protecting the ability of Muslim and Jewish employees to wear religious clothing
and to take time off from work for religious observances.
The United States is taking steps to engage with members of diverse communities
and create mechanisms to address potential areas of conflict. The Community
Relations Service (CRS) of the U.S. Department of Justice, for example, is a
federal program that is available to state, local, and tribal jurisdictions to help
prevent and resolve racial and ethnic conflict and to employ strategies to prevent
and respond to alleged violent hate crimes committed on the basis of actual or
perceived race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation,
religion, or disability. From years of experience on a wide range of cases, CRS has
developed a set of “best practices” to assist localities in preventing hate crimes and
restoring harmony in communities.
As one example of its work, following arson attacks on churches, mosques, and
Sikh gurdwaras, CRS staff members have worked directly with hundreds of local
jurisdictions to train community leaders and law enforcement officers, conduct
community dialogues, and provide assistance to bring together law enforcement
agencies and members of minority neighborhoods. Among CRS’s activities is the
presentation of the Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Awareness and Protocol Seminar – a
series of educational law enforcement protocols for federal, state, and local
officials. CRS also created a law enforcement roll-call video entitled “The First
Three to Five Seconds,” which helps police officers reduce tension by
differentiating between threats and cultural norms in non-crisis situations involving
members of religious minorities. CRS has brought students and parents together
with local law enforcement, government, and school officials to address allegations
of discrimination and harassment in schools through cultural professionalism
programs.
Full protection of the freedom of religion or belief for members of religious
minorities, education, and tolerance promotion are some of the best ways to protect
the existence of and prevent violence against members of religious minorities.