The Gazette
A swastika and the words “sig (sic) heil” – for “sieg heil,” a Nazi salute – was scrawled on the side of the sign outside Temple Beit Torah in Colorado Springs in August 2017. Getting your player ready...
Based on the numbers, hate is not spreading in Colorado.
FBI statistics show hate crimes in the state remained flat in 2016 compared with 2015, and Colorado Springs police figures showed them plummeting so far this year.
That’s the reality, but the perception persists that hate is more prevalent in the community than ever, amplified by media attention and social media and further fueled by recent attacks around the country that have targeted churches, protesters and homosexuals.
Two weeks ago, a black teen at Cheyenne Mountain High School had his face superimposed on a meme that also was manipulated to include a knife and the words, “Around Blacks Never Relax.” It was distributed on Snapchat and in text messages, leading the student responsible, who has been described as Hispanic, to face expulsion and criminal charges. Police said they are investigating the posting as a possible bias-motivated crime.
