!•••« out T august 1002 ▼ i s
Eradicating
bias crime
Leadership symposium calls on each o f us to figh t bias crimes
by Jim Hunger
he Citizens’ Bureau Advisory Com­
this. I think our work must increase. We must do
mittee o f the Portland Police Bureau
quickly what we thought we had more time to do.”
sponsored “A Leadership Symposium
Potter identified three steps in the process; com-
on Bias Crimes” June 30 in order “to
municate-provide and exchange information;
provide a structure by which the di­
develop partnerships; and collaborate, working
verse elements of Portland’s community together
can be as one.
brought together in a partnership to eradicate the
Bev Stein pointed out that “W e are building on
scourge of bias crimes and malicious harassment
a lot that is already going on; this is not a first-time
effort There are people all over Portland who
from our city.” Donna Red Wing, executive
have done all kinds of things to address the issue
director of the Lesbian Community Project, offi­
of bias crime,” she added, citing Southeast U plift
ciated at the meeting in her capacity as vice-chair
the Anti-Bigotry Coalition and the Coalition for
of the BAC.
Human Dignity as examples. Stein suggested a
Red Wing called on the 150 attendants to the
five-step plan; help people develop sympathy;
symposium to make a three-month commitment
define the problem clearly for people; help people
to one of six subcommittees being organized to
overcome their sense of paralysis about the prob­
address specific aspects in the struggle against
lem; recognize that issues o f bigotry and hatred
bias crimes. The subcommittees are: Bias Crimes
stem from poverty and ignorance; we need to be
Alert Network; Business Leadership; Commu­
allies in carrying a vision of hope.
nity Leadership; Law Enforcement; Legislative
Expressing deep concern. Bob Hughes of the
Action; and Victim Support. The subcommittees
Department of Justice’s Region 10 office (Ore.,
will advise Police Chief Tom Potter and the
Wash., Idaho, Wyo. and M ont) discussed bias-
Police Bureau as well as provide for outreach and
crime trends across the Northwest. He noted a
liaison between the bureau and the community.
rapid increase in reported cases of malicious
Chief Potter, prefacing his remarks with an
harassment from 265 a year in 1989 to 792 in 1991
announcement that the Southeast Uplift office
for the region. Hughes described Oregon as a
had suffered a smoke grenade attack earlier in the
“model” state both in reporting and addressing
day, purportedly by the White Liberation Front,
the issue o f bias crimes, with 474 reported cases.
said, “I don’t believe we have a lot o f time to do
T
Millwm’s House *
People of Anglo-European heritage remain the
largest perpetrator and victim groups, the latter
primarily because these figures include white
gays and lesbians. Other trends include increas­
ingly violent crimes, greater use of firearms and
more interrelatedness o f bias crimes.
Jeanette Pai noted, “Hate and bias crimes
occur in a broader environment. There are things
about that broader environment that allow, either
overtly or benignly, the crimes to increase.” She
suggested that “Anyone who fails to challenge
bigoted jokes or misconceptions are a part of the
problem.” Pai called for continuing work on
developing a five-state uniform reporting system;
coalition building, especially between groups that
don’t traditionally interact; developing broad-
based community education programs; assisting
local communities in setting up human rights
groups and in responding to incidents.
At Pai’s request. Colonel Russell briefly de­
scribed an Oregon State Police program being
developed, called Race Awareness in Cultural
Education. Working with the governor’s office
and the educational system, RACE would have as
its goal teaching tolerance and understanding to
schoolchildren. Law-enforcementofficers would
be sent into third- through seventh-grade class­
rooms to help accomplish this.
Mike Schrunk assured meeting attendants of
the dedication of the District Attorney’s office to
fight bias crimes: “Simply stated, we want to send
a message loud and clear: hate and bias crimes are
not tolerated in this community." Schrunk en­
couraged people to get involved by speaking out
and reporting crimes. “We will be proactive. We
have made it a priority o f our office,” he empha­
sized.
Red Wing concluded the presentation part o f
the symposium, exhorting her audience: “W e’re
really offering you an opportunity to become part
of the solution tonight.” True to her earlier
promise, she stood outside the door of the large
conference room and pleasantly pressured every­
one leaving to make a commitment to a subcom­
mittee if s/he hadn’t already. [Since I was attend­
ing as a member of the press, she was willing to let
me through, but Red Wing had inspired me enough
to turn around and join the community education
subcommittee.]
▼
▼
▼
In covering this symposium and the Bias Crime
Education Exchange the night before at the King
Neighborhood facility, I have been impressed by
the sincerity of members of the law enforcement
and government establishment in reaching out to
all members of the community in a nonjudgmentai
way to work together to root out the societal
cancer of bias.
In Portland we have the incredible good for­
tune to have-all at the same time, no less-adm i­
rable and humane leaders of our police bureau,
district attorney’s office and city government.
Chief Potter, District Attorney Mike Schrunk and
Mayor Clark spend a lot of personal time out in the
community and are accessible to everyone, dem­
onstrating a philosophy that is reflected in their
agencies as well. At the same time, a large and
very diverse group o f our community leaders, the
best that Portland has to offer, is speaking out
publicly against hatred and for the mutual respect
and honoring o f all of the diverse groups in our
community.
Portland gay men and lesbians of every color
have the unique opportunity to get involved in
public advisory groups and organizations, to join
with all of the diverse groups within our popula­
tion and to share in the process of developing a
more humane society.
For more information regarding the proactive
community groups, call Donna Red Wing at the
Lesbian Community Project, 223-0071.
Jim Hunger
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