Letter to the Editor

The Patch Has Become a Platform for Hate Speech

It’s been almost one month since the conclusion of the ugliest and most contentious presidential election in recent US history. Unfortunately, one of the fall outs of this election has been an increase in hate crime and hate speech. The Southern Poverty Law Center has reported a spike of almost 900 hate crime incidents in the first ten days following the election. The NYPD has reported a 35% increase in hate crimes this year.

Hate speech also seems to be on the rise. Hate speech is more prevalent and seems to have become more accepted in our society without regard to the effect it has on others. Hate speech against people who are Muslim. Hate speech against people who are black or Hispanic. Hate speech against women. Hate speech against anyone who doesn’t fall into the ‘norms’ as defined by the majority race, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion ….. etc.

Even more disturbing is that the Patch seems to be fueling the fire. The Patch, particularly the Toms River edition, has become a platform for hate speech and the management doesn’t seem to care! Let me give a few recent examples.

On Nov. 22, there was a story in the Patch about a family hit by a car as they were crossing Hooper Avenue. All three (father, mother, and infant child) required medical attention. The victims have Hispanic sounding last names. Although the story made no mention of their immigration status, that did not stop people from making assumptions and writing hateful, xenophobic comments such as: “Thank God for President-Elect TRUMP.....HE WILL PUT THE ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS IN THEIR PLACE.....” and “You come here illegally....I have no sympathy after stealing our tax dollars for decades and us flipping your hospital bills.” The Patch made no effort to curtail this hate speech. In fact, the Patch was used as a platform for it.

Another example - On Nov. 23, there was a story about a man shot in Lakewood. The story made no mention about the Orthodox Jewish community and yet the hate-speakers decided to use it as an opportunity. Some of the comments were: “The Orthodox created Lakewood .........with their wear it down buy it cheap mentality. They are a cancer and will spread as long as this is accepted in this area” and “Yes, they cheat the government and take advantage of handouts, but, they won't mug you on the street. Not like the "others" and we all know who those "others" are. The problem is that they buy all of Lakewood homes and are relocating all the section 8 to Brick.” Again, the Patch was used as a platform for hate speech and made no effort to curtail it.

Finally - On Dec. 1, there was a story about a killing near a mall in Atlantic County. It was the second killing in the area since Thanksgiving. A few of the comments printed in the Patch were: “another black male shot dead. black lives matter, but do they matter to other blacks?” and “Let them kill each other...Freaking animals...”

These are just a few of examples of the hate filled speech that the Patch publishes. In my vocation as a deacon, I believe that these comments are an affront to the one God that loves us all and created us as one human race. I believe that we all must stand against speech that is bigoted and will only result in further dividing us.

According to the Patch’s posting standards, all comments must be “civil”. Does the management of the Toms River Patch consider the above examples of hate speech as “civil”? Really? What kind of standards does this management have?

I was deeply disturbed when I read the comments on the stories cited above. In each case I reached out to the Patch by email and brought this hate speech to their attention. Each time my email was ignored. I never received a response and the hate filled comments remained on the website.

Some people may say that the First Amendment gives them the right of free speech no matter how hateful it may be. That is true. However, the First Amendment also provides freedom of the press. People may have the right to express hate filled speech but the Patch has no obligation to publish it! In fact, I believe that the Patch has the right, and I believe the ethical responsibility, to keep hate speech out of its publication.

At this point I call upon the management of the Patch to be a responsible organization and eliminate hate speech from all facets of its publication. And, I would ask that all good people reading this letter to take action to stop hate speech whenever it is heard.

Faithfully, The Reverend Ted Foley