Fighting Back

Colleges confront anti-Semitism.

REBECCA ELKUS

Special to the Jewish News

D

oft come back, Tom. You're not welcome under
this roof. You bring embarrassment to me and to
yourself:"
At 16, Tom Martinez packed his bags and left home,
leaving behind his father, who was outraged he had
quit school. Martinez had a 10th-grade education,
worked six days a week at a bakery and was expecting a
baby with his wife.
"I was lonely. My life was just awful," he said. "I was
looking for something — anything to be a part of."
That's when he heard a televised interview with
David Duke, Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, who
delivered this challenge: Are you against affirmative
action? Do you feel the government is spending too
much money on busing black students to school but
nothing 0 on the workina-class
white man?"
b
Martinez says he found what he was searching for.
"I thought he was talking to me personally," he said.
"I called him, he sent me information and an applica-
tion. He even came to visit me. This guy gave me more
time than my father ever had."
Martinez completed the application and mailed it.
"I was now a full-fledged Knight of the Ku Klux
Klan," he said.
Martinez recounted his experiences at the
"Confronting Anti-Semitism" conference Nov. 5-7 at
Michigan State University's Hillel.
Fifteen students from MSU, Thomas M. Cooley
Law School and Wayne State, Eastern Michigan and
Western Michigan universities participated. The con-
ference was sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League
(ADL) under a grant from the Solelim Fund of United
Jewish Appeal (UJA) Federation of New York.
"We want students on college campuses to better
understand what anti-Semitism is, what it sounds like
and feels like," said Gary Levin, ADEs director of tra-
ditional educational programs for ADL.
Participants explored the history, myths and facts of
anti-Semitism and worked on methods of responding
to anti-Semitism and anti-Israel thoughts and actions
through skill building.
Kenneth Waltzer, director of Jewish Studies and pro-
fessor at MSU's James Madison College, spoke to par-
ticipants about anti-Semitism on college campuses.
"Students need to have strategies for dealing with
anti-Semitism," he said. "The reality is we're living in
a new era. What might have once been unthinkable is
possible. What ADL is trying to do is the right thing
— they're preparing and teaching students to respond
knowledgably to anti-Semitism."

Lift-Changing Decision

"If I had had a different role model, a good role model,
I probably wouldn't have ended up the way I was,"
Martinez told the students.

11/l.2

2004

18

By the time he reached 27, Martinez had
joined another white supremacy organization, the
Order, headed by Bob Mathews. One of
Mathews' first actions when he organized the
Order in October 1983 was to compile an assassi-
nation list of Jewish enemies.
"No blacks were on the list," Martinez said.
"Bob hated Jews. They were his No. 1 target."
It took three assassinations, $3.6 million of
untraceable stolen cash, three armored car heists
and his family's pleas to make Martinez want to
change his life.
In November 1984, Martinez walked into a
Secret Service office and revealed his work in the
Order. He became an informant for the FBI, aid-
ing in the arrest of Order members.
"I watched hundreds of lives be destroyed," he
said. "You don't have to be a member of the KKK
or the Order to believe the awful stuff I did. It's
mind controlling, brainwashing — it's scary."
Martinez travels the country now, sharing his
experiences.
ADL's Gary Levin works with Albion freshman Ian
"I want to show kids the poison of hatred," he
said. "I want to reach out to the Tom Martinezes." Mondrow, Eastern Michigan's Marisa Saltman and
Michigan State senior Morgan Taylor..
Morgan Taylor, an MSU senior, said, "It's
important to show others that people can make
said the conference broadened her awareness of the
changes in their lives. I thought he [Martinez] was fan-
anti-Semitism she faced in the past.
tastic.
"I realize now that a lot of my actions were passive in
Michael Serling, ADL board member, said,
the way I responded to situations," she said.
"Martinez has the experience of being on the inside.
"Educating students is an important factor of this pro-
What better way to educate young Jewish students
gram. My students are now certified liaisons and can
than hearing his story?"
educate others."
Tammy Shapiro, a senior at EMU, said, "I now
Broadening Awareness
know how to deal with these issues if they arise. I can
At the conclusion of the conference, students worked
even help prevent one from happening."
on using skills they learned to implement the program
Shapiro said she intends on utilizing activities from
on their campuses.
the program at a future Shabbat dinner on campus.
"The program brought to light -a lot of cases of anti-
'Anti-Semitism comes in so many different ways that
Semitism that I wouldn't have normally thought were
students don't always recognize it," said Jeffrey Lazor,
anti-Semitic," said Naomi Glogower, an MSU sopho-
program director at MSU's Hillel. "The conference was
more.
an incredible experience for students, and if they can
"It really opened my eyes to what surrounds people
take the lessons they learned and actually go out and
on campus. I like the way they taught us to confront it
do them within their community, they'll make a strong
in a positive manner."
impact."
Jennifer Kutner, a junior at WSU, said, "There are a
"The more people we reach, the more we'll defeat
lot of issues that I didn't know about. I'm an adviser on racism," said Martinez. ❑
campus, and I want to put this together not just for
For tips on responding to anti-Semitism, see
our Hillel, but for the entire student body."
wvvw.thejewisimews.com or vvvvw.acil.org
Sharone Senk, assistant director for the Michigan's
ADL regional office, worked with MSU in organizing
the conference.
To arrange for Martinez's work to be included in an
"MSU's Hillel has done so much in the past couple
organizational program, contact Keppler Associates
of years to increase student participation," she said.
at (703) 516-4000.
"Their staff was very eager to hold this event. ADL
Martinez's book was published in 1988 and
lacks a presence on campuses. We're trying to make
updated in 1999. It may be ordered by phone by
students aware of who we are and that we're a resource
calling Barnes and Noble at (800) 843-2665 or
for them."
iuniverse at (877) 823-9235 or online at:
Marisa Saltzman, program associate at EMU's Hillel,
wwwiuniverse.com or: wwwBN.com

