SIMI VALLEY : Council Takes Stand Against Bigotry

Simi Valley City Council members, concerned that the trial of the Rodney King beating case made Simi Valley “a focal point for some extremist views,” unanimously adopted a resolution Monday to put their opposition to hatred and bigotry on record.

Council members asked the city staff to prepare the resolution after Neighbors Against Nazis, an anti-bigotry coalition, urged them last week to endorse and participate in the group’s rally scheduled for Saturday.

Mayor Greg Stratton told the group that city officials would not participate because the rally, which attracted about 80 participants, was political in nature. But he said the council would adopt a formal statement opposing racism, hate crimes and other forms of bigotry.

In the resolution, the council expressed “its unanimous condemnation of those views which deny human rights and/or promote discrimination against any individual or group due to their race or religious belief.”

City officials approved the statement after white supremacy groups chose Simi Valley as the site for rallies in support of four police officers found not guilty in the King beating. The trial was held at the East County Courthouse last spring.

Though disappointed that city officials did not take part in Saturday’s Neighbors Against Nazis rally, Paige Moser, a spokeswoman for the group, said she was pleased by the resolution.

“I would hope that it wouldn’t stop with the words, that there will be substance behind the words,” she said.