‘Terminating hate,’ Schwarzenegger leads panel on extremism

Former Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, led a discussion on ending the cycle of extremism Wednesday. The event was hosted by the University of Southern California Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Students, journalists, and reporters filled the auditorium for the panel discussion meeting titled “Terminating Hate” – a nod to the actor’s former role as a cyborg assassin in Director James Cameron’s successful ‘Terminator’ film franchise.

The meeting came on the heels of a viral video posted by the former governor on YouTube, outlining his recent trip to Auschwitz. In the video, Schwarzenegger urged extremists to change hateful ways and offered a message of hope that there can, indeed, be a bright future for those who choose a better path.

Speakers and panelists included CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash, the Dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Willow Bay, Erroll Southers, USC Associate Senior Vice President of Safety and Risk Assurance, USC Shoah Foundation Finci-Viterbi Executive Director, Dr. Robert Williams, Rabbi Sharon Brous, Founder and Senior Rabbi, IKAR, Chuck Leek, Exit Specialist, Life After Hate, John Turtletaub, renowned film director, and Myrieme Nadri-Churchill, Executive Director, Parents for Peace.

“Hate crimes have increased to record levels,” said Dean Bay, opening the discussion with some startling statistics.

Los Angeles reported a total of 643 hate crimes just last year, marking a 13% increase since the year before. Nationally, hate crimes rose 31%, while antisemitic hate crimes rose to their highest levels since the Anti-Defamation League started keeping track in 1979.

The league was founded in 1910 with the mission to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all.

“America is facing a level of extremism arguably unseen since World War II,” said Bay. “The difference between now and

World War II is that this is a threat we are facing from within.”

During the discussion, Schwarzenegger preached collectiveness in the fight against hate, echoing his message of hope for those who wish to change the narrative of the hate they have been exposed to.

“I was born to a father who was a Nazi,” said Schwarzenegger, recounting the emotion he felt during his first visit to Auschwitz, the infamous concentration camp complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland, “and look where we are one generation later. This is how we can change. I don’t have to copy my father. We can change.”

Leek is a proponent of this change. A former white supremacist for twenty years, he now assists ex-members of radical groups re-acclimate as positive members of society.

Leek’s work is mainly through Life After Hate, an organization committed to helping people leave the violent far-right to connect with humanity and lead compassionate lives. Armed with a team of experts and led by a licensed clinical psychologist, Life After Hate’s vision is a world that allows people to change and contribute to a society without violence Leek noted.

In a separate but related manner, Nadri-Churchill works to empower families, friends, and communities to prevent radicalization, violence, and extremism through the non-governmental public health nonprofit Parents for Peace. The nonprofit provided guidance and early intervention; to raise public awareness among parents who suspect their child is being radicalized.

“No one is going to call the cops on their kids,” said Nadri-Churchill. A psychotherapist with 30 years of experience, she works with families to coach them on the best steps to tackle this issue while maintaining safety as a priority for all involved.

Rabbi Brous later praised Schwarzenegger for his opening, saying, “Standing up here and saying, ‘I am the son of a Nazi,’ was incredibly powerful.” She stressed how shame and isolation were key factors that can lead to extremist mindsets and asked, “How can we own the truth and not be ashamed of it?”

Schwarzenegger has historically been very open about his past and origins. In addition to advocating against hate, the former Republican California Governor continues to be an advocate and activist for children’s education, arts, and societal betterment in general.

During the “Terminating Hate” discussion, he shared that as a celebrity, he feels it is his responsibility to use his platform for good: “I am very much into giving back and not just taking. I thought it was important to talk about this issue.”

Schwarzenegger also stressed the importance of movies for their reach and influence, calling on directors like Turtletaub to use his influence to spread messages against hate.

“Communication is the number one issue here,” said Schwarzenegger. “This is why it was so important for me not to attack the other side. Hate, in the end, never pays off. Often, those who were fueled by hate become the losers.”

Schwarzenegger recounted a story from the eighties when he asked his father-in-law, Sargent Shriver, how he was able to go into enemy Soviet Union territory and negotiate for oil, when the Russians considered him an enemy. Shriver replied telling him, “Well, you have to find some common ground.”

Shriver would spend a day eating and talking but never discussing negotiations or the real reason he was there. He would find common ground in everything from family to fishing so that by the second day of his trip, he was able to secure what he needed from people who hated him when he arrived.

This is the philosophy Schwarzenegger hopes more people adopt when trying to solve the problem of hate, striving to “solve this problem without just accusing the other side.”

Schwarzenegger also said he hoped that more scientists and researchers would get involved in studying the human brain and hate throughout history to get to the bottom of what causes hate in the first place.

“We know the human race has always had prejudice,” said Schwarzenegger. “How does the brain really work? Why is the brain functioning this way?”

Finally, Schwarzenegger reiterated his desire for all people to come together to end hate.

“Even though people say this can never be solved, I say, yes we can!”

The Blade attempted to ask the former governor about his stance on anti-LGBTQ+ hate and transgender rights but was turned away by Schwarzenegger’s chief of staff.

SIMHA HADDAD