ACLU-Sacramento condemns ‘hate crime' against Temple Beth Shalom, deplores violation of rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 11, 2009

ACLU-Sacramento condemns ‘hate crime' against Temple Beth Shalom, deplores violation of rights

SACRAMENTO – The ACLU of Sacramento released a comment Wednesday regarding the "hate crime" at Temple Beth Shalom in Sacramento. Jim Updegraff, Sacramento chair of the board of directors, commented:

"The Sacramento County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union deplores and condemns the desecration of Temple Beth Shalom on Tuesday. This hate crime occurred on the 71st anniversary of the Kristallnacht program when Nazi thugs destroyed most all the synagogues and Jewish businesses in Germany and Austria, murdered Jews, and sent thousands of Jewish men to concentration camps.

"This action was the beginning of the genocide of European Jews. Only a person(s) with a sick twisted mind would ‘celebrate' this horrific event by defacing a synagogue with Nazi symbols.

"Certainly one of the important civil rights we enjoy is the ability to attend a place of worship of our choice and to peaceably worship without fear of government or private adverse actions. The congregation of Temple Beth Shalom has had this right violated by a hate-monger(s). The perpetrator(s) will have to face the consequences of this action."

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