"Hate crimes don't just harm one individual or one piece of property-they're intended to hurt an entire community. That's what makes hate crimes so dangerous and insidious. But that's also why it's so important for us to stand together in opposition to hate crimes." -US Senator Richard Blumenthal, (D-Conn.)

The robbery/arson incident at the Rooster Wine & Spirits on South Main Street in February was one that scuttled Newtown's sense of security in a world that feels increasingly less secure. The component of that crime (now alleged to have been created by the proprietor) that was most disturbing was the anti-Semitic slur scrawled on the back door of the business. It was a horrifying thought that there were those who felt compelled and comfortable enough to leave behind a message of hate; that it was apparently part of an elaborate set up is not much more reassuring to anyone toward whom the sentiment seemed directed.

In the few days following the disturbance, enough people were exposed to the hateful words that damage was done. Fear, anger, frustration, and feelings of disgust rose to the surface as residents struggled with the possibility that this kind of attitude suggested an underlying acquiescence to hate.

CNN recently released statistics tracking the number of attacks this year on mosques around the nation at 33, a number nearly twice that of the entire previous year. A wave of bomb threats against Jewish community centers nationwide since January, cemetery vandalism, and other threats have created unease for the Jewish population of our country. (CNN reported on March 23 the arrest of a young man of dual American-Israeli citizenship for worldwide threats to Jewish centers - a spate of self-directed hate, it would seem.) Anti-black hate crimes continue to outnumber the incidents against whites; and the unprovoked attack against two Indian engineers in Kansas, resulting in the death of one, is not the only assault since the beginning of 2017 against a person perceived to be an immigrant.

This growth of hate in the world and in our country has been an impetus for the NO HATE (National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality Act) legislation introduced March 15 by US Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and US Representative Don Beyer (D-Va.). This law would "improve reporting and expand assistance and resources for victims of hate crimes," create grants to support hate crime hotlines, and provide rehabilitation for hate crime perpetrators.

Whether self-inflicted or purposefully turned toward a specific group or individual, hate crimes fuel a cycle of fear and more hate.

It is up to each of us to temper this negativity, from the littlest flicker of dislike; to question ourselves when we seethe at differences or misunderstandings; to search our hearts for kindness when we least want to do so. Tamping embers of hate starts with one, but can build to a united front.

Supporting the efforts of legislators determined to halt hate crimes means we can build a culture of NO HATE - and a better world.