Opinion: How Philanthropy Can Curb the Rise of Hate: Count It, Condemn it, Confront It

For those monitoring the impact of extremism, hate and political polarization on societies around the world, the United States is now just another case study in conflict and fragility. 

The massacre of 50 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand, shook the small nation to its core — as people around the world bore witness to this horrific act of violence, which was livestreamed on social-media platforms that enable hate.

On Saturday, in Poway, Calif., a white nationalist opened fire in a synagogue on the last day of Passover, killing one woman and injuring the rabbi, an 8-year-old girl, and others. Just one day earlier, the shooter began his rampage online citing Christchurch and the mass shootings at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the deadliest anti-Semitic hate crime in America’s history, as his inspiration for white supremicist violence.