Former Republican Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, led a discussion at the University of Southern California Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, calling for an end to the cycle of extremism. The event, titled “Terminating Hate,” focused on the rise of hate crimes in Los Angeles, where a total of 643 hate crimes were reported last year, marking a 13% increase since the previous year. The meeting was hosted by the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and attended by students, journalists, and reporters.
The panelists at the event included CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash, Erroll Southers, USC Associate Senior Vice President of Safety and Risk Assurance, USC Shoah Foundation Finci-Viterbi Executive Director Dr. Robert Williams, Chuck Leek, Exit Specialist at Life After Hate, John Turtletaub, renowned film director, and Myrieme Nadri-Churchill, Executive Director of Parents for Peace.
During the discussion, Schwarzenegger emphasized the importance of collective action in the fight against hate and extremism, echoing his recent message of hope for those who wish to change the narrative of the hate they have been exposed to. The former governor, who was born to a father who was a Nazi, shared his experience visiting Auschwitz and how it inspired him to advocate for change.
Leek, a former white supremacist who now assists ex-members of radical groups, also shared his experiences in working to help people leave the violent far-right and connect with humanity. Nadri-Churchill, on the other hand, works to empower families, friends, and communities to prevent radicalization, violence, and extremism through the non-governmental public health nonprofit Parents for Peace.
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. He encouraged people to find common ground when trying to solve the problem of hate and strive to “solve this problem without just accusing the other side.”
Despite being turned away when asking about Schwarzenegger’s stance on anti-LGBTQ+ hate and transgender rights, the panel discussion was a call to action for ending the cycle of hate and extremism in Los Angeles and beyond. The former governor hopes that more people will come together to end hate and work towards a brighter future.