Hatebusters are out to fight against irrational hatred

I would like to take this opportunity to invite Ham&High readers to support Hatebusters: the innovative new campaign to unite all decent people across the world against irrational hatred, and by doing so release resources to help rid the world of extreme poverty.

Tackling hate is of course a serious issue, and must never be taken lightly, but I wanted a campaign that will unite people - young and old - business and community - Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists and people of no traditional faith - women and men, poor and rich. It's important we do not exclude anyone from our noble mission.

The greatest Hatebusters in history from a spiritual and godly perceptive were Jesus Christ, the Prophet Mohammed, the Lord Buddha and from an earthly perspective, Confucius, Gandhi, Martin Luther-King, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, John Lennon. All are symbols of peace and love, and all are recognised as the greatest Hatebusters in history. All will be symbols for the Hatebusters campaign.

This is a strong message to the bullies and gun and knife wielding gangsters roaming the streets of the world, and the purveyors of hate who are dividing communities by poisoning the minds of our young people, that their days of hatred are numbered.

From a local point of view I want all decent citizens of Camden to form a united front against those who promote division and discord or violence against a fellow Camden citizen.

My dream is that one day my borough will become a hate-free zone, a place where our children can walk the streets without being attacked, because of their race, colour, ethnicity or age.

I came up with the Hatebusters concept because I did not want just another ''here today gone tomorrow'' type of politically correct establishment lead campaign, that more often than not is seen as ''just good intentions'' by a lot of wishy-washy liberal types.

I want this campaign to help cure people of irrational hate, not just through laws, but genuinely in their hearts. Irrational hatred is the worst kind of disease. Tens of millions of people have died as result of it and millions are still dying as it takes it toll.

However, unlike AIDs and cancer this disease has a cure and that cure is in our own hearts.

We also need to show young people what can happen when the purveyors of hate are allowed a free reign. So the play I produce and direct about my dear friend Eva Schloss, Auschwitz survivor and step-sister of Anne Frank, will be performed or read simultaneously at hundreds of schools, prisons and business venues across the world on Hatebusters Day (November 20) to remind us of what can happen when hatred is left unchallenged.

And Then They Came For Me - remembering the world of Anne Frank, by US playwright James Still, has already been performed at hundreds of locations across the world. In the UK the play has been seen by our most senior politicians, police officers, prisoners and thousands of young people in schools across the UK.

Prisoners at Pentonville who recently saw the play were visibly moved by its message, and if Eva Schloss's story helps them revaluate their own lives, then what a valuable tool we have to address hate issues.

We are planning to show the play in Trafalgar Square on November 20 and perform the Hatebusters anthem song with senior politicians of all parties and community and faith leaders.

We must send a clear message to the hate merchants and bullies, wherever they exist, that they have been rumbled and Hatebusters are onto them.

If readers wish to find out more about how they can get involved in what I hope will become in time the biggest campaign ever mounted against irrational hate, email www.hatebusters.info or niccareem@aol.com, or if you want your name or organisation to be listed on the forthcoming Hatebusters web and wap sites.

Supporting Hatebusters is a first step in being part of the change you would like to see in the world.

Nic Careem

Director/producer, And then they Came for Me and founder

of Hatebusters UK