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Guest Columnist – We must stand united against hate in all its forms

We must stand united against hate in all its forms Debemos permanecer unidos contra el odio en todas sus formas

The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by our guest columnists do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.

By Phil Weiser

Serving his second term as attorney general of Colorado.

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On June 1, a heinous hate crime directed at the Boulder Jewish community injured 15 people, some seriously. The victims of this shocking attack were marching and peacefully calling attention to the hostages still being held by Hamas since their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Such violence—motivated by hate and with the goal of terrorizing the Boulder Jewish community—has no place in our society and must be condemned.

Over the last week, the condemnation of this attack has come from all communities in Colorado. On Sunday, June 8, I joined thousands of people in Boulder to make a stand against hate. Together, we prayed for healing for those harmed in the attack, made clear that there is no reason for violence against the peaceful marchers in Boulder, and that the attacker must be fully held accountable.

We must stand united against hate in all its forms

The attack revealed the ugly face of antisemitism. With antisemitic incidents on the rise nationwide, we must take this moment to put a spotlight on this trend and reverse it. This trend took hold even before October 7. After the October 7massacre, such attacks are on the rise—up 40% in Colorado from 2023 to 2024. Recent attacks on Jews, such as the attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and his family on Passover and the murder of a young Jewish couple outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C last month, highlight how hatred and violence are a threat to Jews everywhere.

The rise of hatred and intolerance now links Colorado’s Jewish and Latino communities. The heated rhetoric around immigration is causing fear and intimidation in our communities, with a campaign of demonization and dehumanization against immigrants. What the attack in Boulder demonstrates is that labeling people as “other” has consequences that can be deadly.

We must stand united against hate in all its forms

For many Jews, and for Latinos whose families came from other countries, our ancestors journeyed away from persecution and hardship to a land of freedom and opportunity. That is my family story, as my grandparents and mom came to the United States after surviving the Holocaust and being liberated by the U.S. Army. That’s why, for me as a first generation American, defending America as a land that “gives bigotry no sanction” and “none shall be afraid,” as President George Washington put it, is personal.

It is critical that we stand together, united against hate in all its forms, whether it be racism, intolerance of immigrants, or antisemitism. In the aftermath of the June 1 attack, I am committed more than ever to leading with moral clarity and working to keep all our communities safe. In America, we must always settle differences through democratic processes and dialogue—and never through harassment and violence.

While many of us feel fear and sadness as we wonder whether Washington’s message will hold, our communities are resilient and strong. Together, we must continue to call out hate in all its forms. Colorado’s strength lies in our vibrant, diverse communities, and through this strength, love will triumph over hate.