Hypothetical Scenarios for Discussion

For each scenario, consider the following:

Who are the youth that are in your own sphere, who do you have consistent contact with, that you could potentially interact with on this issue? 

What are the potential intervention points? 

What are options for “teachable moments”? 

Who in your community would be good contact points for the particular scenario?  Don’t assume you have to take charge of every incident, concern, or event.  Find and create a community that can provide different intervention approaches, different skills, different connections with the youth around you.   

What if adults are creating part of the problem – how might that change your intervention strategy? 

Is there a criminal component to the situation, or a concern about physical violence?  If this is the case, what are the procedures for reporting these types of events to law enforcement and/or school officials? 

Hypothetical Scenarios:

1.  Local property is vandalized with a hate symbol or phrase.  What are options to try and address this with youth in your sphere? 

2.  You see a local business (either a brick and mortar store or their online presence), including products for sale that could be construed as containing far-right messaging or exclusionary language.  What are your options for trying to address this? 

3.  A group of kids have adopted some hand gestures, similar clothing, and coded language, but you aren’t sure exactly what they are referring to – what are the different types of approaches you could take to find out more? 

4.  You hear someone repeating a conspiracy theory, using exclusionary language, or advocating white supremacist ideology.  What are the options for addressing this? 

5.  A person in your town’s Facebook group is posting conspiracy theories and using dehumanizing language. What are the options for addressing this? 

6.  Someone has anonymously distributed white supremacist flyers at a local event (school, on cars in a parking lot, delivered to homes).  How should this be addressed? 

7.  A known far-right group has decided to hold a rally in your town.  What are the different intervention points for this type of event? 

8.  There is a Pride Parade in a nearby town that some teenagers want to attend, but there’s a strong likelihood that there will be counter-protestors that advocate for far-right views at this event, creating the potential for confrontations and possibly violence.  What are your options to address this with the teenagers before they go? 

9.  Some local teens have been sharing memes with coded far right messaging on their social media.  What are the best ways to approach this concern?