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In this episode of Disrupting Hate on hmTv, host Ken Schachter welcomes William G. Holst, former assistant county attorney in Suffolk County, longtime member of the Smithtown Anti-Bias Task Force, and author of Bicentennial Trifecta. Together, they explore how bias and hate can surface even in communities that see themselves as welcoming, and why early education is essential in preventing hate from taking root.

Holst reflects on the origins of the Smithtown Anti-Bias Task Force, created after swastikas were found on a high school graduation field in Commack, and discusses the importance of school-based programs, bias-free zones, community partnerships, and helping young people understand that hateful acts are not harmless pranks, but deeply damaging messages. The conversation also touches on the changing diversity of Long Island, the challenge of proving intent in hate crime cases, and the ongoing need for local action, awareness, and education.

The episode concludes with a look at Holst’s background in journalism, law, military service, and his historical fiction novel Bicentennial Trifecta, which follows an Army journalist during America’s Bicentennial year.

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