NORTH HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — A proposed law on Long Island would ban hate symbols from public buildings.
Symbols of hate are not going away on Long Island. Instead, they’re rearing their ugly heads in firehouses, sanitation yards, schools, and town and county buildings.
“We sent a message that all of our public-funded properties belong to the people,” State Sen. Anna Kaplan told CBS2’s Jennifer McLogan.
Kaplan, motivated by displays of confederate flags on Long Island, has introduced legislation that would ban the sale and display of racist symbols in buildings or on equipment owned and funded by taxpayer dollars.
“This is an important piece of legislation, particularly at this time in our country,” Long Island attorney and advocate Frederick Brewington said.
Brewington believes the attack on the U.S. Capitol, the noose on a front lawn and swastikas in a Police Athletic League signal that messages of division are growing.
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“Context in education is probably one of the most important lessons,” Brewington said.
Surprisingly, there is nothing yet in New York school curriculum that specifically requires teachers to discuss the history and meaning of these symbols of hate and bias.
Levittown’s Fire Station 3’s confederate flags within, a symbol of Civil War slaveholding, were recently replaced by Trump banners. Such political campaign flags, signs and stickers are also banned in Kaplan’s legislation.
The members, volunteers, did not answer CBS2’s interview requests.
“We want to make sure that everyone feels safe and included enough to be part of that department,” Kaplan said.
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“There’s been too much coddling going on of white supremacy, to tell you the truth, and so I think that it is making a stand. I think that everybody else should get on board,” Elaine Gross, with Erase Racism, said.
The hate symbols ban bill is expected to be voted on in Albany in the coming months.
Currently there is no penalty attached to the bill for defying the hate symbol mandate. That will be expected to have a debate in Albany.
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