“Hate Imprisons Everyone”

Hate Crimes Awareness Day was hosted in collaboration with the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee on April 9, 2014 at the Calgary Public Library.

According to the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee, hate crime is defined as “any criminal offence committed against a person or property, which is motivated in whole or in part by the suspects’ hate, prejudice, or bias against an individual or identifiable group based on real or perceived race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or any other similar factor.”

As Calgary continues to grow in diversity we need to dispel the myth, prejudice, and preconceived ideas driven by racism and discrimination about individuals and/or groups of individuals and proactively advocate for a hate free Calgary, so that all Calgarians are respected.

A wise man once said, “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” – Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela