Stand up and speak out against hate on June 27th

[Ian David]

Stand up and speak out against hate
Thousands sought for rally at Rox

By Robert Knox, Globe Correspondent | June 24, 2007

Six years ago, 1,200 people stood on the sands of Nantasket Beach in Hull and spelled out "The South Shore Is No Place For Hate." Backers of the No Place for Hate network are planning for a repeat of sorts this Wednesday when, they hope, thousands of people will stand up before a Brockton Rox baseball game and pledge to speak out against all forms of prejudice.

The point of "Strike Out Hate and Violence," said Harry Katz of Duxbury No Place for Hate, is public education.

Katz said the No Place For Hate network "empowers communities to respect diversity and prevent and respond to hate incidents." The rally at Campanelli Stadium is intended to get that message across. "We're also looking for people interested in working with us down the road," Katz said.

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They hope the June 27 event will bring a similar or even larger number of people to the 5,000-seat stadium in Brockton for a pre-game program that will culminate with recitations of both the No Place for Hate pledge and the pledge of the White Ribbon Campaign to end violence against women. Pledge takers vow "never commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women" and wear a white ribbon symbolizing their promise.

The program, which begins at 6:45 p.m., will include musical entertainment, brief statements by regional leaders, and the mass recitations of the pledges. Participants include Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz, Brockton Mayor James Harrington, Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald, and Pat Kelleher of Violence-Free Education, Training, and Outreach (known as VETO), a coalition of community anti-violence resources and women's services.

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/06/24/stand_up_and_speak_out_against_hate/

Those who wish to take part in Wednesday's event can buy a group ticket for $6 to the Rox game through the team's website. Go to roxgroups.com and type in the password "nohate." Participants will sit together in the section reserved for the group and watch the game after the No Place for Hate program.