A u g u s t 15, 2012
Community
Rights “Wrong
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Page S
P hotos by M indy C ooper /
T he P ortland O bserver
Flowers and a card show
support for the African-
American victims o f a hate
crime directed at a North
Portland Masonic Lodge.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m fro n t
turned into a beautiful moment. The
community came out in ways I don’t
think would have happened years
ago.”
As a resident of northeast Port
land for more than 40-years, Daniels
said he has seen vandalism o f this
nature come around every now
again. “The thing that was odd was
the scale of it,” Daniels said. “It was
outrageous.”
He added, however, the commu
nity support he has witnessed over
the past few days has almost moved
him to tears.
According to Daniels, neighbor
hood Re-building Center employ
ees and other members of the com
munity showed up to help remove
the paint before it even had time to
Randy Daniels, a resident o f northeast Portland for more than 40-
dry. “That very day it was all cleaned
years, was one o f many local residents who came to show
off and painted over,” he said. “It
support for members o f the African-American Masonic Lodge and
was like the community righted the
a nearby food cart operator that were the target o f racist graffiti.
wrong.”
“It was like the community righted the wrong, ” he said.
Individuals also created a face
book page, which invited residents
and supporters to come out to the
block last Saturday night for a
vigil o f support, said Daniels. “It
was so beautiful. More than 100
people arrived. People gathered
and we had a night of com m unity
fellow ship.”
Although the paint has come
down, the crime is a reminder for
many there is a long way to go for
j ustice and acceptance. “It is a shame
that we can’t all live in harmony and
help one another. That is probably
the hardest part about this,” said
Holmes.
Dr. Randy Blazak, professor of
sociology at Portland State Univer
sity, is a member of Portland’s Coa
lition against Hate Crimes, which
was founded in 1997 in the wake of
the Oklahoma City bombing to in
crease communication between law
enforcement and community and
civil rights groups.
In addition to preventative work,
the coalition aims to help victims
also find resources, as well as guide
the community to know how to re
spond to hate crimes.
According to Blazek, the coali
tion receives approximately five re
ported hate crim es each month
A sign thanks neighbors for reaching out in support after racist vandalism targeted an African-American operated food cart and the
within Portland, some which may or Sons o f Haiti Masonic Lodge on North M ississippi Avenue.
may not be determined to be hate
crimes after investigation.
crim e, said B lazek, is the affect make sure the community is on the support, although he currently is heart, but it shows how good the
But the recent incidents on Thurs the in cid en t has on the co m m u victim’s side and not the side of the only open for catering and special community can be,” said Holmes. “I
day, he said, “definitely fit the defi nity. “ H ate crim e often causes hate mongers, said Blazek.
events.
really believe the world is chang-
nition.”
d iv isio n in the com m unity b e
For Ellie Bradley, whose food
Still, the neighborhood voiced ing.
“Hate crimes are message crimes cause the victim s d o n ’t know cart Grass Roots Café was painted their desire to help keep Bradley’s
Anyone with information that
that target more than the immediate who is on th e ir side or w ho is on with swastikas and the “N”- word, business on the block. Next to his could lead to an arrest on this case
victim,” he said. “They target large the side o f the p eople w ho corn- the incident has catalyzed him to re message, a large heart was con should contact Detective Kevin
communities, and in that sense, they m itted the a c t,” he said. “ H ate evaluate whether or not he wants to structed and hung by anonymous Warren at503-823-3761. Crime Stop
are a form of terrorism.”
crim es can d estro y w hole com - keep his business open. On his cart, neighbors that read: ‘Roots Café, pers is offering a reward of $ 1,000for
O ne o f the m ost neg ativ e ef- m unities b ecau se o f th is .”
he wrote a message to the commu Please stay, Love people’.
information that leads to an arrest in
fects that com e from such a
The work we have to do is to nity that said thank you for all of the
“It (the hate crime) breaks my this case.