong anti-Trump bias. It's clear that each survivor was specifically asked how they felt about him and the part he plays in modern American hate. My concern is that this might be a barrier to entry for those who aren't anti-Trump, which is unfortunate because I feel that everyone could benefit from reading about the hate crimes these people experienced & how it affected their lives.

[Jason Kanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely write book reviews anymore, but I do want to mention American Hate by Arjun Singh Sethi, who is a Sikh American And human rights attorney. American Hate is a collection of first person testimonies from individuals and families in America who have been victims of various hate crimes. The people who shared their stories represent various groups who have often been targeted by hate crimes. I know there are a lot of people who don’t think hate crimes are really a thing or that they are overblown. Listening to the stories of these people who are trying to make a life in America but have been the victims of viciousness is grievous and it makes my heart hurt. if you are someone who does not believe hate crimes exist or if you have ever uttered the phrase “I’m not a racist, but…“ please let me encourage you to listen to these stories and be moved by the impact of evil on real people.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highly political, this book records the horrendous accounts of hate experienced by people from many different backgrounds. There are many references to the escalation of fear and hate in 'Trump's America'. Our system is failing. These stories needed to be told and HEARD. Hate in America is one of the biggest sins against humanity. American Hate personalizes the stories we hear almost daily in the news and makes them human-- unforgettable.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a heart wrenching account of hate crimes and racially motivated attacks against a wide assortment of people targeted by the emboldened racists and white supremacists following the 2016 presidential election. It shines a light into an issue that is far more pervasive than I was aware of and is escalating at an alarming and distressing rate. Thankfully it concludes with a long segment detailing efforts already in place for next step plans to engage on the solution side of a disgraceful side of our American culture.

[Melkor von Moltke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good, short work that offers the important narratives of several people that have been adversely affected by the 2016 election. This diverse group is united by a common theme of hate, whether it entails the assault of a minor, the burning of a house of worship, murder, or just good old fashioned racist rhetoric and symbols. They have experienced some of the worst that the US has to offer.

Yet, they are not cowed into silence and united is not simply a word. Every chapter entails an empathy and solidarity between these various minorities, be they Muslim, Jewish, disabled, LGBTQ, Latinx, or African American. They all stand together and refused to be driven into silence. All in all it is a highly inspiring work.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an important book. Reading this will make you simultaneously disgusted with humanity and inspired by it. These stories are so vital to understanding and moving forward in our current political climate. The hope and tenacity each of these storytellers displays is awe-inducing and humbling. Sethi ends with a powerful conclusion that summarizes the lessons to be learned from these stories and provides multiple calls to action. Read this book.

[Chrissa Kuntz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. In simple prose, you hear from survivors of the bullying, harassment, and violence that has escalated with Trump's candidacy and presidency. Many of the people bearing witness in this book clearly state their belief that Trump's direct slurs and dogwhistle rhetoric have emboldened the actions and words of racists in America. The chapters about Standing Rock and anti-Semitism were the most startling and informative.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arjun Singh Sethi is an amazing man, and I've had the pleasure of meeting him in person. He truly cares about the work he's doing, and I admire his commitment to allowing people to tell their stories in the way they see fit if and when they are comfortable doing so. I love the way so many of these survivors are rooted in the principles of transformative justice - this is the kind of community we need to build.

[Gaganpreet Thind · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm, eye-opening, personal accounts from people that have been victims of today's harsh environment. Makes you realize how wide and deep are the effects of negative rhetoric + acts of hate in our country. Kudos to the editor for gathering these accounts and to the writers of the essays for being brave and sharing their stories.

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sethi has put together an outstanding collection of stories from people that have been the object of Hate Crimes. They are testimonies from South Asians, Sikhs, Blacks, Jews, Sioux, Trans-gendered, and Christian Americans.

The last section of the book provides a thoughtful outline on working on this issue.

[Jewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye opener for certain. The stories of many who have experienced hate crimes provided a look into how these crimes affected the victims, their families, and their communities. Many have been affected permanently. Thoughtful suggestions for fighting and /or eliminating hate crimes are offered in the book's conclusion.

[Philip Obaza · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartbreaking and poignant collection of stories detailing the fear, violence, and threats marginalized groups have been suffering in the wake of the 2016 election. Though the problems may not have started with this administration, Sethi shows that it has no doubt fanned the flames of hate, but also ignited a fury of resistance that will be fighting harder than ever for equality and justice.

[Tom Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you think you are an ethical and moral person? Do you try to live by the principals of your (fill in the blank) faith? If you think the country founded on genocide and slavery occupies the moral high ground, read this book. This can change. We can be the people we say we want to be.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this from the author at an event. He was a compelling speaker. I didn’t honestly want to read about hate crimes, but hearing from the victims and also hearing about the support they received felt important to do as witness.

[Sandi Rubin-Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Survivors of hate crimes or their families speak out on their experiences. So much hope and resilience displayed by the people who could have just as easily cling to their victimhood, but instead turned to organizing and striving to make our communities safer and more inclusive for all of us.

[Zoë Colon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly beautiful. It truly puts you in the Survivors’ shoes when reading their stories. I learned a lot of things and my perspective on some things has definitely changed. I recommend everyone to read this.

[Luis Mota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read!

[Joe Loncarich · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a white guy, I think it's important to read books like this. The total irrational hate that affects these people would be unfathomable if it wasn't somehow real.