Glencoe's Aitz Hayim to Examine What Constitutes Hate Speech
When the quote, "If you tell a big enough lie often enough, people will believe it." was placed in this year's Highland Park High School yearbook, it stirred up a range of issues involving freedom of speech and what constitutes hate words.
On August 10, from 7:30-9:30 PM, at the Infinity Foundation, 1280 Old Skokie Valley Road in Highland Park, Glencoe's Aitz Hayim will explore whether anything that may have been said by an evil person becomes evil, and how do individual sensitivities influence community behavior. Can hatred become hateful itself? What assumptions about people's behavior might create misinformation? The answers will be discussed by a diverse panel of experts, each bringing their own perspective.
The panel will include:
• Superintendent, Dr. Bruce Law, who will share his perspectives in facing this issue in real time and in the broader societal and educational challenges it raises.
• Jonathan Mintzer, the assistant director of the ADL in Chicago, who will offer the ADL's perspective on what constitutes hate and what checks we need on accusations of hatred.
• Brianna Goodlin, co-chair of the Charles Bronfman Israel Policy Forum Atid Conveners Summit. She recently graduated from Harvard with a thesis on Genocide in Modern Europe and a follow up with anti-Semitism in Denmark. She works as an innovation consultant with interest in mining companies serving economic, environmental and social concerns.
The program is free, but reservations are required by visiting www.aitzhayim.org or call 847-835-3232.