Jonathan Greenblatt, director of the Anti Defamation League (ADL) said his organization believes youth are easily “swept up into a hate movement” in an Opinion piece published on USA Today in 2022, highlighting the story of Damien Patton as an example of how young people are influenced by their circumstances.
“Damien’s story is a reminder how virtually anyone – particularly young people – can be swept up into a hate movement given the right conditions and circumstances,” Greenblatt wrote in the article. “At ADL, we believe that no one is born a violent extremist. But people can be led down that path, especially young and impressionable youth like Damien.”
“If we are to interrupt and stop this vicious cycle, we need more people like Damien to step forward,” he said. “We also need legislators to enact meaningful reforms that will prevent disinformation and hate from running rampant on social media.”
The latest analysis from the ADL on online hate or harassment reports record high numbers, following an upward trend from previous years. 56% of Americans report experiencing hate or harassment online during their lifetime, with teens being one of the most influenced groups.
The harassment level within teens ages 13-17 was 50% in the report, the same as the previous year’s report. However, concern about online hate has increased among teens, with 76% saying that content that expresses hate should be banned, an increase of 8% from the previous year. Similarly, 79% said content that “encourages violence against a person or group because of their identity” should be banned, up 7% from the previous year.
In 2022, Greenblatt published an article with Time Magazine about the friendship he started with Damien Patton, a former white supremacist who participated in a synagogue shooting as a teen despite being Jewish himself.
Patton’s troubled upbringing led to his involvement with white supremacist groups as a minor, who he aligned himself with after feeling alienated and alone. He felt safer as a member of the group, Greenblatt wrote in the USA Today piece, which led to his involvement in the shooting.
Patton later testified against his accomplices and served probation, then joined the Navy. Later, he became a successful entrepreneur of the tech company Banjo. Decades later, his history was exposed, prompting his resignation from Banjo. Greenblatt highlights Patton’s sincere remorse and efforts at atonement, arguing against cancel culture and advocating for redemption and personal growth, as well as community engagement to prevent further situations from happening again in the future.
The Anti-Defamation League is an anti-hate group that advocates for legislation and community education to reduce hate crime activity in the U.S.
