ADL partisanship

ADL
Anti-Defamation League

== Questionable educational materials ==

The ADL has produced one-sided political propaganda disguised as educational materials.

=== Anita Sarkeesian ===

The Anti-Defamation League published a Common Core education outreach pamphlet for distribution to high schools which denounced all video games as sexist, encouraged students to describe them that way, encouraged students to write letters to video game companies denouncing them as sexist, and heavily promoted Anita Sarkeesian.

"Is Gaming A Boys' Club?", ADL, December 22, 2014, http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/education-outreach/is-gaming-a-boys-club.pdf

The PDF author Jewel Nesmith may only be the formatter. Actual author unknown.

ADL San Francisco promoted the report over Twitter at 11:55 AM - 24 Dec 2014.
https://mobile.twitter.com/ADL_SF/status/547842969970434048 https://archive.is/gtAfm

=== Paris attack ===
Terrorist Attack in Paris and Scapegoating, November 25, 2015
http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/education-outreach/terrorist-attacks-in-paris-and-scapegoating.pdf

attacks Donald Trump:
"Since the attacks, there has been an increase in anti-Muslim rhetoric, threats, attacks and hate crimes directed at the U.S. Muslim community; this is coming from the general public, elected officials and even presidential candidates."

One-sided lessons:
"1. Distribute a copy of the New York Times editorial After Paris Attacks, Vilifying Refugees to each student. Give students 10 minutes to read the article silently."
"What is meant by the statement: 'Slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values.'?"

False claim:
"religion has nothing to do with these attacks."

=== Black Lives Matter ===
ADL accused of promoting Black Lives Matter rather than teaching about it:

@TimesofIsrael Here's the @ADL_National's lesson plan promoting BLM.: http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/education-outreach/black-lives-matter-from-hashtag-to-movement.pdf
https://twitter.com/mr_markjacobs/status/760918228155699200 https://archive.is/iAkbZ

=== Islam ===
February 9, 2016
Protecting Our Muslim Youth from Bullying: The Role of the Educator
by: Jinnie Spiegler, Director of Curriculum, Anti-Defamation League, and Sarah Sisaye, Department of Education
http://www.stopbullying.gov/blog/2016/02/09/protecting-our-muslim-youth https://archive.is/GMNHX

"incorporating the experiences, perspective and words of Muslim people into the curriculum through social studies and current events instruction"
"Encourage students to learn how to be an ally when faced with bias or bullying."
"share inspiring examples like Walk a Mile in Her Hijab"


=== Alt-Right ===
Alt Right: A Primer about the New White Supremacy
February 10, 2016
http://www.adl.org/combating-hate/domestic-extremism-terrorism/c/alt-right-a-primer-about-the.html
https://archive.is/w9GIR

Claims that everyone in the alt-right is a racist antisemite. This would be disputed by many.


== Questionable activities ==

=== Washington Redskins ===

October 30 2015
Jinnie Spiegler, speaking at the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsiblity, denounced the name of the Washington Redskins.
http://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/parent-table-talk-sports-mascots-bias https://archive.is/6DoJi

A serious look at the historical record finds that the term originates with natives and is not a slur.
http://www.seethruedu.com/updatesracism-inc-comes-football/ https://archive.is/IEvVt

=== SXSW Harassment Summit ===

March 2016
ADL director Jonathan Greenblatt spoke at conference on online harassment at the SXSW convention.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/03/13/technology/sxsw-2016-online-harassment-summit/index.html
http://www.wfaa.com/tech/security-is-tight-as-sxsw-discusses-webs-dark-side-harassment/80549682

There are signs that this conference was a partisan affair designed to promote a political narrative.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/03/14/south-by-southwest-online-harassment-summit-failure/81764110/
http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/sxsw-interactive-announces-online-harassment-summi/npCr7/
http://www.wfaa.com/tech/security-is-tight-as-sxsw-discusses-webs-dark-side-harassment/80549682

* Invitees included Brianna Wu, an online troll employed by Microsoft to annoy people discussing the Gamergate corruption controversy which is beyond the scope of this report but is described on Know Your Meme, Infogalactic, and Encyclopedia Dramatica. Several of the people involved in that were linked to Democratic campaign financier George Soros, and their PR team included Democratic activists Stephan Hankin and Naomi Seligman.
* Invitees included Democratic congresswoman Katherine Clark who has promoted online trolls Brianna Wu and Zoe Quinn as harassment victims.
* Panelists included Democratic former Texas state senator Wendy Davis whose public relations campaigners include Bantown troll Jepeczenka "Hepkitten" Svadakovic who engaged in harassment early in the Gamergate controversy.
* Panelists included Jamia Wilson of Women Action and the Media, part of the Soros-funded Media Action Grassroots Network
* Democratic media outlets Buzzfeed and Vox had threatened to boycott SXSW for cancelling an earlier panel involving the professional (paid) online harasser Randi Harper.
* Democratic media outlet Think Progress accused "Gamergate" of threatening the conference.

This raises questions of the extent and purpose of Greenblatt's involvement.


=== Affiliation with ISNA ===

May 5 2016
ADL NextGen Panel hosts Mohamed Magid of ISNA
panelist Rabbi David Sandmel, ADL Director of Interfaith Affairs.
moderated by Lauren Markoe of Religion News Service
ADL NextGen is the new young professionals' branch of ADL's Washington, DC Region
structured education through the Glass Leadership Institute (GLI), and a Leadership Circle that provides hands-on work through committees, leadership opportunities...
Eric Wachter, Associate Regional Director, at ewachter@adl.org.
http://dc.adl.org/adl-nextgen-panel-explores-recent-spike-in-anti-muslim-bigotry/ https://archive.is/myUHh


=== Affiliation with J Street ===

May 2016
Jonathan Greenblatt spoke at J Street which was founded as a partnership of the Democratic party PR group FitzGibbon Communications and the government of Qatar.
http://zoa.org/2016/05/10324091-adl-speech-to-j-st-wrongly-casts-equal-blame-on-israel-promotes-pro-bdsblack-lives-matter/ https://archive.is/DkbNh


=== Pepe the Frog campaign ===

September 2016
The ADL attacked the popular Internet meme Pepe the Frog in concert with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton campaign to justify accusing Clinton's opponent Donald Trump of racism.
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/nazi-pepe-controversy https://archive.is/OSwf3

=== Canary Mission ===

November 2 2016
ADL approvingly tweeted a Tablet Magazine article condemning the competing Jewish anti-extremist organization Canary Mission, accusing the group of "blacklists, boycotts and extremist measures"
https://twitter.com/ADL_National/status/793912306971410432


=== Steve Bannon ===

November 14 2016
Following the appointment of Breitbart editor Steve Bannon to an advisory position under Donald Trump, Jonathan Greenblatt accused Bannon of being "hostile to core American values."
https://twitter.com/JGreenblattADL/status/797984801248673792
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/11/15/anti-defamation-league-decries-stephen-bannon-while-other-jewish-groups-stay-silent/

=== Denial of press credentials ===

November 16 2016
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has denied press credentials to Adelle Nazarian of Breitbart News who was assigned to cover the ADL's "Summit on Anti-Semitism" at the Grand Hyatt in New York City on Thursday, November 17. Breitbart supported the Donald Trump campaign and its director Steve Bannon became a top advisor to Trump.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2016/11/16/anti-defamation-league-denies-press-credentials-jewish-journalist/ https://archive.is/bL3fM

=== NSEERS "Muslim registry" allegations ===

November 17 2016
After Donald Trump's advisor Kris Kobach proposed reimplementing the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) program that was in place from 2002 to 2011, Jonathan Greenblatt falsely claimed that this would be a registry of all Muslims in the United States.
http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/11/18/muslim-registry-adl-jonathan-greenblatt-this-proud-jew-will-register-as-a-muslim-if-trump-admin-creates-religious-based/ https://archive.is/Irzvn

=== ADL conference ===

ADL Allies With Anti-Israel Activists Against Trump
Mainstreaming anti-Semitism through anti-Trump alarmism.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/264918/adl-allies-anti-israel-activists-against-trump-daniel-greenfield
https://archive.is/3msor


=== Keith Ellison ===

November 22 2016
The ADL endorsed Keith Ellison for chairmanship of the Democratic National
Committee. Ellison is a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood who is widely
regarded as the most antisemitic of the 535 people in Congress.
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-adl-has-gone-completely-off-rails.html
http://www.jta.org/2016/11/22/news-opinion/politics/keith-ellisons-ascent-signals-the-democrats-willingness-to-redefine-pro-israel
https://spectator.org/so-much-for-moderation/


== Persons of interest ==

=== Jonathan Greenblatt ===

Former director of the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation.
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/New-Anti-Defamation-League/234254 https://archive.is/i1w3Y

=== Jinnie Spiegler ===

ADL curriculum director

Jinnie Spiegler and Lou Frederick are affiliated with the Morningside Center, formerly Educators for Social Responsibility Metropolitan Area.

Spiegler spoke on the subject "Turning Current Events Into Social Justice Teaching", January 6, 2016
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/current-events-social-justice-teaching-jinnie-spiegler https://archive.is/aGeYq

=== Jewel Nesmith ===

Jewel Nesmith is listed in PDF metadata as the author of the ADL's suspect materials. She may be the formatter/publisher and not the author.

"Jewel Nesmith of the ADL formatted the guide"
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/ERIC-ED464966/pdf/ERIC-ED464966.pdf


== Cyberhate project ==

=== 2012 Working Group on Cyberhate ===

May 10, 2012
ADL Teams With Internet Industry Leaders To Convene Cyberhate Working Group
http://archive.adl.org/nr/exeres/6c8b21a2-e35e-44b9-9049-8608ea8c7029,0b1623ca-d5a4-465d-a369-df6e8679cd9e,frameless.html https://archive.is/pJkE1
The Task Force on Internet Hate, created by the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism (ICCA), formally approved a motion May 7 establishing the "Anti-Cyberhate Working Group," during their meeting under the auspices of the Stanford Center for Internet and Society in Palo Alto, California.
Christopher Wolf - co-chair of ICCA Task Force

The Stanford Center (SCIS) was founded by Larry Lessig, who would later go on to run the Berkman Center.
http://www.securityfocus.com/news/131 https://archive.is/1OrBB

=== 2013 ICCA Task Force ===

May 29 2013
ICCA Task Force on Internet Hate report
http://www.report-it.org.uk/files/icca_task_force_on_internet_hate_report_may_29_2013_final.pdf
contributors:
* Yudi Edelstein - co-chair
* Christopher Wolf - co-chair
* Jardena Lande - ICCA director
* Hogan Lovells  - legal research
* Steven Sheinberg - ADL
* Robert Trestan - ADL

The report quotes Danielle Keats Citron & Helen Norton - Intermediaries and Hate Speech: Fostering Digital Citizenship 91 B.U.L. Rev. 1435 at 1436-1437.

=== 2014 Best Practices ===
ADL Releases "Best Practices" for Challenging Cyberhate
Major Internet Companies Express Support for Initiative
New York, NY, September 23, 2014
http://www.adl.org/press-center/press-releases/discrimination-racism-bigotry/adl-releases-best-practices-challenging-cyberhate.html https://archive.is/L82n9

ADL Best Practices partners:
* Facebook
* Google
* Microsoft
* Secret
* Twitter
* Yahoo
* Youtube
* Muslim Advocates
https://web.archive.org/web/20141004032514/http://www.adl.org/combating-hate/cyber-safety/best-practices/

==== Muslim Advocates appendix ====
Muslim Advocates issued a supplementary report which advocated reporting speech they disagree with.
https://www.muslimadvocates.org/facebook-twitter-and-google-among-leading-internet-companies-that-advocate-new-cyberhate-best-practices/ https://archive.is/GQvJb
https://web.archive.org/web/20160529080301/https://www.muslimadvocates.org/click-here-to-end-hate-anti-muslim-bigotry-online/


=== May 2015 meeting at Microsoft Innovation and Policy Center ===

http://dc.adl.org/microsoft-hosts-adl-discussion-on-cyberhate/ https://archive.is/tTYHN
Frank Torres, Senior Director of Consumer Affairs for Microsoft
In May, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) held a reception and panel discussion about the role of social media in promoting and countering hate speech, cyberbullying, and violent extremism, including how ADL is at the forefront of these issues.
Hosted at the Microsoft Innovation and Policy Center, the evening began with an interactive tour of Microsoft's facility. Guests were introduced to ADL's "Best Practices for Combatting Cyberhate,"... Microsoft participated in an industry Working Group on Cyberhate convened by ADL in an effort to develop a coordinated approach to the growing problem of online hate speech, including anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, racism, homophobia, misogyny, xenophobia, and other forms of online hate.

Panelists
* Leslie Harris, Founder and Principal of the Harris Strategy Group;
* Professor Danielle Citron, Lois K. Macht Research Professor and Professor of Law at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law;
* Oren Segal, Director of ADL's Center on Extremism and ADL's Research Center


=== UNESCO - Countering Online Hate Speech ====
UNESCO Series on Internet Freedom
Published in 2015 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Iginio Galiardone, Danit Gal, Thiago Alves, Gabriela Martinez
introduction by Getachew Engida, Deputy Director-General of UNESCO

Quote from page 41:
Organizations like the USA-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Women, Action and the Media (WAM!), the Australian-based Online Hate Prevention Institute, the Canada-based Sentinel Groups for Genocide Prevention, and the British-based Tell Mama-Measuring Anti- Muslim Attacks have become increasingly invested in combating hate speech online by targeting Internet intermediaries and asking them to take greater responsibility in moderating content, and by trying to raise awareness among users.

OHPI is Andre Obeler's organization

page 44 credits WAM and Everyday Sexism with causing Nationwide Insurance an Nissan to pull ads from Facebook.

page 47 promotes a "global citizenship education (GCED)" program




== Other notes ==

=== February 2015 shill attack on 8chan ===

On February 7, following a /r/kotakuinaction post on the ADL's "Is Gaming A Boys Club" pamphlet, 8chan users reported an increase in apparent "shills", tone policing, and attempts to divide 8chan's boards against those studying Gamergate.
(Not sourced. Thread probably never archived.)

ee2c1e: There's seems to be a lot of shilling this morning. Let's have a morale thread to counter it.

83cd21: The shills are board crossing all over 8chan, trying to get the boards to purge /gamergate/
The pseudo-OPs are being called out and told to suck dick on /v/, /cow/, /baph/, etc. unpaid Gawker interns are on weekend breaks.

069b61: They're out to get /pol/ to hate us and vice versa.
The shilling on /pol/ is astronomical, I came here to get some reprieve from it all only to find more shills here :/

3e28e2: The fucking truth. Been busy modding to deal with 'em. Need more hotpockets.

5b84ea: Pretty amazing how it goes. Although I can't remember the last time we got hit this hard, aside after the 8chan DDOS/URL-sitting failing to work.

73b41c:  /v/ here. We're getting shills over here. We're pulling the strings on these big happenings and they're trying to crash the all boards with no survivors.


== Other ADL projects ==

=== Partners Against Hate ===

Partners Against Hate is a US government project that the ADL has been involved with
since 2001, possibly earlier.

Partner Organizations as of 2001
* Anti-Defamation League
* Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence
* Leadership Conference Education Fund Funders
* Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquincy Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice
* Safe and Drug Free Schools Program, U.S. Department of Education
https://web.archive.org/web/20010405070712/http://www.partnersagainsthate.org/

As of 2002 PAH included an essay "Sticks and Stones" about harmful speech which directly rejected the age-old advice for children not to let hateful speech bother them.
https://web.archive.org/web/20021210050253/http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/edlead/0012/wessler.html

Jewel Nesmith is a project assistant in Partners against Hate.
"Lessons for the Middle School Classroom", Partners Against Hate
http://www.readbag.com/partnersagainsthate-educators-middle-school-lesson-plans https://archive.is/qrd1d




== Other notes ==

=== Terrorist attacks and scapegoating ===

(more details)

Surge in anti-Muslim bullying seen in wake of San Bernardino, Paris terror
attacks
By Michael Melia, Associated Press
Posted: 03/05/16, 2:37 PM PST |
The Anti-Defamation League updated its anti-bias training activities after the Paris attacks to incorporate Islam. One lesson plan tailored for junior and senior high school students has them discuss ways in which Muslims and Syrian refugees are being scapegoated as a result of the attacks. Another encourages students to discuss connections between stereotypes about Muslim people and acts of bigotry, as well as ways they can support Muslims.
http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20160305/surge-in-anti-muslim-bullying-seen-in-wake-of-san-bernardino-paris-terror-attacks


Terrorist Attack in Paris and Scapegoating - Adl
http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/education-outreach/terrorist-attacks-in-paris-and-scapegoating.pdf
Jewel Nesmith
November 25, 2015
This lesson provides an opportunity for students to learn more about the Paris attacks and understand the ways in which Muslim people and Syrian refugees are being scapegoated as a result of the terrorist attacks.
...
Since the attacks, there has been an increase in anti-Muslim rhetoric, threats, attacks and hate crimes directed at the U.S. Muslim community; this is coming from the general public, elected officials and even presidential candidates.
...
THE AFTERMATH: WHAT IS THE ROLE OF SCAPEGOATING?
1. Write (or say aloud) the following sentences:
A. All teenagers steal from stores (shoplift).
B. I don't like teenagers.
C. I don't allow teenagers in my store.
...
READING ACTIVITY
1. Distribute a copy of the New York Times editorial After Paris Attacks, Vilifying Refugees to each student. Give students 10 minutes to read the article silently.
...
What is meant by the statement: "Slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values."?
...
If possible, project Twitter on the board/smart board and show tweets for these specific hashtags: #IAmAMuslim #TerrorismHasNoReligion #MuslimsAreNotTerrorist
#NotInMyName
...
3.Explain that social media is being used as a tool to convey the message that not all Muslims are terrorists and in fact, religion has nothing to do with these attacks. As a closing activity to the lesson, have students write down one thing they can do (using social media) to share their points of view with their friends, family and followers.