NCLR Death Threat Punished in Court of Law

Originally posted at wecanstopthehate.org

Christopher Michael Szaz was sentenced today in North Carolina for emailing a death threat to the staff of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). Szaz plead guilty to one count of threat by force via email communication to NCLR. He was sentenced to 45 days in federal prison and has to serve 100 hours of community service. In his email to NCLR, Szaz referred to Hispanics using a racial epithet and threatened to kill members of the staff and splay their bodies. NCLR and other community advocates believe that this has to be seen as a part of a larger pattern of hate directed at immigrants, as the debate on immigration continues to loom in the national psyche. Szaz's prosecution sends an important message to others engaging in this type of action that it is a federal crime punishable in a court of law.

During a press conference this Tuesday outside the federal courthouse in Raleigh, North Carolina, NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía stated that there was a difference between healthy debate and hate speech. She went on to say:

"This case is an important reminder that the use of death threats and hate speech is against the law and, if prosecuted, people will serve time. We encourage the Department of Justice to begin to take these offenses more seriously. Unfortunately, these types of crimes are the result of a pattern and practice of hate speech and harassment that has been unleashed during the debate on immigration reform. Free speech does not give anyone license to make death threats, and the First Amendment does not protect hate crimes.

As an organization, we believe in the spirited debate of issues. We recognize that many will not agree with our positions or be moved by our rhetoric. We uphold and support the right to free speech in this country and are an ardent defender of civil liberties. But we also recognize that civil discourse should not be a cloak to disguise hate and injustice.

Words have consequences, and hateful words have hateful consequences. The rhetoric used by many in this debate has created an environment of fear within our community. It also has created a climate of empowerment for those like Christopher Szaz who want to act on their hate."

Also participating in the conference were Andrea Bazán, NCLR Board Chair and President of the Triangle Community Foundation; Tony Asion, Executive Director of El Pueblo, Inc.; and Reverend Dr. William Barber II, NAACP North Carolina State Director.

"The bible says the power of life and death is in the tongue," said Reverend Barber. "The NAACP stands with the immigrant community and deplores and detests how they are being treated now, because we know history." He went on to say that hate crimes are not a new thing. "Forty-five years ago, four little girls were killed at a Baptist church in Alabama." Forty-five years later, the silence of public officials is still deafening. He asked politicians to stop scapegoating communities of color for political purposes, as that was a part of the problem.

Tony Asion, who spoke as both the Executive Director of El Pueblo and also as a former police officer, shared that he had received death threats on a daily basis. He stated that in this day and age it should be unacceptable.

According to the FBI, hate crimes targeting Latinos have risen steadily in the last few years. Through its website, http://www.wecanstopthehate.org/, NCLR has been working to raise awareness of this increase and the ties to white supremacy and eugenics that many of the anti-immigrant groups have.

Although the target of Szaz's hate was a national group, the rise of national hate crimes also has local implications. Andrea Bazán is a Latina activist in North Carolina, and the Triangle Community Foundation is one of North Carolina's largest foundations. Ms. Bazán said that Szaz's threats were part of what prompted NCLR to invest $100,000 in increased security measures and for her to feel compelled to ask Durham police for frequent checks at her home. A recent article in the Raleigh News & Observer documented the threats against her and Mr. Asion.

In an ironic twist of fate, it has come to light that Szaz's Hungarian-born father, now deceased, was an immigrant activist in Washington.

To view a copy of the impact victim statement, please visit http://www.nclr.org/.

To read more about the case, visit http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1239144.html and http://www.wral.com/news/local/image/3646931/.

Comments

[fatimazk]

Really sad when you look at how hate speech is so often cloaked as "regular" speech, or even stating what others are saying. It is heartening to see how people stood up in this case, but many, as Kety notes, fearing hateful attacks lose their own power of speech.

We need more lawyers and people from different backgrounds to come together and take a stand against hate speech. When diverse groups join hands and protect one another, we have a stronger voice, along with a glimmer of hope that one day such acts will be vilified but not just a few at a press conference but also by the masses.

[cheech62]

While it's terrible to see that these kinds of prosecutions are necessary, and that the shouting that goes on on Lou Dobbs' program and others can lead to this kind of horror, it's also gratifying to see groups like NCLR fighting back. It's even better to see them in partnership with organizations like the NAACP.

[GaryVance]

I hope this case sends a message to the nation that restraint is needed in speech surrounding this issue. People like Lou Dobbs must share in the responsibility for the volatile environment that is now evident throughout our society concerning the plight of the illegal immigrants hiding in the shadows of America. Thank you Ms. Esquivel for this enlightening piece.

[jeseyguy406]

You're absolutely right Gary! Words are a powerful and sometimes dangerous instrument and such threats should never be allowed to go unchecked or unchallenged. Lou Dobbs is one of those individuals that is spewing venom across our air waves and he should be held accountable or at least show some humility and recognize the hatred that he is promoting. The undocumented workers that are here in the US deserve the chance to become US citizens and should not be made to feel 'less than' or 'not good enough'...I support amnesty for all of those that are alreay here.

[jeseyguy406]

I have read a lot recently about the hatred and venom being spewed by 'special interest' groups and even our main stream media. If I remember correctly I believe the FBI has shown an increase of 35% in hate crimes this year and over 25% in California alone. This increase is a direct result of the deep underlying racism that exists in America and it's also directly tied to the ongoing debate on immigration that tends to be marginalized by the main stream media oulets and therefore termed 'normal' if not expected behavior. I'm happy to see that something, however small, at least something has been done to show that this type of behavior is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. Unfortunately, I doubt that this story will make the main stream media feeds so I'm glad that there are bloggers and journalists out there reporting on these topics. Though not that ironic that this guy is actually a son of a first generation immigrant after all unless you're Native American we are ALL (yes that includes all of you Caucasians out there as well) ALL descendants of immigrants!