Fight Against Hate Must Go On

The recent cross burning on the lawn of a Jewish family in Huntington Beach was a deplorable act, no matter who eventually may be judged legally responsible. It also demonstrates a continuing need for parents and community leaders to educate new generations of youngsters, who may not know the full power of symbols in history, in the lessons of tolerance.

Soon after last month’s incident, police arrested three teenagers, ranging in age from 15 to 18. The district attorney’s office is preparing to prosecute the case against the 18-year-old as a hate crime, which is an illegal act directed against a victim on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Conviction can bring stiffer penalties than crimes to which the element of hate is not connected. Now it appears that the son of the family targeted by the cross burning also has been accused of involvement in the crime, though because of his age there is no public record.

Huntington Beach has been the scene of several incidents of racial or religious violence in the past few years. For instance, a white supremacist pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of an African American and was sentenced in that 1994 hate crime case, and the man now on trial in the stabbing of a Native American is an admitted white supremacist. These and other cases prompted the City Council to establish a human relations task force to educate residents and battle hate crimes. It is a worthwhile endeavor that has won praise from the executive director of the county’s own Human Relations Commission.

Last year the city task force helped organize a Main Street march that included nearly 400 students promoting tolerance and resolving conflicts without violence. This past weekend, the debut of the city’s Pier Plaza was marked by a multicultural festival.

Such events signal a needed recognition that the city has some problems, though it’s certainly not alone in that regard. Look no further than last week’s barbaric killing of a black man in Jasper, Texas. Three men with ties to white supremacist groups have been charged with the crime. They allegedly chained him to a pickup and dragged him down a road.

Concerted efforts to prevent hate crimes can be effective. The county Human Relations Commission reported three months ago that the number of “hate crimes and incidents” it tallied in 1997 dropped 21% from the previous year. Orange County is diverse, with residents of many backgrounds. That should be cause for celebration, not hate. It is important to recognize racial and ethnic problems and try to solve them.