Date: Thursday, January 27, 2022
Unfortunately, AEA has two tragedies that it needs to take a stance against today. By the time we respond to one, another has occurred.
The American Evaluation Association stands with the Jewish community in response to the most recent act of antisemitism in Colleyville, Texas, where hostages were taken at Beth Israel Temple. There is no justification for hate crimes and such acts of violence. The American Evaluation Association stands against all forms of antisemitism. As the president of the American Psychological Association stated: “Antisemitism has no place in civilized society.” The American Evaluation Association supports the right to work and worship for all, without fear and in peace.
AEA also recognizes the racially motivated murder of Michelle Go in New York City, and reiterates its stance against anti-Asian/Asian American violence that has especially targeted women-identified victims.
To increase your understanding of antisemitism in historical and contemporary context:
To take small and large action against antisemitism:
To increase your understanding of anti-Asian violence and to take action against it:
What both these acts of violence have in common is their reinforcement of the idea that the USA is a white, Christian nation. Members of numerous groups—including women, LGBTQIA folks, and folks with disabilities—live in fear that tells them that they do not belong. Any sense of safety or belonging that they may experience is provisional and can be called into question at any time through acts of violence such as those above. Some violence is so frequent, subtle, or structural, that we could never possibly recognize it all, and it becomes normalized. As part of the commitment to equity expressed in its Guiding Principles, AEA is working to acknowledge and reverse normalized violence in the systems that evaluators engage with.