Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations Scrapbooks 2011-12

New human rights coalition taking shape Activist Tony Stewart shares advice during meeti1 ig in Moscow ideas for fonnmg the new group, which "ex1st:- lo facilitate connections und commumcat10n Several dozen human rights among organizaaons and mdinctinsts and concerned com- vi<lunls who are engaged in munit\• members from around human rights and social Justice the region gathered Saturday work in lht, ~orthwest," accordat the Umvcrsitv of Idaho in ing lo the coalition's newsletter Moscow Lo set the foundation and webstte.

"We con.sider the :;cope of for lhP :-.101-thwcst Coalition for Human Rights, a new org:miza. human tights activity to include tion devoted to combnting hate freedom from hunger, poverty and discrimination. as well as 10 the Inland .Northwesl.

Pnrticipants shnrC'd recent access to a health\' environment. \'oluntccr efforts, heard from per:,onal safety, affordable housspenker1- and brainstonm'd ing, potable water, educat10n.

By Holly Bowen

Dairy News~tall wrrt('r

medical care, as well a..; other l'ights," the newsletter and website st.ate.

Following a buffet lunch, par· ticipants of Satu·day's meeting received :Some wo!'ds of \\i,:dom from one of the region's most promment humnn rights activist..;. former North Idaho C'ollege polit1cal science m!-tnictor Tony Stewmt Stt!wart i~ one of the founding members of the.• Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations wluch was established tn 1981 after members of the Aryan Nations white ::;uprt!macv movement harassed a ,Jewish restauSee SHAPE. Page SA

AM BRIEFING

Dean Hare.iDaily Ne-:t'S

Tony Stewart, chairman of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relabons. speaks dunng a meeting on Saturday in Moscow.

Shape from Page IA 1·nnt owner and biracial fnmilv m the Coeur d'Alene area. · Stewan recalled how the task force in 198,t n•cruitetl Coeur d'Alene priest Bill Wassmuth ns its president. Wassmuth. who clicd in i002. was outspoken against hate and was a target of the Aryan ~allons. who m 1986 blew up pnrt of his house with a pipe homb. 'vVassmmh later hecame director of the \1orthwest Coalition A~atnst ~lalic1ous Harassment. which originated in Coeur d'Alene in 1987 hut later moved to Seattlt?, merged with a Portland-based gTO\lp anc.l then "lost lheir mission." Stewart ,,aid.

Losing its focus is Just about the worst thing n human nghts organization can do. Jw ::mid He lauded local organizatmns like the Latah County Human Rights Task Fon·e for

suiyi.ng on track and using proct!eds to support their mis:-iun:-. "'The,· don't h,we staff or huilclings. but thl'\' hnvc n•markahil' volunteers" who work wit hm lhc legal system to help fight discriminal1on 111 housing, l~mployment and other arl:'n:5. he said.

He said members of the commlllllty ,;top donating to human right:; organizations if too much of their hudgets go lo pa_v111g rent, sala· nes or other nonprogramming expl•nse;;. ··~ever forget why you exist," he :-aid. Mlf VOll do. \'OU will die." · Tfo atlvised mt-1mhers of thl' new rnulilion to maximize their donations by working together. spreading the word and nc\'er lak· ing their eye!'! oIT th1:ir mission of fighting hate.

"Be willing to takl· tlw criticism," he added. "You will be criticized. and ,·ou will ht• uttacke<l." · Stewart aclvocnted fl strategy of bl'ing both proncuvc and reactive. He said the Kootenai

Count,· Task Furn• on Humnn Hc:lntion,.; make; a p01nt to 1101 al tend evtmb put on hy huh.> .J..'Toups hut 111steml hm,t.s altcrnal1vl.' evl•nt;; at the same time. ''!\lartin Lullwr King ,Jr. lll'\'<'l' went 10 n Klan rally or ::i cross hurmng," he £:,11cl "He was too smart."

In closin~. Stewart: ,;hared an e~:ample from the late 1!Jtl(),; whim the Arvan Nations mnrch1•d tlu·ough C\1eur d'Ah,ne. ·Tlw hum:111 tights Lask force ,mc·om•ngcd 11,•oplP to pledl!c money fort?ach minute the hnte group marclwd

- $:J.1.000 wns r:ii1mu.

"We thanked (former J\r\'nn Nnlions lt!atl erl Hich:ir<l Butk•r fo1· rai,-i11g molH.'\' for diversity," Stewart s:ud as the audicnct• lm1gheil .

Information :tlwut the Nm1 hwe.,;t (\1;1l1110n for Human Rights

<'llll

be found 011linc, at

http://nwl'hr.wordprcs:;.1.11m.

Hoity Bov.en can be reached at. 1208) 882· 5561. ~ 239, or by email t.u hbov,eo@dnews.com. Fo!low her oo Tv.,tt..cr. @)

Da11}'Ncv..sJiotly.

The Press, Saturday, October 1, 2011

SECTION

C Insights into an Aryan assault Last week (9/21/11) on Idaho PBS, my wife and I watched the documentary entitled "'The Color of Conscience" concerning, mainly, the Aryan Nations' presence in North Idaho. As the program progressed, we couldn't help thinking of a number of memories OPINION we personally have of ¡ this bleak period in North Idaho's history, as well as the Bliss effect it had Bignall on our city, state, and MyTurn nation. And while the film was well done with its emphasis on our citizens' successful fight for human rights, we believe there should have been much more emphasis on what a dangerous nest of vipers the Aryan Nations truly were.

--

For example: There was oo mention of the killing of the Jewish 1V talk host in Denver; nor of the robbing of the Brinks truck in Washington and/ or Oregon to obtain monies for their nefarious operations; the counterfeiting right here of U.S. money; nor of the finding of the construction plans for Boundary Dam in Robert Matthews' apartment in Metaline Falls, Wash., after he was killed in a hail of bullets by the FBI on Whidbey Island.

About 9 a.m. a few days after Father Bill Wassmuth's home had been bombed, I was in my office on the corner of Fourth and Sherman, idly gazing north out the window (and my wife was at the post office picking up the mail) when I saw the bomb go off in the window well of the then-Federal Court House at Fourth and Lakeside. I immediately dialed The Press, telling them what I had just viewed and suggesting they get a reporter up to the scene. Hardly had I hung up when I received a call from a 1V station in Seattle asking me about the three bombs which had just gone off in Coeur d'Alene - one at the post office, one at a luggage business on Northwest Boulevard, and the third at the Federal Building.

I replied that f d just seen the explosion at the Federal Building. They asked if fd been scared. "No," I replied, "but it reminded me of my advance through Germany's Siegfried Llne on the Belgian border during World War II!" At this, they asked me who I was, and I told them my name and that I was a local attorney.

The Seattle TV station said, "We thought we had the Cd'A Press on the line!" And I rejoined that

see MY TURN, C3

MY TURN

from C1

I didn't think they should call The Press for a little while yet, since I was the one who'd told The Press in the first place that I'd seen the bomb go off.

Seattle hung up.

Having been told about the post office bomb, I became concerned for my wife's safety. Fortunately, however, the bombers. frightened by the number of people at the post office at nine in the morning, instead set off that bomb in the parking lot of a nearby restaurant, harming no one. Later that evening we received a telephone call at home from Miami; who said he was a voice from our past - and who I recognized immediately as my wife's former boss, a corporate attorney who happened to be Jewish, who was concerned about the exploding bombs in Cd'A and who wanted lo make sure we were OK. We assured him that we were.

Also not brought up in the TV film was the unexploded bomb found later in a search by the FBI hidden on the roof of a building cater-corner to the Federal Building which housed the ArmyNavy-Marine recruiting offices! Certainly the Aryan Nations' intentions were malevolent!

A few weeks later my brother in Sandy, Ore. (near Portland), calJed, wondering how come we had so many

nuts in North Idaho. ''Well," I retorted, "these kinds of people are all over the U.S. They're just trying to establish their headquarters in the Northwest."

"Furthermore," I pointed out, "the professor from one of the Oregon universities who wrote the book apparently used by the Aryan Nations as their Master Plan for raising money by robbing Brinks vehicles, counterfeiting, etc., lives right in Sandy!"

The third bomb that day badly damaged New Era Luggage on Northwest Boulevard. I had a client at the time made nervous by that bombing; for my client owned a business with a very similar name, was ofJewish descent, and wondered if it might have been he who'd actually been the bombers' target Which may have been the case.

The film pointed out that the Aryan Nations intended for Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming to become the "homeland" for their white extremists. I can still recall as a young boy being told by my mother that when my parents were living in Burley, Idaho, in the 1920s, she saw burning crosses throughout the area on a number of occasions.

111rough my reading I've learned that Oregon was one of the top states in the nation for the number of Ku Klux Klan organizations; and that at one time the Klan

even obtained control of Portland's city government!

The film did an excellent job giving credit to our local citizens who worked so hard on preserving human rights: Father Bill Wassmuth, Tony Stewart, Norm Gissel, Ken Howard, Marshall Mend - all were rightfully recognized.

When I saw and heard Richard Butler spewing forth such hatred from his pulpit in his "church," it did, indeed, remind me of Adolph Hitler! Yet when I talked to him, he seemed like a perfectly calm and reasonable person! Twice in my professional life Richard Butler asked me to represent him. The first time I had a genuine conflict of interest and could not.

But when he approached me the second time, when Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Firm was representing the Plaintiffs, I told Butler he needed to hire a firm having several attorneys in the firm, because I didn't think a one-man law firm could ever do all the legal research needed to adequately represent him. While I've always believed that everybody is entitled to adequate representation, and it is part of the oath of an attorney not to refuse same, nevertheless, I was glad that I was unable to represent him.

Bliss Bignall is a Coeur d'Alene attorney.

The Press

North Idaho Life

Friday, December 30, 2011

Human rights documentary to be shown Jan. 12 COEUR d'ALENE -

A program also examines

film exploring the effort to bolster human rights in North Idaho followed by a discussion with the show's Idaho Public Television (IPlV) producer will be hosted by the Coeur d'Alene Public Library on Thursday, Jan. 12, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Community Room.

'The Color of Conscience" is an hourlong IP1V documentary that looks at the development of the modern human rights movement in Idaho. It features the story of a small group of concerned citizens who fought against the Aryan Nations, ultimately bankrupting the neo-Nazi supremacist group in North Idaho.

Written and produced

by Marcia Franklin, the

some of the current human rights issues in Idaho, such as gay rights, immigrant rights and hate crimes.

Franklin has been a producer and host at IP1V since 1990. Currently she is the lead producer and a host of "Dialogue," a statewide public affairs program in its 18th season.

She is also a producer for "Outdoor Idaho," and has produced special documentaries, including "Barbara Morgan: No Limits," "Hearts and Minds: Teens and Mental Illness,'' "ln Our Own Voice" and "From Idaho to Iran."

Franklin is also the past managing editor of "Idaho Reports," the station's legislative program.

In her more than

20-year career with IPTY, Franklin's programs have received numerous awards, including three regional Emmys and a George Foster Peabody Award. She is the recipient of a Pew Fellowship in International Journalism, the "Women of Today and Tomorrow" Award from the Gir l Scouts of Silver Sage and the "Women Making History" Award from the Women's Center at Boise State University.

She is the current president of the City Club of Boise and a founding board member of the civic, nonpartisan organization. She has an undergraduate degree from Harvard College and a master's in Journalism from Northwestern University.

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PAGE A6 • FIRIDAY • JANUARY 13. 2012

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

; MLKDay events I planned

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I

There are a number ofevents related to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday talcing place throughout the region:

Friday

MT1le Right to Dream" - AAnual Martin Luther King Jr. event for all fifth-gradefs in the Coeur Alene District Dior Davenport. cast member from "Living Vcices," a live multimedia performance troupe from Seattle, : will be the guest presenter. 9'.20-TI am. North Idaho College, Schuler Auditorium, 1000 W. GMdeo Ave~ Coeur d'Alene. Free. (208) 3291.

er

m

Saturday 191h Annual Martin .........

King Human Rights Community Breakfast- The program for ths arroal event in Moscow, Idaho, includes keynote speakers Helen and Robert Singleton. who were among the 1961 Civil Rights Freedom Riders. whose bravery and commitment helped advance the break- _ down of segregation in the South. • Breakfastat9 a.m. and entertainment by the Moscow High School Glee Oub; two Rosa Parl<s Human Rights Achievement Awards; and presentation of awards to winners of the Martin Luther King Jr. Arts and Essay contest by Mayor Nancy Chaney.

Tickets available at Paracfise Ridge Tapes, TI7 E. Third St Moscow Junior High School multipurpose room. $8/ general, $4/students and children.

(208) 882-3648. ...... the Dream, Feel the Hope" - A musical celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. This year's theme is "His Hope, His Dream: Our Responsibility." 6-8 p.m. Catvary Baptist Church. 203 E. Third Ave. Free. www.mlkspokane.org. (509) 4558722.

II I

Celebration - This year's theme is "His Hope, His Dream: Our Responsiti.lity."

The guest speaker is the Rev. Dr. Stephen J. Th.Jrston, who is pastor of the New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago and president of the National Baptist Convention of America Inc. International. 4-6 p.m.

Holy Temple Cluch. 806 W. Indiana Ave. Free. www.mlkspokane.org.

(509) 455-8722.

I I I J

I

I I Monday .

Martin Lutlwl<lng.Jt. unity March-Spokane's~event celebrating civil rights, which begins at the INB Performing Arts Center and ends at River Park Square. This year's theme is "His Hope, His Dre.rn: Our Responsibility." 10 a.m. lNB Performing Arts Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. Free. wwwmlkspokane.org.

(509) 455-8722.

K.K ComnUlltY Resource Fair-Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Events will take place on first and second floors at River Park Square, 808 W. Main Ave. n am-2 p.m. www.mlkspokane.org. (509) 4558722 MU< ChldNn's Activity Fair- Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. with events on second floor of the STA Plaza, 701 w. Riverside Ave. n a.m.-2 p.m. Free. www.mlkspol<ane·.org. (509) 455-8722 "I Have a DNam'' Speech Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration where you will hear the Rev. Percy "Happy" Watl<ins deliver the famouS speech first heard in 1963 in Washington, D.C., on the steps of the Lincoln , Memorial. Jcin us for reflection. music and refreshments. Presented by Providence Cultural Diversity Committee. Noon-1 p.m. Providence Holy Family Hospital, Health Education Center, 5633 N.Lidgerwood St., low- , er level; and 3-4 pm Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, Mother Joseph Room. 101 W. Eighth Ave. Free. (509) 474-2397. .

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Annual Dr. Mm1III LUth8r King .JI, Gala - Presented by Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. Gala includes fine wines, food, music and live and silent auctions. Tickets available by mailing a check to the KCTFHR. P.O. Box 2725.

Coeur cl'Alene. ID 83816 or at the door. S-8 p.m. Parkside Event Center, Pan<side Event Center, 601 E. Front Ave~ Coeur d'Alene. $40/person.

(208) 765-3333.

The Press, Saturday, January 14, 2012

SECTION

C

Students consider The Right to Dream'

By JOEL DONOFRIO Staff writer

COEUR d'ALENE - How important are the rights and the dignity of others? Is it importanl enough lo risk your life?

Fifth-grade students in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls learned about people who responded affirmatively to those challenges during the 27th annual Human Rights Celebration on Friday al North Idaho College.

While the bulk of the pro-

gram featured an interactive play on the 1960s civil rights movement, both the presenter and moderators reminded students that respecting and helping those who are bullied or discriminated against remains ¡important today.

"If we see others put down, we have a responsibility to take a stand, in our words and in our actions," said Sharon Hanson, principal at Borah Elementary,

Winton Elementary fifth-grader Brienna Barron joins hundreds of others in singing "Get on Your Feet" following performances recognizing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Photos by SHAWN GUST/Press

Dior Davenport performs " The Right to Dream" during the 27th annual Human Rights Celebration for Coeur d'Alene school district fifth graders Friday at North Idaho College's Schuler Performing Arts Center.

DREAM C1

from

d uring her introd uction lo Lhe play.

Dior Davenpor t, a performance ar tist with T he Living Voices group of Seattle. presented "The Righ t to D.ream," a 45-minute program that combined audio and video foo tage o-f civil rig hts de monstrations in Mississippi and Alabama with the fictio n.al stor y of Ruby Hollis.

Befor e portraying Hollis, Daven port aske d stude nts about Rosa Parks and explained that he r refu sal to g ive up her seat to a white bus rider sparked a bus boycott, sit-ins and demonstrations which ultimately led to the passing of the Voting Rig hts Act in 1965.

"As you're watching, think abou t what would be impor tant e noug h fo r you to fig ht fo r,"

Davenport said.

The play por trayed how blacks like Ruby we re forced to atte nd separate schools, endu red segregated public facilities like movie theate rs and lunch counters, and we re prevented from voting due to unevenly applie d vote r registration tests .

As Ruby grows up in tbe 1950s and 1960s, she becomes involved in SNCC - the Stud ent Nonviole nt Coordination Committee - which organized civil rights protests throug hout the South and he lped fund black voter registration drives.

Ruby's family members and fri e nds are woven into the history of the civil rig hts movement, and the play concludes with Ruby's fath er, a Wo rld War 11 combat ve teran , be ing killed back in his Mississippi hometown

after he marche d from Selma to Montgomery, Ala .. in 1965.

While Ruby mourns for her fath er, she also is proud that ''he did not die as a broken man. " Friday's program included a musical interpretation of the song, ''Don't Laug h at Me," by 19 students from Skyway Ele me ntary Schoo l.

T he song tells the stor y of kids who have been bullied or e mbarrassed by being d iffe re nt, said Teri Hamilton , the Skyway phys ical e ducation teache r who directe d the pe rformance.

Friday's eve nt, he ld each year in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, is co-spons ored by the school districts, the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, the Hum an Rig hts Education Institute and North Idaho College.

Events inark MLK Jr. h~liday From staff reports PAGE A6 • SATURDAY • J ANUARY 14. 2012

There are a number of events related to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday taking place throughout the region:

Today 19th annual Martin Luther King Human Rights Commullty BNakfalt - The program for this annual THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

White supremacists stage rally in Celi\

By Becky Kramer beckyk@spokesman.com,

(208) 765· 7122

A dozen white supremacists demonstrated on Northwest Boulevard in Coeur d'Alene on Friday, waving Ku Klux Klan flags and signs supporting segregation.

Among the demonstrators was Shaun Winkler, who calls himself the Imperial Wizard of the White Knights of the KKK. Winkler said his group plans another demonstration Monday Martin Luther King Jr. Day - outside the human relations task force's annual gala.

About 1,300 students from the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls school districts who attended a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration Friday at North Idaho College saw the demonstration as their buses passed it en route back to school.

To Tony Stewart, co-

founder of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, it was a teachable moment.

The students had just been learning about King and the civil rights movement in the 1960s, Stewart said.

"What the young minds saw," he sa:id, "is that we're still not free from bigotry and prejudice in this country or any other country....

They didn't leave thinking that there are no problems."

The gala is the organization's annual fundraiser, Stewart said. It raises money for programs such as the students' MLK celebration, which has been held the last 27 years.

The gala includes live music and an auction. It takes place from 5-8 p.m.

Monday at Parkside Towers, 601 E. Front Ave., in Coeur d'Alene.

Tickets can be purchased at the door for $40.

event in Moscow, Idaho, includes keynote speakers Helen and Robert Singleton, who were among the 1961 Civil Rights Freedom Riders, whose bravery and commitment helped advance the breakdown of segregation in the South.

Breakfast at 9 a.m. and entertainment by the Moscow High School Glee Club; two Rosa Parks Human Rights Achievement Awards; and presentation of awards to winners of the Martin Luther King Jr. Arts and Essay contest by Mayor Nancy Chaney. Tickets available at Paradise Ridge Tapes, TI7 E. Third St. Moscow Junior High School multipurpose room. $8/general. $4/students and children. (208) 882-3648.

Mftear the Dream, Feel the Hope" - A musical celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. This year's theme is "His Hope, His Dream: Our Responsibility." 6-8 p.m. calvary Baptist Church, 203 E. Third Ave. Free. www.mlkspokane.org. (509) 455-8722.

SUnday Commemorative Celebration - This year's theme is ''His Hope, His Dream: Our Responsibility." The guest speaker is the Rev. Dr. Stephen J. Thurston, who is pastor of the New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago and president of the National Baptist Convention of America Inc. International. 4-6 pm. Holy Temple Church, 806 W. Indiana Ave. Free. www.mlkspokane.org. (509) 455-8722.

Monday Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Ma'Ch - Spokane's annual event celebrating civil rights, which begins at the INB Performing Arts Center and ends at River Park Square. This year's theme is "His Hope, His Dream: Our Responsibility." 10 a.m. lNB Performing Arts Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

Free. www.mlkspokane.org. (509) 455-8722.

MU( Commlrity Resolfte Fair - Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Events will take place on first and second floors at River Park Square, 808 W. Main Ave. TI a.m.-2 p.m. www.mlkspokane.org. (509) 455-8722.

MU( Chlldren's Activity Fair - Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. with events on second floor of the STA Plaza, 701 W. Riverside Ave. TI a.m.-2 p.m. Free. www.mlkspokane.org. (509) 455-8722.

'1 Have a Dream" Speech - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration where you will hear the Rev. Percy "Happy" Watkins deliver the famous speech first heard in 1963 in Washington, D.C.. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Join us for reflection, music and refreshments. Presented by Providence Cultural Diversity Committee. Noon-1 p.m.

Providence Holy Family Hospital, Health Education Center, 5633 N. Lidgerwood St., lower level; and 3-4 p.m. Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, Mother Joseph Room, 101 W. Eighth Ave. Free. (509) 474-2397.

Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gala · Pre~nted

by Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. Gala includes fine wines, food, music and live and silent auctions.

Tickets available by mailing a check to the KCTFHR, P.O. Box 2725, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816 or at the door. 5-8 p.m.

Parkside Event Center, Parkside Event Center, 601 E. Front Ave., Coeur d'Alene. $40/person. (208) 765-3333.

PAGE BB I SUNDAY, JANUARY l S. 2012

SPOKESMAN.COM/OPINION

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW EDITORIAL BOARD

Stacey Cowles Publisher Bert Caldwell Editorial Page Editor Gary Crooks Associate Editor

Members of the editorial board help to determine The Spokesman-Review's position on issues of interest to the Inland Northwest.

EDITORIAL

Stand up and send a message against hate Last year, a man of dark, dangerous beliefs attempted to put an indelible stamp of hatred on the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity March in downtown Spokane. He rigged a backpack with explosives and placed it along the parade route.

Had he been successful, many people would've been injured.

Perhaps some would've been killed.

The event itself would've forever resided under a cloud of uncertainty and apprehension. The national media would've once again painted the Inland Northwest with a broad brush.

Fortunately, the plot of white supremacist Kevin W. Harpham, of Addy, Wash., was thwarted, and he was eventually arrested and convicted.

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{

Mark Steiner, Brandon Klaus and Sherman Welpton, who were temporary workers for the Public Facilities District, discovered the backpack and alerted the police.

They cannot be thanked enough.

Two Spokane police officers, Sgts.

Eric Olsen and Jason Hartman, also deserve deep gratitude for calmly diverting the march.

After the sentencing of Harpham to 32 years in prison, Ivan Bush, one of the march organizers, pointed to this year's event: "I hope it's bigger and better than ever. It's especially important for us to stand up, to show up ... and come out with a strong voice that we don't tolerate this kind of stuff in our community."

This would be a wonderful rebuke to Harpham and like-minded people who choose the cowardice of stealth plots and Internet pseudonyms to spread their vile messages. A march centered on unity and nonviolence would also be in keeping with King's exhortations to resist the bait of hate.

As he once said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

The Spokane Police Department will deploy 12 to 15 more officers on Monday. Alternate routes have been planned. The stepped-up security won't be cheap, but it's worth it to protect those who will take part in this important community event.

However, the police need help.

There haven't been any credible threats thus far, but Harpham didn't tip his hand last year. Lt. Joe Walker, who is overseeing march security, is urging people to be on the lookout for anything suspicious, including unattended packages, bags, backpacks and the like. If something doesn't seem right, find a police officer.

Harpham's bid for infamy has inadvertently increased the resolve of the community to stand up to hate. It was the Rev. King who warned of the dangers of remaining mum.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter," he said.

Here's to a boisterous Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the Inland Northwest.

1ru:.\. I

\alUU IC

'

They didn't leave thinking that there are no problems."

Human rights leader Tony Stewart After students attending a civil rights event at North Idaho College witnessed white supremacists demonstrating on Northwest Boulevard

The Press

Friday, January 27, 2012

C3

Take a stand against discrimination COEUR d' ALENE -

Some citizens in Coeur d'Alene will be joining 12 towns across Idaho taking a stand against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination.

The event will take place at the Human Rights Education Institute, 414 Mullan Road, at 6 p.m.

Saturday. .

"Many Idahoans are unaware that people in Idaho can still be fired from their jobs or denied housing just because they are gay or transgender," said Tony Stewart,

secretary of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

"We invite the community to unite in support for our gay family members, neighbors, co-workers, classmates and friends because no one should live in fear of discrimination. We feel it is long past time that the Legislature addressed this issue."

Volunteers will take part in activities, including sending sticky notes to legislators and a daylight vigil, as well as meetings, highlighting statewide support to

include protection for gay and transgender people in Idaho's Human Rights Act This eventis in collaboration with a statewide Add the Words campaign.

Efforts to add the terms "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to Idaho's anti-discrimination laws have been under way for the past six years.

Jennifer Whitney, Field Organizer for Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest, said she was heartened by the grassroots support for this legislation to end discrimination.

COEUR d'ALENE

Sunday January 29, 2012

Rachel Maughan, director of marketing at the Human Rights Education Institute, takes a picture of Laurie Hassell with her note supporting the Add the Words campaign.

BILL BULEY/Press

'Please,' Add the Words Cd'A rally one of several across state to protect gay, transgender Idahoans

By BILL BULEY Staff writer COEUR d' ALENE Laurie Hassell held the sticky note up for all to see and read, because she had a message to s hare:

"Please add the words," it read.

'1 said please," the Coeur d'Alene woman said, smiling.

She was one of about 15 people who attended a see WORDS, A3

Local

WORDS from A1 r~ly Saturday night at the Human Rights Education Institute voicing their opposition to sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination.

There were similar events statewide. Participants held candlelight vigils, signed notes that will be posted on the doors of the House and Senate chambers in th,e Capitol Building, held signs and listened to guest speakers as part of the "Add the Words" campaign.

Add the Words, Idaho is a volunteer organization working to demonstrate the level of public support for inclusion of gay and transgender Idahoans in the state's laws banning discrimination in employment, housing edu-

Hagadone News Network

cation and public accommodation.

It hopes the state will eventually pass legislation to add the words "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to Idaho's Human Rights Act Hassell said it's time.

"If Idaho is going to consider themselves the human rights state, I think that means we can't discriminate against any of our citizens," she said.

Tony Stewart, secretary of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, said people shouldn't expect this to be easy.

They'll have to be insistent with legislators, and they can't give up.

"Determination is very, very important when you're dealing with issues of people's rights," he said.

Jennifer Whitney, field organizer for Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest, believes in the grassroots effort for legislation to

Sunday, January 29, 2012

A3

end discrimination.

"People are excited," she said.

She said it will be critical that Idahoans let legislators know they want to see change. 111at's why she asked people to let their pictures be taken, and put their faces behind the messages they wrote on Saturday.

Organizers say they're already making a difference. "'Thank you for being part of the amazing progress this year in legislators' attitudes toward gay people," said an email from Add the Words supporters. ''We can finally end the fear and legal discrimination still faced by so many of our gay and transgender family members and friends," it said.

The U.S., Stewart said, has come far when it comes to equality, freedom and justice. ''But we're not through," he said.

PAGE B8 I SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

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THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Human relations taskforce is more than my humble description noted HUCKLEBERRIES ootenai County Task Force on Human Relations members weren't happy with Huckleberries' description of the venerable group last Sunday - as one that ''prefers to accentuate the positive and focus on education." Tony Stewart and Coeur d'Alene police Sgt. Christie Wood emailed my HucksOnline blog that the highlighted activities are but a "partial description of who we are." Huckleberries had spotlighted how Rachel Dolezal, formerly of the Human Rights Education Institute, faced down KKKers during their protest of the task force-backed MLK Day event for fifth-graders at North Idaho College J an.13. In their emaii Stewart and Wood listed hate-crimeyictims the task force has helped, dating back to attacks against Hayden restaurant owner Sid Rosen and Coeur d'Alene mother Connie Fort in the early 1980s. The group, they said, was instrumental in the 1998 case of Victoria and Jason Keenan that ultimately bankrupted the Aryan Nations. The 1986 bombing of the late Bill Wassmuth's home is an example of serious threats task force members have endured, they said, adding: "We are not just a feel good organization."

K

Gotcha!Not A Diamond Parking attendant didn't realize whom he was ticketing when he cited Eric Barro, of Coeur d'Alene. Eric was ticketed for parking in downtown Spokane on Thursday after his meter had expired. Only it hadn't. Eric, of Lake City Photography, photographed the, ah, "crime scene," Facebooking his shots. A three-photograph sequence shows that Eric's parking stub for the lot next to the Fernwell Building at Riverside and Howard expired at 6:34 p.m. He was cited 10 minutes earlier at 6:24 p.m. Eric also has a photo of the second parking ticket he bought, at 6:28 p.rn., six minutes before the original expiration time. Obviously, Eric isn't happy with the $19 ticket he was

DAVE OLIVERIA

issued for, ahem, illegal parking. Nor should he be.

Huddeberrles Poet's Corner: "Bad news for all,/I'm sad to say /still nine months 'til/Election Day'' The Bard of Sherman Avenue ("Extended Forecast: More Hot Air") ... In the "What Was He Thinking?" Dept., a Hauser Lake man with a warrant against him for driving without privileges called the sheriffs office Tuesday to report that an area bar had over-served his gal-pal ...

Then there was the disorderly man who smiled after he was denied service for being drunk at a state liquor store in Post Falls on Tuesday afternoon. He wasn't drunk, he said. He was still hung over from the night before ... Poll: My blog readers are more concerned with legislators (73 percent) encamping for months at the Capitol than Boise Occupiers (16 percent) or the Idaho press corps (11 percent) doing so ... After hearing a teen boy in a Geo Storm was driving recklessly in th.e Red Lion Templin's lot Thursday afternoon, a HucksOnline wag quipped: "Doesn't having to drive a Geo Storm as a teenage boy count as punishment enough?" ... On Thursday, Coeur d'Alene Realtor Tom Torgerson Facebooked: "Feeling bad. After 8 years on deer infested Fernan Hill, I finally hit one this morning. Not cool." But inevitable if you drive North Idaho roads.

Parting shot In her blog, A Butterfly Moment, Jen Rude, of Hayden, sums up the fine line mothers with children walk; "It's a good thing I have a 3-year-old who still thinks I'm 'the best mommy in the world' to balance out the 12-year-old who often thinks I'm 'the meanest mom in the world.' "And parents everywhere can say: Been the.r e, done that.

The Press

Wednesday, M arch 7, 2012

AS

North Idaho

Kootenai County Task Force supports Idaho -anti-bullying bill COEUR d'ALENE TI1e Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations' Board of Directors announced its support of Idaho SB 1358, known as the anti-bullying bill to protect Idaho's school children.

Although it is already against Idaho law to bully another student in Idaho schools, the bill both expands and covers areas

presently not addressed in the current legislation.

"We witness tragedy after tragedy across America when a young person commits suicide often from being bullied for weeks and months and no one intervenes," said KCfFHR president Christie Wood. "As a police officer, I often see repor ts of this growing tragedy."

Senate Bill 1358 requires every school district to have its own anti- bullying policy, provides for teacher training, makes sure teachers and school staff know that they are expected to intervene and keep kids safe when they see bullying occur, and very importantly tile bill sets penalties for cyberbullying.

The Press, Wednesday, March 21, 2012

SECTION

C MY TURN: Reflections on an Army career/ C4

Yang to speak at Human Rights event COEUR d'ALENE Education Institute ¡ announced the keynote The Kootenai County speaker for the 15th Task Force on Human Relations in cooperation annuaJ human rights banquet scheduled April 23. ¡ with its sis.ter organization, Human Rights Dr. Jianli Yang, presi-

dent of the Foundation "Dr. Jianli _Yang was for China in the 21st an excellent choice for Century, will address this year's human rights the topic "A Dissident's .banquet keynoter due to Struggle to Bring Democracy to China." see YANG, C5

was last known to be living in the Hayden area.

Anyone with information regarding this subject or other fugitives being sought for violent crimes should caJl the NNCTF at (208) 665-1471. The identities of callers will remain confidentiaJand reward money is available.

,

The Preas

Wednesday, M arch 21, 2012

C5

North Idaho

YANG C1

Berkley, and a second Ph.D. from Harvard Unifrom versity's Kennedy School of Government several recent events," In 2002 Yang used said KCfFHR secretary a friend's passport to Tony Stewart "Dr. Yang reenter China to reis an intellectual expert port on unfolding labor on the political, economic unrest. He was detained and social life in China and held by the Chinese with his commitment to authorities for a year, tortransforming China into a tured, tried on trumped democracy. n up charges for s pying Yang is recognized and sentenced to five as th e leading architect years in prison. and is at the forefront of Following an interthe "Chinese Democracy national outcry for his Movement." He is the release and after being a co-author of a constituprisoner for five years, he tion for a democratic was released and returned China. to his adopted United Yang, a native of China, States in 2007. was protesting in Tianan"'The KCfFHR is men Square in 1989 fortunate to present a when the now infamous speaker who advocates massacre took place. His the Task Force's mission involvement in the upris-- of promoting equality, ing put him on a list of freedom and justice for 48 leaders banned from all the world's people," China by the Chinese Stewart said. "Dr. Yang government. has experienced through Yang came to the imprisonment what it United States where he means to take a stand for earned a Ph.D. degree freedom." in mathematics from the He has testified before University of California, congressional commit-

tees in both the United States Senate as well as the U.S. House of Representatives.

Frequently consulted by national media for his views on China, Yang has addressed audiences around the world concerning democracy \n China.

Yang was the recipient of the "Outstanding Chinese Student in America Award" in 1990. In 2009 he was elected by the Chinese independent intellectuals as one of the top 100 Chinese Public Intellectuals and he was recognized

by Chinese Twitter users as one of the "50 Most Respected Chinese Citizens of 2009."

The banquet will also include presentations of this year's "KCTFHR Civil Rights Award" and the "Bill Wassmuth Memorial Volunteer-of-the-Year Award" The banquet profits go to the Human Rights Edu¡cation Institut~ to assist in the Institute's providing four annual minority

student scholarships at North Idaho College.

The event will be at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn.with a reception at 5 p.m. and the banquet at 6.

Banquet individual tickets are $40 and banquet tables are $500 and $1,000. Details are available by calling 765-3932.

"Yang's visit to Coeur d'Alene is especially important following the recent visit to the United States by China's VicePresident Xi ]imping who will soon become China's next President," Stewart said. "In addition, there is presently a power struggle between political factions for future control of the Chinese Communist Party that Dr. Yang can share wi'th our audience."

Stewart also pointed out that a number of local residents including community leaders have vis-ited China in recent years and should be interested in meeting and listening to Dr. Yang.

KKK leader runs for sheriff Winkler on GOP ballot in Bonner County

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS Associated Press

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SANDPOINT - He has been an Aryan Nations member and Ku Klux Klan leader, and now Shaun Winkler wants to be the sheriff in a rural Idaho county near the Canadian border.

The white power activist is running as a Republican in the May 15 Bonner County primary to become the top law enforcement officer.

Winkler said despite the whjte supremacist beliefs he holds as a KKK imperial wizard, his brand of justice would be color blind. see WINKLER, CS

Associated Press

White supremacist Shaun Winkler, shown Wednesday in Rathdrum, is running for Bonner County sheriff.

CS

The Press

Friday, March 30, 2012

WINKLER

from C1

"In the event I was elected sheriff, I would not act on racial profiling," Winkler said.

"Being in the white power movement, I know how it feels to be profiled by law enforcement" Rather, Winkler is running on a platform that includes coming down hard on sex offenders and meth manufacturers, and reducing the impact of federal law enforcement at the county level.

Cornet Rasor, chairman of the county Republican Central Committee, doesn't see much appeal to Winkler's candidacy.

'The seven people that like him will vote for him," Rasor said. "I don't think he has a chance."'

Bonner County is heavily Republican, with a large Tea Party following. But "there are very few Aryans here," Rasor said.

A human rights group leader urged local voters

to reject Winkler.

"If the voters of Bonner County will turn out in large numbers to oppose Winkler's candidacy, they will be sending a clear message of opposition to all those who come to our great state to promote hate-filled ideologies," said Tony Stewart of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, which, along with the Southern Poverty Law Center, put the Aryan Nations out of business with a lawsuit more than a decade ago.

Winkler, 33, was for years an associate of Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler, who ran for mayor of Hayden in 2003, the last time an admitted white supremacist appeared on a ballot in North Idaho. Butler received only about 50 of the 2,300 votes cast in that election, Stewart said.

Winkler is running in the GOP primary against Sheriff Daryl Wheeler and Ponderay police officer Tim Fry. The winner will face independent

North Idaho Rocky Jordan in the November election.

Sandpoint, the county seat, is built along the shores of spectacular Lake Pend Oreille, and has a thriving tourist economy built around outdoor recreation and the arts. It shows up regularly on lists of the best small towns in the West.

But the area also has a history of radical and anti-government activism.

The infamous Ruby Ridge standoff occurred about 20 miles north of here, and the Aryan Nations compound was about 30 miles south.

Kate McAlister, president of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, said Winkler is free to run for office, but his views do not reflect the majority in the area.

"Mr. Winkler does not in any way, shape or form represent Bonner County," McAlister said.

"We are not exclusionary."

Bonner County, like much of the rest of the region, has a population

that is overwhelmingly white - about 96 percent of the 40,000 residents.

Winkler moved to Priest River a year ago, and owns a landscaping business. He said he noticed immediately that there were large numbers of registered sex offenders and meth labs in the county.

He said he didn't think local law enforcement was taking the problems seriously enough and decided to file for sheriff.

Wmkler, who has a Ron Paul sticker on his truck, has no law enforcement or military experience, which he considers a plus. He said he has been a registered Republican since the age of 18.

He considers himself a white separatist, who believes people of different races should live segregated lives.

Winkler picketed Mexican food carts in nearby Coeur d'Alene in 2011, a,nd protested the annual Martin Luther King Jr. events at North Idaho College in January.

He believes his experiences in the white power movement are valuable.

"Most people in the white power movement are concerned about their neighborhoods," he said. "We oppose drugs, sex offenders and corruption in our areas."

He considers himself a mainstream candidate, but understands how others might not "Of the Republican candidates, I have the most controversy, but also have more of the traditional Republican values of patriotism," he said.

Winkler is married and the father of three young children.

For the past two years he has been the imperial wizard of the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan for the state of Idaho, a group he said has only a handful of members in the region.

He has been doing some face-to-face campaigning in the Priest River and S<}-Ddpoint areas.

"A lot of people are

"Most people in the whHe power movement are concerned about their neighbor. hoods. We oppose drugs, sex offenders and corruption in our areas."

SHAUN WINKLER, Republican candidate for Bonner County sheriff 100 percent with me," he said. "Or they say, 'I don't agree with your racist beliefs, but I agree the FBI shouldn't have jurisdiction here, and sex offenders and meth are becoming a problem that shouldn't be ignored."'

But, he also acknowledged, "I've had people who say: ' I don't want nothing to do with you."'

Page 2 - The Fig '!fee -'tip'ri 1¡20:12

REGIONAL ECUMENICAL

& INTERFAITH NEWS

Speakers offer a new vision of security Navy Capt. Wayne Porter and Marine Col. Mark Mykleby will discuss ''Imagining a New Vision for American Prosperity . and Security" at a conference co-sponsored by Pax Christi Spokane and Gonzaga University's political science and religious studies departments, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, April 21 , in Cataldo Harl at Gonzaga.

Wayne and Mark co-authored "Mr. Y: A National Strategic Nar-

rative," a document outlining their views is publ i!ihed by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. They say the vision of U.S. security and economic interests since 1946 is rooted in the Cold War between the Soviet Union and United States as world powers. With the Cold War over, they say threats to security and prosperity are more about challenges of sustainable energy and

agriculture, the need to revise education and social policies, and an emphasis on foreign policy guided by diplomacy and international development, rather than military force alone.

Wayne and Mark are military strategists and assistants to the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

They speak at forums across the United States. Their policy paper is at www:wilsoncenter.org.

For information, call 358-4273.

Kootenai human relations banquet planned Jianli Yang, a leader of the democracy movement in Cliina. will speak on " A Dissident's Struggle to Bring Democracy to China" at the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations' 15th annual Human Rights Banquet at 6 p.m., Monday, April 23, at the Coeur d'Alene Inn, 506 W. App!eway in Coeur d'Alene.

Yang protested in the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. On a list of 48 banned leaders, he came to the Unjted States and earned doctoral degrees at th~ University of California (UC) and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He has taught at UC Berkeley and Santa Cruz.

In 2002, he went to China to re-

port on labor unrest and was held for a year, tortured, tried for spying and sentenced to five years in prison-drawing an international outcry. He returned to the United States in 2007.

Proceeds benefit Human Rights Education Institute scholarships at North Idaho College. For information, call 208-765-3932.

A4

The Press

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

North Idaho

Human rights activist headlines banquet COEUR d' ALENE - A human rights activist and former Chinese political prisoner headlined the 15th annual Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations' Human Rights Banquet Monday.

Dr. Jianli Yang, president of Initiatives for China, and this year's keynote speaker, spoke about the struggles he experienced fighting for democracy in The People's Republic of China.

Born in Shandong Province in northern China, he witnessed the massacre of protesters in Tiananmen Square as a University of California student.

Upon his return to the United States, Dr. Yang

obtained a Ph.D. degree in the field of mathematics from Berkley, and a Ph.D. in political economics from Harvard. He has taught and served as a Fellow at several American universities.

In 2002, after completing his Doctorate at Harvard, he returned to China to help the labor movement with nonviolent struggle strategies. He was arrested and served five years as a political prisoner. Following an international outcr y for his release, including a United Nations resolution and a unanimous vote of both houses of the United States Congress, Dr. Yang was freed in April of 2007.

Around 320 people

attended the event at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn. Yang later co-chaired the Committee on Internet Freedom at the Geneva Human Rights and Democracy Summit.

In March 2011, he spoke at the United Nations' Human Rights Council, directly questioning the delegates from the Peoples Republic of China. Then in December he joined H. H. Dalai Lama and four other delegates, to attend Forum Democracy and Human Rights in Asia, hosted by former Czech president. Vaclav Havel.

Yang has received numerous honors and awards from various international organizations.

PAGE A6 â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAY â&#x20AC;˘ APRIL 24, 2012

NORTH W EST

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

IN BRIEF From staff reports

Chinese scholar addreues banquet Chinese dissident and scholar Jianli Yang, who spent five years in prison for his pro-democracy views, was the keynote speaker Monday at the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations' annual banquet.

After corruption left him disenchanted with China's Communist Party, Yang left his country to study mathematics at the University of California at Berkeley. He returned to China to support pro-democracy demonstrations at Tiananmen Square in 1989 and witnessed the killing of civilians.

He returned to the United States but was blacklisted by the Chinese government for his participation in the protests. In 2002, Yang returned to China to investigate labor protests and was arrested. Following an international outcry, including resolutions passed by Congress, he was freed in 2007.

Yang, who earned a doctorate in political economics at Harvard, advocates for a peaceful transition to democracy in China. He is president of Initiatives for China.

Honored at the banquet were: The Coeur d'Alene Tribe, which received the task force's Civil Rights award; Tony Stewart, co-founder of the task force, Jeff Crowe of Bunkhouse Media and Andy Finn of Local Motion Media, who all received the Bill Wassmuth Memorial Volunteer of the Year awards; and Lidwin Dime, who received the Lifetime Humanitarian Award for contributions that included founding Dime Medical Clinic.

Sheriff candid.ate hosts cross burning Bonner County's Winkler: Misunderstood 'lighting' a pointedly Christian symbol

By CAMERON one another. Afterward, the human rights task RASMUSSON Winkler called everyone's force has not gone away," she said. "Many of us on Hagadone News Network attention lo speak for

It's unlikely that any other Bonner County sheriff candidate spent their Friday night like Shaun Winkler.

Al his compound just outside Priest River, Winkler and other family members of the northern Idaho Ku Klux Klan klavern held a get-together that included a nighttime cross lighting. Winkler, 33, is also tied to the Aryan Nations and Church of Jesus Christ-Christian.

He has'participated in racially-charged Kootenai County protests.

According to Winkler, cross lighting, more commonly known as cross burning. often provokes strong reactions from most people. Given that fact, the ceremony is generally conducted in private within the compound once a month or so.

"Generally, for a cross lighting, it's extremely rare we'd let any media there at all," he said.

However, after discussing the matter with bis family and associates, the group agreed to allow outside observation for the ceremony. Winkler said the evening was meant lo express both camaraderie and religious devotion.

The evening began ¡ like many a family picnic elsewhere in the country. Group members barbecued and enjoyed a congenial meal with SANDPOINT -

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about a half-hour on the racial, political and social groups they opposed.

Finally, once darkness fell, the evening concluded by setting a wooden cross afire.

That particular action, Winkler predicted, would be the source W inkler of much misunderstanding.

"Mainstream society looks al cross lighting as a symbol of hate, but it predates the Klan by hundreds of years," he said. ''We look at it more as a religious symbol."

According to Winkler, the religious component of the ceremony dates back to back to Scottish origins, when clan members used it as a means of communication. He also saw it as a pointedly Christian symbol, a representation of Jesus Christ's light spreading to the rest of the world.

However, the Ku Klux Klan of the early 20th century effectively erased any other associations in the public consciousness when U1ey appropriated cross lighting as a tool of terror and coercion.

According to Brenda Hammond, secretary for the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, the continued use of cross lighting is a matter of grave concern.

"It shows lhe need for

the task force have really regretted Bonner County's reputation for harboring racism wh~n the vast majority of us don't think like that."

Despite the unpopularity of his racial views, Winkler is soldiedng on with his sheriff's candidacy. On Monday, he participated in a candidates forum al the Blanchard Community Center. He continued to insist his Ku Klux Klan ties would not impact his performance as sheriff or make him susceptible lo racial profiling. Instead, he would focus on tough stances regarding drugs and alcohol.

"Most people don't know that we don't just oppose the Jews and the negroes," he said. ''We also oppose sexual predators and drugs of any kind."

Winkler added that if he had his way, perpetrators of sexual crimes would be hung immediately.

As for the cross lighting and his other white supremacist links, Winkler admits that those who oppose him for his viewpoints probably won't come around. Given that likelihood, he's not worried about alienating potential supporters.

"I think at this point, whoever is going to disagree with me will keep on disagreeing, and those who agree with me will keep on agreeing," he said.

C6

The Press

Saturday, May 12, 2012

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Publicizing hate groups just encourages them I am trying to look at the recent events with understanding. If a card carrying KKK member runs for sheriff, then this is an event that should and does receive national coverage with the press?

Realistically, we all know, including the candidate, that there is no way that he will ever be elected and this is a stunt to get attention. And now his campaign continues to receive national press, which in turn makes Idaho appear to be a center of Aryan and white supremacist activity.

In reflecting on the recent events that OPINION have been nationally publicized, I feel compelled to share one of the most relevant and compelling quotes I have ever heard regarding this type of extreme activity. Tony Thomas Carter Stewart. Kootenai County Human Rights MyTurn Task Force, recently commented, "If you have a group of actors who are getting ready for a play and those actors rehearse each day and on opening day when the curtain opens they have no audience, then they don't have a play."

Stewart went on lo explain bow this analogy is effective for dealing with people like Shaun W'mkler.

When lhe Aryan Nations and the KI<I<joined together to travel to Pulaski, Tennessee to host a rally claiming it as the birth place of the Kl<I<, Stewart convinced the townspeople to not support hale in any form. The Aryan Nations and KKK held a public rally but it did not receive opposition from Stewart or the townspeople. During their rally, they marched downtown, around the city hall once and then stopped because there was not an audience or opposition that they could use to fill their fuel cells with hate. Under the guidance of Stewart and the Kootenaj County Human Rights Task Force, the town hosted their

own peace rally out of town during this time, choosing dignity and respect over bate and conflict.

Now the same should hold true here in North ldaho. Winkler, a former member of Richard Butler's white supremacist Aryan Nations organization, is now running for Sheriff of Bonner County. Is he a candidate that the public takes seriously? No! Yet, he receives national press coverage, which fuels his activities. Now he invites the press to a cross burning and espouses it as a Christian celebration. Why? He thrives on receiving more coverage and more attention. Negative as it may be, I have known people who choose any type of attention, negative or positive, as long as it is attention.

The Human Rights Education Institute is a nonprofit organization that was created from the demise of the Aryan Nation headquarters in Hayden. It teaches human rights, respect for one another and digruty for all. This involves hosting free community events, visiting local schools, supporting local teachers and creating an environment that supports diversity and human rights.

As the Executive Director of HREI, I find it sad that the nation is so eager to publicize the controversial acts of one man without recognizing the incredible community of North Idaho, which has time and tin1e again united to oppose hate, racism and violations of human rights. I am proud to be a part of this community, and while burning a cross may get more attention, I encourage our community to continue to work together to fight hate, to encourage diversity and respect, and to remind each and every person that mentions Winkler, his activities or the Aryan Nations, that we do not tolerate, support or encourage publicity or recognition for any person or orgaujzation which promotes hate.

Thomas E. Carter is executive director of the Human Rights Education ltistitute in Coeur d'Alene.

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Cd'A recall effort has a long history Editor's Note: These are comments made by former NIC instructor Tony Stewart to the school's Board of Trustees on April 18.

Mr. Chairman and members of the Board: I come before you to address the campaign to recall Mayor Sandi Bloem and three Council members as I believe the issue has a direct impact on your current projects with the city.

Our great city is at a crucial crossroads as the recall debate unfolds. I wish to join in the discussion from an historical view of American cities.

In 2002 "Newsweek International" journalist Adam Piore wrote an in- OPINION formative article on how to build a creative city.

He supports his ideas of a creative city through the writings of Christine StanselJ, a My Turn professor of cultural history at Princeton University, who described creative cities in these terms: "They come to live life to the fullest. to be a 'player.' to be where the action is, to walk the street and feel what it's like - to be on the edge of what's possible."

One of the most authoritative works on what will produce America's most successful cities in th e 21st Century is Dr. Richard Florida's book 'The Rise of the Creative Class." He studied, compared and classified American cities he predicted will experience a bright future contrasted with those American cities on the decline in the 21st Century. He discovered a specific set of bold and visionary public policies and cultural traits that will determine the outcome of a city's future success.

He found America's 21st Century "Creative Cities" will share in common such features-as a quality educational system including colleges/universities, open green spaces and multi-parks, promotion of the arts and humanities, home to a variety of museums, an excellent infrastructure including

pedestrian friendly walkways, support for great public libraries, a variety of entertainment and recreational opportunities, and a commitment to the acceptance and celebration of human rights and diversity fostered by a variety of cultures. These are the cities attracting members of the highly productive creative class who bring to the city their many talents that in turn attracts national and international business enterprises. Dr. Florida developed the "Creative Index" to test his findings.

Now let's see what the city of Coeur d'Alene and its leaders have done over the past 40 years regarding the "Creative Index" formula. Mayors John McHugh, Ron Edinger, Don Johnston, Jim Fromm, Raymond Stone, Al Hassel, Steve Judy and Sandi Bloem, the city council members and community volunteers have joined forces to make us a truly an "All American City."

Let me list and explain just a few of these major accomplishments. First of all, some 40 years ago Coeur d'Alene's elected officials encouraged a group of local outdoor enthusiasts led by attorney Scott Reed to acquire a loan from a national preservation organization making it possible for the city to acquire Tubbs Hill that is known as one of Idaho's great gems.

In 1976, the city, the Kootenai County Commissioners and community activists united behind North Idaho College's purchasing of 3,200 feet of lake beach property to be set aside for the enjoyment of the public. On July 18, 1987, North Idaho College joined with Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus in dedicating this sacred ground to the Coeur d'Alene Tribe that would forever be known as Yap Keehn-Um (The Gathering Place). Yet another Idaho gem was preserved through joint funding from NIC, Kootenai County and a grant from the Federal Government despite the active opposition of the "Naysayers."

Coeur d'Alene is now home to one of the Pacific Northwest "Class A" recreational centers at the Kroc Center, a first class library, a small city within a city called "Riverstone," a newly developing education corridor, an ever improving infrastructure, celebration of the arts and humanities, an ever expanding museum system, a human rights center in downtown Coeur d'Alene made possible partially through a partnership with the city, a one stop location to serve those in need made possible by the city forming a partnership with several social agencies, miles of first class bike and pedestrian paths, a modern wastewater treatment plant that has become a model for other cities, and the list seems endless. As one who has studied Dr. Florida's thesis, I suggest that if he visited our fair city, he would be inclined to classify us as a truly "Creative City."

Over the past few years I have received calls from families considering a move to our state and city.

The questions they ask are almost identical to the findings in Dr. Florida's book. ¡ In closing, we must not forget the many difficult challenges we have overcome even in the face of the opposition to realize the accomplishments now enjoyed by our citizens.

For example, you had the bold vision to move forward with the education corridor even in the face of a legal challenge from the opponents of the project.

The future course of the city now rests in the hands of the Coeur d'Alene residents as they must choose either a continuation of these more than 40 years of visionary policies and projects or select the alternative path that is based on caution, .,,. skepticism and resistance to a bold and creative city of the 21st Century.

Put in the form of a fundamental question: Will we continue building the "Creative City," the "All American City," "A Shining City on the Hill," or will we abandon that heritage yielding those opportunities to other Northwest cities who eagerly embrace the concept of a creative city of the 21st Century with all its vibrant opportunities?

Tony Stewart is a board member ofthe Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

C10

The Press

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

North Idaho

.Documentary is Sunday 'The Color of Conscience" will be shown at 4 p.m. Sunday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Coeur d'Alene.

"Despite the substantial progress made over the

years in Kootenai County, instances of racial and ethnic intolerance are still all too common," according to a press release.

Tony Stewart, a longtime leader in the area of

human rights, will lead a discussion of the documentary about the history of Idaho's modern human rights movement.

Refreshments will be served.

Stewart selected for hall of fame Human rights leader honored for work against hate

By TOM HASSLINGER Staff writer

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COEUR d' ALENE -

The track record spoke for itself. ¡ All the Idaho Hall of Fame decision makers had to do after reviewing human rights activist Tony Stewart's biography was rubber stamp his nomination.

"It's extremely humbling," said Stewart Friday as the IHOF's newest member for the role he played helping drive the Aryan Nations from North Idaho in the early 2000s.

Standing up against the Aryan Nations- a group that resorted to violence as intimidation around the region and was once targeted as a "terrorist threat" by the government - Stewart ensured North Idaho's reputation would be one of harmony instead of hate.

For his work as secretary and an original founder of the Task Force on Human Relations, Stewart was inducted Friday at The Coeur d'Alene Resort,

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Tony Stew art, center, an original founder of the Task Force on Human Relations, t alks with well-wishers, including Michelle Fink, right, Friday at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. Stewart was inducted to the Idaho Hall of Fame for his role driving the Aryan Nations from North Idaho.

STEWART

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headlining a class of six from North Idaho heading into Idaho's hallowed ranks.

Even though personal recognition is nice, Stewart said it took a community effort to stand up against the Aryans.

"I learned something early on in life," he said, "Never, ever do something by yourself."

Originally founded in 1985 in Payette, the hometown of baseball great Harmon Killebrew, the lHOF will have 165 members after all of this year's inductees are introduced.

They include individuals, nonprofits and businesses that strive to make Idaho the best it can be.

Freeman Duncan,

lHOF's North Idaho director, nominated Stewart, along with Dr. Forrest Bird, longtime Benewah County Commissioner Jack Buell, Silverwood Theme Park, Hospice of North Idaho and the Kroc Community Center.

It wasn't until after 2009 when Duncan joined the IHOF team did North Idaho begin to get more representation.

And when the selection committee saw Stewart's nomination, Duncan said, they were "speechless."

But Stewart insisted the personal award was really an award for the entire region. Choosing tolerance over bigotry is a community decision, not . just one man's, he said.

"It takes a team," he said. "It's not just me, it's everyone."

MAY 27. 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ SUNDAY â&#x20AC;˘ PAGE 8 3

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

NORTHWEST broke her collarbone. She's out for the tour but still hopes to qualify for the Olympics.

Amazingly, Armstrong got back on her bike after her crash and finished the course, coming in 13th, showing she had been on pace to have won with a blisteringly fast time. limit from Instead, the first day's winner OISE - Idaho is one of 22 BETSY Z. states that filed a brief in each of was Canadian Tara Whitten, one RUSSELL of a team of riders whose support of Montana's numerous fight in the U.S. Supreme Court sub-entities. welcome to Boise was an "At the unpleasant one - their racing to prevent the 2010 Citizens bikes and equipment, valued at heart of United decision from being used $120,000, were stolen overnight to strike down state laws Montana's restricting corporate campaign case is their from a locked trailer outside state their hotel a day before the race. spending- even though Idaho regulation However, Boise police recovered has no such laws.

Idaho allows direct corporate of campaign finance," Kane said. all the bikes unscathed, in three ''What we want to do is ensure locations on the Boise State giving to campaigns and unlimited corporate that Idaho's regime of campaign University campus, in time for finance laws is protected. the racers to use them Thursday. independent expenditures in The event continued with There's a state sovereignty issue campaigns. ''But we do have road races around southwestern requirements for reporting," said involved in our signing on."

I daho and will conclude Monday Deputy Attorney General Brian Crash, theft, recovery in Boise.

Kane.

Plus, Idaho places limits on open women's bike race direct corporate contributions to International women's cycling Human rights film candidates that are the same as returned to Boise this week after honored by ABA a 10-year hiatus with the Exergy An Idaho Public Television its limits for individual Tour, featuring more than 100 documentary, "The Color of contributions - $1,000 per Conscience: Human Rights in election cycle for legislative elite women racers from 18 Idaho," won the Silver Gavel candidates, which means $1,000 nations, many of whom are competing for slots on their Award for television from the for the primary and $1,000 for the general, and $5,000 per home countries' Olympic teams. American Bar Association. The They included Boise cyclist hourlong special examines the election cycle for statewide and 2008 Olympic timetrials development of the human offices. Several years ago Idaho beefed up its reporting laws to gold medalist Kristin Armstrong, rights movement in Idaho, including the small group of prevent corporations from but Armstrong crashed in the first day of racing Thursday and concerned citizens who stood up evading the limits by giving the

EYE ON BOISE

Idaho backs Montana campaign.funds fight

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to the Aryan Nations, ultimately bankrupting the neo-Nazi supremacist group in North Idaho.

The program also examines other current human rights issues in the state, from gay rights to immigrants to hate crimes. Marcia Franklin is the producer, writer and host, and Jay Krajic is the videographer/editor. The national award was just the latest honor for the program, which also won a regional Edward R Murrow Award and a Cine Golden Eagle Award, among others. You can see the show online at idahoptv.org/colorofconscience.

Judge orders mediation U.S. District J udge Edward Lodge has ordered mediation between the press and the state Corrections Department, after more than a dozen news outlets and journalism groups, led by the Associated Press and including The Spokesman-Review, sued over the department's execution procedures. Those procedures block media witnesses from seeing the first half of the execution process, including when IV lines are inserted to deliver the lethal drugs. The press groups maintain the limits violate the First Amendment, as outlined in a specific 9th Circuit

Court decision issued in 2002.

U.S. District Court Magistrate Candy Dale will oversee the mediation. If it doesn't reach a solution, Lodge will decide the case before Idaho's next scheduled execution June 12.

Luna named to Romney group Idaho state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna was named to a 19-member education policy advisory group by GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Luna is the only state school superintendent named to the group. Other members all work for private education companies, think tanks, universities or the federal government.

Luna, in a news release from the Idaho Republican Party, said: "I am excited to work with Gov. Romney to improve education across the country. As governor, he showed how states can truly put students first and raise academic achievement for all children. We have worked toward the same goals in Idaho, passing the most comprehensive education reform in the country to ensure every student can graduate from high school and go on to posts.econdary education without the need for remediation. Now, we must make (sure) this is possible for every child in every state."

COEUR d'ALENE r;n

Working toward a better tomorrow

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Mike Kralicek, a former Coeur d'Alene police officer who was shot while on duty in 2004, jokes with Thomas Carter, executive director for the Human Rights Education Institute, while delivering a speech during a social event Friday to promote the center's work in human rights.

Kralicek receives honor Former officer receives

first Tony Stewart Human Rights Education Award

By TOM HASSLINGER Staff writer

COEUR d'ALENE - Retired Coeur d'Alene police officer Mike Kralicek has plenty of stories to

share.

And he tells most of them with a joke and a smile.

Even lhe harrowing one from 2004, when the officer was shot in the face in the line of duty, and the long road to recover since then.

But even on that one Kralicek can crack a quip.

'Today's a good day, you know why?" he said Friday evening be-

fore the Human Rights Education Institute's quarterly social gathering. "Because ever y day someone's not shooting at me is a good day."

Behind that humor is Kralicek's true message: Always work toward a better tomorrow, regardless of what the odds are, regardless of how difficult it is. see AWARD, A6

1-71-/7-

from A1 After the shooting, Kralicek was told he wouldn't be able to breathe on his own. The married father with three kids has far exceeded expectations, traveling the country as a motivational speaker. Having become a fixture of the community, he said moving forward from tragedy doesn't leave time for dwelling on the 'what if.' ¡ "What's a ride without the dips?" he said.

"You can't appreciate joy without sorrow. You have to have something to compare it too. You have to have pain."

But Kralicek bas other stories, too.

He knows what it's like to be on the short end of stereotypes, even discrimination, whether from his days as a logger seen as the working poor, or from his days in the military or as an officer or now, being disabled.

"Once I got out of the hospital and tried to re-enter society, with my new, disabled body, he said, "I was discriminated against because I was no longer an abled-body person."

An unknown, limbo zone, he called it, where

people treat~d him differently.

"I was an outcast," he said. "It shows you how easy people can cast you aside.

"They don't realize how hurtful their words are," he added.

For his work spreading his anti-discrimination message, and his triumph overcoming adversity, Kralicek was awarded the first Tony Stewart Human Rights Education Award on Friday.

"Mike's out there," HREI Director Tom Carter said of Kralicek, calling the former officer's message one that encourages people to view other people "only as human beings and nothing else."

"He has a huge heart and he's someone I call my friend," Carter said.

Kralicek said he was honored for the award.

His motto is simple.

Discrimination shouldn't be tolerated. If you see someone facing it, "stick¡ up for them." ''You don't tolerate people for their differences," he said. "You accept who they are."

And as much as the community rallied around Kralicek as he was fighting for recovery, the community too should rally around the HREI

nonprofit and its mission to combat hate.

'This community showed tremendous support at that time. They saw a need for help," he said of bis recovery. 'This center is in need of help also. So right now, the center's in need of your support."

And sharing his stories Friday, he bad jokes to go with them.

He scribbled some notes for his speech, he said, but "I can't read my writing."

He has trouble moving his neck, he told the 50 or so people in attendance, so if someone in the audience felt like he was looking at them too long, "raise your hand and let me know."

He paused at one point during the speech, too.

"It kind Qf sounds like I'm on my soapbox now," he said.

But at the heart of his message was the fact that everyone should be treated equally, and everyone should work together for a better future, regardless of the odds.

"It's inspiration," said Darrell Raver, of Coeur d'Alene, who attended the event to hear Kralicek speak. "It's amazing. He seems like a very positive, happy guy."

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IDAHO

July 27, 2012

Tony Stewart, Secretary Kootenai County Task Force on Human Rights PO Box 2725 Coeur D' Alene, ID 83816-2725 Dear Mr. Stewart, Congratulations on your induction into Idaho 's Hall of Fame. The selection committee made the right choice when they included you in this distinguished group. You have provided extraordinary leadership within Kootenai County and beyond in the area of human rights. ALI of Idaho has greatly benefitted through your work.

Vicki joins me in recognizing this outstanding achievement. You are a great addition to the Idaho Hall of Fame.

Very Truly Yours,

-4-~~

~

;ames E. Risch United States Senate

SOUTH ERN POVERTY LAW CENTER 400 Washington Avenue Montgomery. Alabama 36 104 Morris Dees

Founder and CliiefTrial Counsel

July 24, 201 2

Tony Stewart Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations P. 0 . Box 2725 Coeur d' Alene , ID 838 16-2725 Dear Tony, I owe you a lot of than ks for a presti gious award I will soon receive.

On August 7th, I will be given the American Bar Association Medal. I realize that this award would not be possible without passionate Center lawyers, unselfish and talented local counsel, good researchers and in vesti gators, skilled paralegals, hard-working assistants, creative gra phics designers, percepti ve trial consultants and a dedicated securi ty team.

There is no way we could have won so many victori es over the years without everyone's help. Being part of a triaJ with our team, as you know , is an experience to remember. Most have forgiven me for three a.m. calls and long work days. The friends I have made working on our cases are treasured and dear.

I wish you could be with me in Chi cago at the ABA conventi on. l will do my best in my acceptance remarks to thank you and so many others.

4 IOAIIO llUSlNl!S S REVIEW I July 20, 20U I WWW.lDAll08l1SlNllSSIUlV1EW.COM

Stigma of racism lingers in the north

BY SBAN O LSON sea11.olson@ldahobuslnessreview.et)m

Coeur d'Alene may never completely escape the stigma of its unwanted ties to the Aryan Nations, but the city has spent 30 years wiping away as much of the stain as possible.

The unflattering reputation that arrived with Richard Butler, who was dubbed "the elder statesman of American hate" by the Southern Poverty Law Center, still remains in some parts of the country - even after the community took away Butler's famous 20-acre compound and split up his hate group.

The reputation is not without consequences. Coeur d'Alene, which counts on tourism for a large part of its economY, has had to battle over the years to en sure that its visitors are expecting pristine lake and mountain views, not swastikas.

"A number of years ago there was a n umber of conferences that did not want to come here," said Tony Stewart, of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

But Stewart, along with local business leaders, says the reality of 2012 is better than it has been since Butler began or ganizing hate group activities in the early 1980s.

Katherine Coppock, Coeur d'Alene Area Chamber of Commerce convention and visitor bureau manager, said she has "very, very rarely" gotten inquiries about the racist history of the region in the past three years.

Jerry Jaeger, co-owner of the Coeur

Courtesy of Diana Gissel

Community members tear down the compound Richard Butler shared with his white supremacist group near Coeur d'Alene the day after he lost it in a civil trial in 2000. It was replaced with a peace park. d'Alene Resor t, said the resort only received a handful of concerned calls over the years, but it has been a long time since the last one.

"It's virtually a nonissue now," Jaeger said.

Neo-Nazi parades It wasn't easy to get to 2012, however.

Local and national media jumped at the chance to cover Butler~ who was believed to be organizing hate group activities across the United States from his

compound.

Butler and his followers were tied to the white supremacist group The Order, which went on a spree of bombings, armed robberies and killings in the 1980s. Butler also regularly held parades in Coeur d'Alene, to the dismay of most residents.

In 1987 he was indicted in Arkansas with others on charges he was trying to start a race war, but no one was convicted.

Jaeger called him "a master at getting media," for the outrageous statements he made and the tactics of his

groups.

In 1998, guards at Butler's compound attacked a woman and her son after confusing the sound of their car backfiring with a gunshot. They shot up her car and assaulted her and her son.

A subsequent lawsuit from the woman earned her a $6.3 million award in 2000 from a north Idaho jury. That bankrupted Butler and forced him to give up the compound. He remained in the area, although with far less influence, until his death in 2004.

Taking their image back To combat the perception that people in north Idaho were tolerant of Butler's views, citizens formed the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, which has been fighting for tolerance and against Butler - since 1981.

Stewart said after Butler's group saw so much press in the 1980s and 1990s, the best thing the task force could do was talk about the problems. Stewart spoke across the country, detailing the battles the task force fought against Butler and how citizens of Coeur d'Alene had organized themselves to help.

He stressed that most of Butler's followers, and Butler himself, were outsiders.

"They were never successful in recruiting locally or even in the state of Idaho,'' he said.

He called attention to the county's court records fighting against hate. through the years, including the civil case against Butler and various hatecrime charges.

"Since 1981, if it involved a hate crime, we have never lost a case," Stewart said. "If we were a sympathetic community or even apathetic, we couldn't have this kind of record." 'l'he task for ce organized events to

counter any parades or other activities Butler's supporters planned over the years. In one case, the group raised tens of thousands of dollars for human rights groups by getting people to pledge money for each minute one of Butler's parades lasted.

Jaeger said the community got very good at allaying the concerns of people who were interested in visiting.

"I'm not aware of any group that let us know they had a concern about it that ever didn't come here," he said, although he added it was possible some people didn't visit due to fear and never tried to talk to community members about it.

The vigilance in speaking with groups and media paid off, officials say.

In 2005, a small contingent of the National Negro Golf Association visited Coeur d'Alene Resort to play the hotel's famous golf course. â&#x20AC;˘ Jaeger said the resort offered the members a free stay to entice them to see the community and make sure there weren't any dangers to a group of black golfers in northern Idaho.

Albert BroadY, who was president of the group at the time, said the region's racist past wasn't even on his radar at the time.

"To tell you the truth, being black, we'd never really heard of Coeur d'Alene," Broady said.

But Broady and his fellow golfers were enchanted by the town, deciding to bring the group's championship tournament there based on the course quality and the locals.

"You never felt like they were doing

you any special favors or saying something special to you. They were just genuinely nice," Broady said.

Right before the group returned for the tournament in 2006, it received a letter from the resort letting members know that a small contingent of white supremacists - it turned out to be three ~ple - were planning on holding a white supremacist parade the same weekend. The resort offered to refund their money or reschedule, he said.

"We decided, what the hell, we're going anywaY," he said.

The resort planned a day of activities with the wives of golfers on the day of the parade to make sure they had fun without having to go into the town center, he said.

"I haven't had a better experience in any of our other events," he said.

'Sensitized' Residents haven't been immune to their reputation either, Stewart said, and are often the first line of defense against anything that could be interpreted as hate speech. ¡ "I believe because of what we went through that was so difficult, I think it sensitized people to this issue more than in other communities," Stewart said.

It shows in reactions to various events in the community. The most recent publicized case of bigotry involved a man with white supremacist imagery tattooed on his bodY, Daren C. Abbey, who threatened to stab a black man at a Kootenai County bar in July 2011, according to reports from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

For his trouble, he was knocked out with one punch. Abbey was then arrested and in June was sentenced to up See RACISM. 1Jm?e R.

RACISM: Coeur d 'Alene's histor)!_ may always bring~crutiny ________ _ to five years in prison for the threat, The Spokesman Review reported.

Stewart said Abbey's family has since moved away.

In a city art exhibit, which lasted a year, Coeur d'Alene got complaints about a statue of Ganesh - an ancient Inclian deity with the head of an elephantthat was displayed on city property.

Steve Anthony; the city's recreation director, said about six people crune to a city m~eting to protest the art because it was a religious symbol that did not depict Christianity.

Anthony said that in response, more than 70 people showed up to support the arl

Tellingly; another resident complained that Ganesh was associated with the swastika symbol, although the deity's use of the symbol denoted its divine powers of removing obstacles from

Continued from 4

He was trounced in the primary for Bonner County - which is north of Kootenai County - primary; but still received 182 votes.

Coeur d'Alene 2012

Courtesy of Diana Gissel

The peace park near Coeur d'Alene is now open to the public and shows no traces of the former compound that held Richard Butler's Aryan Nations group. a person's path - or good luck - rather than the Nazi usage.

"There were some people that were upset that it was here, but the majority of people saw it as just what it was, which is art," Anthony said.

In the primary election this year, a Bonner County member of the Ku Klux

Klan, Shaun Winkler, decided to run for sheriff. Winkler even hosted a cross burning as part of his campaign, although he said he would not allow his prejudice to guide him in acting as sheriff if elected. Winkler campaigned on a tough stance toward methamphetamine and child predators.

Jaeger said there would always be closer scrutiny on the Coeur d'Alene area because of its history; but that there is a significantly lower number of racists in Coeur d'Alene now than in the past.

"No place in the world is free of bigots, but our problem today is almost nonexistent," he said.

Stewart and the task force still speak whenever asked and continue to hold fundraisers and other events, despite not having a direct threat in the community; like Butler.

PAGE An I WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2012

EDITORIAL

Sandpoint stands alone in fight for what's right One of the disingenuous objections to gay marriage is that with the adoption of civil unions and everything-but-marriage laws, there is no need to go any further to avoid discrimination.

That would perhaps be more persuasive if those who deployed this argument were on the front lines in their communities trying to pass anti-discrimination laws, but they aren't. And so in states like Idaho it is still legal to kick tenants out of apartments, fire workers or deny service because of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The city of Sandpoint is the only Idaho community that has adopted an anti-discrimination ordinance, which took effect in January. No complaints have been registered thus far.

Even in the more progressive state of Washington, it took 29 years before the Legislature passed an anti-discrimination law in 2006. In the spring, lawmakers legalized gay mar;riage, and voters have a chance to affirm that choice in the fall elections.

Equal rights in Washington were hard-earned, and if gay marriage opponents were honest, they would acknowledge that longstanding discrimination didn't bother them much. Many endorsed it. Few, if any, fought against it.

But if discrimination truly does disturb them, they have the opportunity to criticize the state-sanctioned discrimination that occurs in every Idaho community except one.

After Sandpoint adopted the ordinance in December, a woman approached Chamber of Commerce President Kate McAlister and hugged her. Through tears she told McAlister, "I want you to know that because of what you did, for the first time in all our lives I can take my partner to a Christmas party without fear of being fired."

If that's a story that fails to move gay marriage opponents, we have to question their commitment to equality. For many people, discrimination is an acceptable outcome if same-sex marriage can be stopped.

It's not unusual for a business leader like McAlister to support equality, because discrimination is bad for business. For one thing, accepting gay and lesbian workers deepens the talent pool. As an attorney for eBay said at a panel discussion in Salt Lake City, "If we can't find the right people, we'll open shop someplace else." .

.

Fifteen cities and counties m conservative Utah have adopted anti-discrimination ordinances. As a result, the state is drawing more businesses that employ workers from what consultant and author Richard Florida calls "the creative class." Workers in cutting-edge industries want to live in open-minded communities.

Businesses are willing to relocate to ease recruitment.

Nobody ought to be fired for who they are. The very idea is antithetical to the libertarian . principles Idaho leaders purport to uphold. We congratulate Sandpoint for taking a stand against discrimination. At the same time, it's embarrassing for Idaho that this city stands alone.

To respond to this editorial online, go to WWW.spokesman.com and click on Opinion under the Topics menu.

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EDITORIAL

Don't lose lesson on

Ruby Ridge

• anniversary

Twenty years ago today, a 14-year-old boy and a deputy U.S. marshal were killed in a tragic firefight on a nowhere hillside called Ruby Ridge.

The boy's mother perished a day later in a second burst of gunfire.

What calculations could have triggered violence so out of. proportion to a decision by family patriarch Randy Weaver not to show up for a hearing on weapons chru:ges?

Unfortunately, hatred - to the point of murder - had seethed in the Inland Northwest for years prior to the deaths of William Degan and Samuel and Vicki Weaver. White supremacists, using Richard Butler's Aryan Nations Hayden Lake compound as a rallying point, advocated the creation of a white haven in the Northwest - by any means.

A group that called itself The Order gunned down Denver talk show host Alan Berg in 1984, one incident in a spasm of crimes that ended with the immolation of leader Robert Mathews in a Whidbey Island showdown. Other individuals and cells counterfeited money, robbed banks or carried out bombings - including one at The Spokesman-Review Spokane Valley office - to further their evil cause.

The region was notorious for its radi<.aJ racists, and far less known for efforts by the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations and like groups to counter the hatred. It was they who eventually prevailed.

But federal law enforcement agencies were caught up then in the hunt for criminals with political axes. It was an investigation into illegal weapons manufacturing that snared Randy Weaver, who sold two sawed-off shotguns to an undercover agent After posting a $10,000 bond, he gathered his family at a self-made cabin on a ridge in remote North Idaho.

The events of the ensuing standoff that were ~ecounted in the Sunday paper by on-the-scene reporter Bill Morlin remain disturbing. Weaver's poor judgment was trumped in multi-spades by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and other lawmen angered by the loss of one of their own and unaware 14-year-old Samuel Weaver had died in the encounter.

In subsequent studies and testimony, the response was characteri.zed as "terribly flawed."

It was far worse than that, as later events at the Branch Davidian compound in Texas and the federal courthouse in Oklahoma City grimly proved. And it fostered conspiracy narratives that thrive to this day, fanned by talk radio and loopy websites.

The attempted bombing here of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in January 20ll was a reminder that racial hatred lingers still. Resentment sours so much social, political and economic dialogue, the presidential campaign being Exhibit A Meanwhile, Sara Weaver has forgiven those who shot her brother and mother. It is good that she has found peace.

It may be too soon to suggest the rest of us embrace reconciliation as we go forward, but on this regrettable anniversary we should at least be mindful of the terrible consequences of needless confrontation.

September 2012 - The Fig Tree - Page 3

Pastor and Task Force ar~ recipients Contin uedfrom page 1 faiths, social groups and individuals of alJ backgrounds.

Formed in 1981 as a volunteer organization, the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations has a long, diverse history of "making a difference" by combating hateful activities and messages, promoting human and civil rights, and building communities dedicated to safety, welcome, inclusion and peace.

More than a decade ago, it effectively opposed the now-defunct Aryan Nations organization and operations in Northern Idaho.

Since then, the task force has propelJed many enduring transformations in civic and educational resources, community improvements and celebratory events.

It helped create the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d'Alene and a peace park on the former Aryan Nations Compound site. l n addition, it holds an annual Human Rights Banquet and continues to lead by providing advocacy and support against hate crimes and lending technical consulting services to schools

and communities on human rights issues.

The featured speaker at Gonzaga's Take Action Against Hate Banquet is Ven. Geshe Thupten Phelgye, the University's visiting scholar and global peace activist.

Geshe la, as he is affectionately known, is the founder of the Universal Compassion Movement.

He was a student of the 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) and he served for many years as a member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile.

The program also includes a performance of "Eva's Song," the poetic remembrance of Eva Lassman, read by author Michael Gurian accompanied on cello by Vicki Strauss.

Eva, a Holocaust survivor and a -community educator on the Holocaust, human rights, challenging hatred and standing for others, received the inaugural Take Action Against Hate Award in 2009.

For more than five decades, she stood as both witness and advocate for human dignity, respect and perseverance. ''For many of us, she was and remains ' our own Elie Wiesel',"

said John, alluding to the Nobel . laureate political activist, educator and author.

She was a member of the institute's advisory board and received an honorary doctorate of laws from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2002. She passed away in February 2011 just shy of her 92nd birthday.

Banquet attendees will be invited to donate to help endow the Eva Lassman Memorial Fund at Gonzaga University. When it reaches the endowment threshold, the fund wiJl support an annual Eva Lassman Student Award for undergraduates to work with the institute on projects that combine research, education and leadership to continue her legacy of"combating hatred, promoting tolerance and respect, and advancing peace and human rights."

Banquet proceeds support activities of the Institute for Hate Studies. Doors open at 5:45 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m.; the formal program starts at 7 p.m.

For information, call 313-3665, email hatestudies@gonzaga.edu or visit https://commerce.cashnet.com/GIHS.

The Press, Sunday, July 15, 2012

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"' \ Call me for a prtvall viewing www.on.nHonlllklll

SHAWN GUST/Press

Thomas Carter is the executive director for the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d'Alene.

IN PERSON

By BILL BULEY Staff writer COEUR d'ALENE -Thomas Carter had two strong influences growing up in the Bay area of California: His father, and his grandfather.

He didn't want to be like his dad.

"My dad had a hard life. He was very bigoted, very racist. It's funny that he married a Spanish American. There were always racial slurs. There was no line. Teaching that and promoting it really come in inappropriate ways. 'Here's a song for you,' and singing a totally inappropriate racial song. Even as a child I looked at it and went. 'Wow.' I always grew up saying, 'I don't want to be like him.'

"My father was a mean, bigoted person. I definitely didn't want to grow up that way. I made a point not to."

Then, there was his grandfather, Salvador Lopez Leiva.

That was a man he wanted to emulate.

"My grandfather worked for Chrysler, started out as groundskeeper. That's the only job he could. get. prune bushes, he pruned the roses, mowed the lawn, he weeded, he learned at a young age how to graft trees. And did a great job.

His work ethic shined through.

He got promoted, promoted, promoted. When he left Chrysler and retired, they gave him a brand new Cordoba, and a gold watch, and he was the vice president of the plant. From the groundskeeper to the vice president of the plant as a Spanish immigrant."

"From him, I learned work ethic and doing the right thing, how you treat people."

Carter was recently hired as director of the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d'Alene.

In bis travels, he's faced racism.

He knows bow to defeat it.

"In our core as a human, we all know right from wrong. We all know deep down what's right and everybody should be treated equal," be said.

And he's leading the way, in Coeur d'Alene.

••• How have things been since you arrived at HREl7 They've been difficult. It's been very difficult. But at the same time, we see a clear line of progression that moves in an upward fashion.

There's been great directors here prior to me, and they've done great programs and helped out the com-

muoity and done great things in lite and say, 'I definitely made a difschools, but nobody really focused ference." That's something I need on fundraising. to do as a person and want to do.

In order for us to be viable and sustainable, we have to fund raise.

Why is HREI important to you?

We had a wonderful grant from the It's always important for me Carr Foundation. to give back and to leave their By spending money, we've done world making a mark, a mark that great events, but at the same time, doesn't stain society, but makes us I found a lot of events we can do by be better people for one another. grant writing to local businesses as That's the biggest point. well as other businesses, and support from fundraising. We've been able to Why is HREI important to the have a wonderful speaker series and community? we have at least two or three events Number one, for education. every month, the community can Teaching acceptance, tolerance, forcome in, 100 percent free. giveness, respect and dignity for all I'm very focused on fundraisOne person can make a difference. ing. For HREI to be sustainable, we have to fund raise. We have a golf What's the biggest challenge tournament coming up July 26 out at you face at HREI? Circling Raven and the tn"be's been Our biggest challenge is financial. highly support us, and that's great Why did you want this job?

What's the best way to fight racism?

Basically, to give back to others in a more impactful way.

Something I can look back on my

I'd like to use somebody who's taught me a wealth of information and I look up to as a mentor is

Tony Stewart. Without fueling the fire, not giving the hate and audience a platform to preach and get that out there, educating people about acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness and dignity. We can do that without combating hate and confronting them firsthand.

When people want to promote hate and bigotry of that nature, we don't want to give them an audience.

Do we still have a problem with racism in North Idaho?

We have a problem with racism, dignity and respect in the world.

Not just focusing on North Idaho.

How do we take care of that?

Educate people. Eleanor Roosevelt said it's got to start at home and it does. I was at a dinner party the other day and somebody said, 'How can you make a difference?'

Everybody can make a difference.

It takes one person. How can one person make a difference. Let's see CARTER, C2

CARTER

from C1

look at it Let's look at Marshall Mend, let's look at Norm Gissell, let's look at Tony Stewart, let's look at Gandhi.

On the other side, let's look at Mussolini and Hitler and people like that. This one individual made a huge difference.

We just want to make it the difference that helps people, and doesn't hurt people.

It's not just here. It's not just in Coeur d'Alene.

It's in Spokane. It's in Lewiston. It's in Moscow.

It's in New York, it's in IA It's everywhere.

What can we do in Coeur d'Alene?

Let's expand out from here and make us the epicenter of saying, "Hey, this is where human rights start, this is it" Coeur d'Alene is still predominately white folks. Will that ever change?

As Coeur d'Alene grows, and the popula-

tion increases, it's going to bring in more and more of a diverse group, I think with that diversity will bring in more acceptance. My thing is, skin tones are skin tones.

Down deep, we're all human beings.

That's my goal. For everybody to see someone just as a human, not as their race or religion or sexual preference.

Just as a human being.

What is your background in human rights?

I worked in the Outback of Australia with aboriginals. In 2005, I went there to teach in a multi-cultural diverse group. My buddy and I wanted to make a huge difference and wanted something that would last, that we could remember. We had a great time. The diversity was totally on the other hand. We weren't very well accepted at first. By the time we left, we were asked to stay, asked to come live there. I said, 'I don't think my wife would stay with me if I

live in the middle of the Outback.' 'But you can have 40,000 acres, Tom. It's really cheap. Five to $15 an acre.' I said, 'I don't think that would sell it, either.'

I've worked with youth and adolescents through education in teaching tolerance for almost 20 years. I've worked in Jamaica and Asian and Central America. I've traveled extensively and work~d with a lot of different groups.

What led you to Coeur d'Alene?

I've worked all over the United States and different places of the world. I've found, for me, nothing has what back home has. I have fishing, and hunting and I can go to the mall, I can have a five-star dinner, and everything is roughly within an hour.

When I was worked in other places, I had to travel three and a half hours just to find one ski resort. That's too far.

I believe people are so friendly. It's just a great place to live.

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Educator receives human rights award

JEROME A. POLLOS/Press

Dave Eubanks, right, talks with Tony Stewart b<-f,., ..e the commencement of ¡a-n award-ceremony M onday where Eubanks received the Tony Stewart Human Rights Education Award. Eubanks, who has b een in the education field for 43 years, organizes a multicultural fair at Lakes Magnet Middle School as well as teaches Spanish at the school.

Don't back down ored," he said.

It wasn't his award alone. Eubanks said. It belonged to others in North Idaho who have rejected

By BILL BULEY hate, even in the face of threats, Staff w riter beatings and bombings.

"I know a lot of people who a COEUR d'ALENE - Dave long time ago stood up to ignorant, Eubanks was pleased to receive racist bullies and said no," he said. a human rights awards Monday "They said, 'No, we will not tolerate night. this nonsense."'

He was even more pleased to reThe Lakes Magnet School ceive the honor on Dec. 10 - Hu- teacher, retiring after 43 years, man Rights Day around the world. received the Tony Stewart Human "I'm very, very proud and hon- Rights Award from the Human

Dave Eubanks honored for human rights efforts

EUBANKS A1

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"I am so honored they are picking people like you," Stewart said.

He praised Eubanks for battling through his own adversities, including a heart transplant surgery.

He is also the father offive special-needs children, and is the driving force behind the multicultural fair at Lakes Middle School that last year was attended by more than 1,000 people.

"Here's someone who shows how you fight back and how you overcome obstacles," Stewart said.

Carter said Eubanks has impacted the community, especially the younger generations. Eubanks has made it clear, in his own kind, quiet manner, that racism will not be accepted in any form.

"He keeps giving back

and always wants to help out," Carter said.

Jeff Bengston, Lakes Magnet School principal, said Eubanks is there for the kids, teaching shop and Spanish and being sure they respect people. All people.

"When you get to know Dave you realize right away the man's got just a huge heart," he said.

"He really w~ts to do what's right for kids, and be sure kids know about the world they live in," Bengston said.

Eubanks said if children are exposed to hate, if they have the perception it's OK to target others because of physical appearance, he does his best to direct ltheni'in aPQ~ve direc1tion. Staff at Lakes Magnet SchooL he said, have joined him in that effort "I couldn't have done whatever we've done, without their support," he said.

Rights Education Institute.

Former Coeur d'Alene police officer Mike Kralicek, critically injured in a 2004 shooting while on duty, was presented with it in July.

"It's an outstanding gift we give to very few people," said Tom Carter, HREI director.

Eubanks received the glass plaque, engraved with his name, before about 30 people who attended the Friends of HREI Social at its headquarters next to City Park.

see EUBANKS, A2.

The multicultural fair, which includes music, food and programs on different traditions and people, has proven a successful way to introduce students to other views and thoughts. They can meet people of various beliefs and backgrounds, and understand more about who they are, what they believe, and why.

He has seen its effect in the classroom. Lakes today has perhaps a dozen Native Americans attending there, whereas years ago it might have had just a few.

Students have grown, Eubanks said, not just inside the classroom, but outside as well.

"I think they have be:a come more open-minded toward people who are different," he said. 'They're more accepting, they're more tolerant."

Dave Eubanks expects nothing less.

Celebrating human rights Event brings Martin Luther King Jr.'s message to 5th-graders

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Nikki Cicero, left, and Gracie Messier perform with other Skyway Elementary students during the 28th annual Human Rights Celebration held Friday at North Idaho College.

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COEUR d'ALENE - Listen, learn, understand, accept, celebrate.

Those words adorned a colorful quilt hanging on stage at North Idaho College's Schuler Hall on Friday morning, as images and words illustrating Martin LAlther King Jr.'s legacy were projected onto an adjacent wall.

It was the 28th annual Human Rights Celebration, an event that brings the message of the slain civil rights leader to hundreds of fifth-graders from Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls each year.

The program featured "Right to Dream," a multi-media presentation by Living Voices, a Seattle-based performance company.

"If we're all citizens of the same country, do you think we should all have the same civil rights?" asked Dior Davenport, the sole performer.

The 821 Coeur d'Alene fifthgraders who attended the morning event, responded with a resounding "Yes." Davenport portrays Ruby Hollis, a black girl who grows into a young woman in the south, during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s.

Before giving Ruby a voice, as archival footage of events in Mississippi, Alabama and Washington, D.C., was dis-

played on a screen behind her, Davenport provided some history of events prior to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. She spoke briefly of the Civil War and Reconstruction, and of the Jim Crow laws that called for "separate but equal" segregation of blacks and whites.

In the role of Ruby, Davenport paints a picture of how there was separation, but little equality in the United States, for many years.

The little girl speaks about her father, who picked cotton, and then fought in World War Il

and earned medals.

"Then he got back to Mississippi, and they still called him 'boy,'" Ruby said.

She talks about her first realization, as a small child, that white people lived differently than her family did. Her mother worked in an ornate plantation residence, as a servant, and the woman often brought home, to the shack where Ruby and the rest of the family lived, leftovers from the plantation owner's meals.

Ruby recalls playing with a white girl, and feeling that they were the same, but eventually,

the white girl's father wouldn't allow the girls to be together.

She had to attend a different school than the white kids, also in a shack, with no transportation.

Ruby was 12 when Rosa Parks made her stand and refused to sit at the back of a bus, when things began to move tumultuously and often violently toward change.

Ruby went on to attend Tougaloo College, a historically African-American school in .

Mississippi, on a full scholarship. see RIGHTS, C4

"My dream is to help people who don't have basic necessities such as personal hygiene products, food, water, clothing and a place to live.

Harriet Tubman has inspired me.to do this...This world could definitely use more people with such courage and love as Harriet R. Tubman."

JOSIE FORD, Post Falls student writing about Harriet Tubman tations, several students got up on stage and from C1 shared essays they wrote about people who acted Inspired by Parks, on the "right to dream" Ruby participated in and inspired them most peaceful protests that They also shared their ended in violence, includ- own dreams. ing a famous sit-in at a Post Falls student lunch counter. Through Josie Ford selected the years, she lost friends Harriet Tubman, a and family members to woman "born into the violence, including and raised as a slave." her father, but like many, Tubman escaped from she never gave up, until her owner and then the laws were changed. helped slaves find simi"What will you do?" lar freedom by assisting Davenport asked the them as they traveled young audience, at the along the Underground end of the performance. Railroad.

Another 475 fifth"My dream is to help grad.ers from Post Falls people who don't have attended a similar presen- basic necessities such tation later in the day. as personal hygiene At each of the presen- products, food, water,

clothing and a place to live. Harriet Tubman has inspired me to do this ...This world could definitely use more people with such courage and love as Harriet R Tubman," Ford wrote.

Tony Stewart, cofounder and board member of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, said that through the Stewart years, more than 35,000 children have participated in the annual program.

"We've always said, you never completely combat prejudice and

discrimination unless you do it through education," Stewart said.

TI1e task force, along with the Idaho Humanities Council, the Human Rights Education Institute, North Idaho College and the two school districts, sponsored this year's event For the grownups, the task force is hosting its annual Gala Event in honor of King on Monday from 5-8 p.m. at the Parkside Tower Event Center, 601 E. Front Ave., third floor, Coeur d'Alene. The fundraiser, for the task force, offers food, wine, music and auction items. Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased at the "door.

COEUR cl' ALENE

KOOTENAI

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Wednesday January 30, 2013

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www.cdapress.com

Group: Regan apology falls short Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations doesn't call for resignation

By MAUREEN DOLAN Staff writer COEUR d' ALENE -

Kootenai County human rights leaders stopped sborl of calling for Brent Regan's resignation, asking instead for a broader apology from the Coeur d'Alene school board member, and urging the public to support the school district's upcoming maintenance and operations levy.

Tony Stewart and Norm Gissel, founding

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members of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, and task force board president Christie Wood met with members of the media Tuesday at the Human Rights Education Institute and issued a statement denouncing a comment made by Regan last weekend when he participated in a public forum in Post SHAWN GUST/Press Falls.

Tony Stewart, secretary for the Kootenai County Task Force on Human "We cannot remain Relations, makes a statement during a press conference at the Human silent when a public Rights Education Institute Tuesday regarding the recent public comment see APOLOGY, A2 by school trustee Brent Regan.

'APOLOGY A1 from

official uses langÂľage to degrade and ridicule, whether it be made from ignorance or insensitivity, the ancestry of any person including the president," Stewart said, in a prepared statement on behalf of the task force's executive committee.

Stewart cautioned community members against withholding support for the school district's upcoming maintenance and operations levy slated to go before voters in March. If approved, the local proper ty tax measure will replace an expiring two-year levy approved by voters in 2011 and keep $12.9 million of the district's current general fund budget intact for each of the next two years. The measure also includes an additional $1.4 million to cover the cost of school safety enhancements to all district buildings.

"We must never punish children for what a public official might say," Stewart said.

Regan's remark, cast by critics as 'racist,' was made during a discussion on gun rights and possible federal gun control measures, at a forum attended by eight state legislators and more than 100 citizens. In the course of the discussion, Regan shared part of a conversation he'd had with his wife: "I said, They can't figure out what an assault weapon is - it's just black and it looks scary.'

And she looks at me and says, 'Well, so is Obama."'

Stewart said the task force did not organize the press conference to call for Regan to step down from his position as school trustee.

Task force members "noticed that he did start to issue an apology

and that he had a heartwrenching conversation with a parent," Stewart said, adding they would like Regan to expand that orwe really urge him to apologize to the most important group of all, the students and their parents, because it's the students that hear those kinds of comments, and it affects them in the future," Stewart said.

Regan told The Press Monday that he would apologize to th e school board and dis trict administration, and he was sorry his comment hurt some people in the community. He said he didn't understand the full effect of his remark, until he spoke on the phone Monday to a woman personally affected by racism.

Stewart, during the press conference, said public officials have an obligation to "promote, advocate, encourage and celebrate" all individuals they serve.

"It becomes impossible to fulfill that responsibility when hurtful words are used to demean any person," Stewart said. "The damage cannot be corrected by simply stating that one is speaking as an individual."

Norm Gissel took the podium and said, in a prepared statement, that he previously served on the boards of North Idaho College and Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy.

"Serving a public education institution as a trustee is serious business heretofore reserved for serious people," Gissel said.

Gissel called for the remaining members of the five-member school board - Tom Hamilton, Terri Seymour, Jim Hightower and Ann Seddon - to "publicly express their own views" on Regan's comment.

The Press reached out

to the trustees following the press conference.

"I think ifs unfortunate. ¡ I feel really : bad about .. Seymour it. Brent , has humbly ai1d publicly apologized and I trust that he's truly sorry about it," Seymour said. "I would hope that if I said anything that offended anyone, that I could apologize and people would forgive and understand and we could get past it."

Coeur d'Alene school board chair Tom Hamilton said he would like to see everyone take some time Hamilton to reflect on what has transpired since last weekend before discussing the matter further.

"I'm aware that Mr. Regan has taken owners hip of his words and publicly apologized, and I understand the position of the task force," Hamilton said. "It would be my desire that ever yone give both sides the due consideration they deserve."

The school board has not yet had an opportunity to discuss Regan's comments. It will likely come up during the board's regular meeting that s tarts at 5 p.m.

Monday at the Midtown Center. The agenda for that meeting has not yet been posted.

Jim Hightower could not be reached for comment.

Ann Seddon told The Press Tuesday that she had just returned home earlier in the day from an international trip and did not yet know enough about th e situation to feel comfor table speaking about it.

Friday February 1, 2013

Brent Regan speaks at Reagan Republican meeting School trustee says he made 'mistake' with Obama joke

By DAVID COLE Staff writer

COEUR d' ALENE - Less than a week after making a controversial comment about President Barack Obama - joking the president is black and scary like an assault weapon - Coeur d'Alene School District board member Brent Regan was the featured speaker Thw¡sday at a local Republican group's meeting.

Before delving into school district issues at the Kootenai County Reagan Republicans' meeting at The Fedora Pub and Grille. Regan spent about four minutes addressing his joke, which he made at a forum with eight state legislators and an audience of 100-plus people on Saturday at the Post Falls American Legion Post 143.

"It's been said that wisdom is that thing you get immediately after needing it desperately," Regan said Thursday.

That moment for him in this

...

case was right before he said the following on Saturday during a conversation with legislators about proposed federal gun laws: "My wife and I were having this Regan conversation and 1 said, '111ey can't figure out what an assault weapon is - it's just black and it looks scary.' And she looks at me and says, 'Well, so is Obama."'

He said he soon became sorry about the comment after getting a call from a woman who was genuinely upset by his words.

A different woman, Lori Kaye Gaboury, of Coeur d'Alene, who has a 30-year-old daughter who is of mixed race, attended the Reagan Republican meeting to confront Regan.

Gaboury asked Regan during a question-and-answer portion of the meeting if Regan would have made the black joke about Obama if her daughter had been present.

Regan responded, "No, I probably wouldn't have.''

He added, "We're all human. I'm human. I make mistakes."

He has learned from this one, he said.

After the meeting, in an interview, Gabow-y said Regan's apology falls short and it can1e too late.

"It doesn't take somebody a day-and-a-half to decide he was wrong," she said. adding she was disappointed to see him initially defending his comments.

"He called people who thought he was a racist racists," Gaboury said.

Al Williams, director of athletics at North Idaho College, was in attendance at the Reagan Republican meeting and found Regan's apology sincere.

Williams, who is black, attended the meeting to both hear about what's happening with the school district and to hear Regan address his Obama comments.

"It's a matter of what you intended when you make a comment," Wimams said. "And what he said, it wasn't meant to harm or to offencl anybody."

He added, "Initially, I was taken aback by it It did offend me."

He said it was an "insensitive" comment. see REGAN, A2

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REGAN

from A1

"People who I've spoken to who know this man have said that's really not who he is," Williams said.

"He did apologize to me, but it's only because he didn't want to feel like he had offended me personally, being a man of color."

Williams said he wanted to hear from ¡ Regan in person, because, 'That way, I can William s get a much better feel for how they are. That's why I came down here to have lunch and hear what he had to say.''

Williams said he didn't feel it was necessary for Regan to resign from the school board.

Coeur d'Alene School District board member Tom Hamilton, who

attended the meeting, as did board member Jim Hightower, said Regan has "owned his words" and learned from this incident.

"We're going to have to sit back and be responsive to the people who have concerns" about Regan's comments, Hamilton said. "We're not going to tuck under a rock and wish it didn't happen. We'll be responsive to the public as we have been."

Comments from the community he has heard so far have been a mix of "being very upset with (Regan) for what he said," and on the opposite side "being very upset at the reaction" by some in the community.

The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations and others condemned his remarks.

Hamilton added, "'There's not been a whole lot of middle of the road on that one."

The board hasn't met to discuss the comments, Hamilton said.

SECTION B I SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2013

WWW.SPOKESMAN.COM/PICTURE-STORIES

PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS OF AREA COLLEGE, HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS

HUCKLEBERRIES

Beware staking claim to mantle of nerdiness DAVE eff Ward, a founder of the Kootenai County Reagan OLIVERIA Republicans, views his Tea Party Lite group as an underdog.

Never mind that Kootenai County is one of the most Republican counties in one of the most Republican states. On Thursday, reacting to the outcry over an insensitive anti-Obama "joke" told by Coeur d'Alene Republicans to the underdog school trustee Brent Regan. nerds in the "Revenge of the Ward compared the Reagan Nerds" movie. Ward said

J

conservatives who speak out "are taking a lot of crap" from people who sit back and snipe.

Quoth Ward: "The reality is it has nothing to do with something we've done bad or anything we've said bad. It has everything to do with the fact that they don't like us participating. They don't like the nerds on campus. Because what's happened in the last four years in this community is the powers that be have found that the nerds have started ... electing people to office."

However, a Huckleberries blog commenter shot a hole in Ward's nerd theory. Tongue firmly cheeked, "Joker" said: "In the movie, the nerds were really smart but social outcasts. They

Cqptad the city desk: (509) 459-54031fax (509) 459-5482; email news@spokesrnan.com

use their brains to secretly videotape a sorority house of beautiful and decidedly naked women. Then the nerds stay up all night watching them. I thought Idaho frowned on secretly videotaping people."

P'haps a better analogy is in order?

Defending Regan True to form, GOP activist Mary Souza defended Regan's joke (comparing President Barack Obama to assault weapons as ''black and scary") in a post from her Opened.A.com blog. She blamed the hubbub on the media. Quoth Mary: ''Brent relayed a personal story about a

See OLIVERIA. B3

then one day/a pleasant shock/it's staying light/'til five o'clock" -The Continued from Bl Bard of Sherman Avenue ("Over the comment his wife made, which he Hump") ... This might be of interest deemed to be humorous, and the to the GOP legislators who are trying (Coeur d'Alene) Press went all out to to resurrect a modified version of make look racist. He is not. But the voter-rejected education "reform."

In a Huckleberries¡blog poll, 82 Union (Coeur d'Alene Ed ucation Association) wants to paint everyone percent opposed their attempt to do on the current conservative School so ... Nie Casey, of Coeur d'Alene, Board as being radical, racist, reports his 8-year-old son, Christian, hicks-from-the-sticks." Seems Souza offers a simple formula for peace in didn't get the memo that Regan Israel and the Middle East: ''I believe humbly admitted he was wrong for that everyone should have the right retelling the insensitive joke - twice. to live anywhere." Out of the mouths ofbabes.

OLIVERIA

Hucklebentes

Poet's Comer: The rain will splash/the snow will fall/and thick black clouds/cast winter's pall;/but

Parting shot Time is still ticking on that demand by the Kootenai County

Task Force on Human Relations for trustee Regan to apologize to every student and parent in the district for his anti-Obama "joke." Regan has apologized twice for his lapse in judgment - in a Coeur d'Alene Press article and at the Regan Republicans luncheon Thursday. But nothing official. It'll be interesting to see if he does so at the board meeting Monday. Time is also ticking on the request made by human rights advocate Nol'Il) Gissel to board members of the Coeur d'Alene School Board. The Coeur d'Alene attorney who helped bankrupt the Aryan Nations has asked that each trustee state his or her position on Regan's comments. Tick-tock, tick-tock.

PAGE AS I TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 5. 2013

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BRUSH UP ON THE ISSUES BEFORE THE FEB. 12 SPECIAL ELECTION

CdA school board confronted on bullying seen the influence of money and Parents, offlclals discuss school to the point of missing ma- bullying," Eborall said. ny days of classes and being placed ''I think racism, it needs to be at play in the district dlfflcult Issue at meeting on medication. They spoke of ra- addressed," she added. ''I love this power "As with almost everything

By SCott Maben scottm@spokesman.com. (208) 758-0260

T he Coeur d'Alene School Board confronted charges of racism, bullying and p referen tial treatment in schools and school sports during a meeting Monday night that brought out heartfelt pleas by parents and sympathetic responses by district officials.

Four parents told the board their children have been bullied at

cial slurs, discrimination based on social class, and allegations that families who donate generously to certain sports are rewarded with favorable treatment of their kids.

DoneisaEborall said her daughter missed five weeks of school one semester and went on anti-depressants as a result of bullying last year in seventh grade.

"You have to stop the bullying.

The racist bullying, the higherclass bullying, the girls who think they're better than everybody else

community, but I hate this community, you know. Take some action" Wanda Condon said her daughter's grades and interest in attending school suffered as a result of being bullied by students whose families gave a lot of money to the district and acted like they were entitled to special treatment ''I assure you the pain that's being caused to her is very real," Condon said.

Anna Watson said she, too, has

with money, strings are attached sometimes,'' Condon said.

She spoke of separate accounts being kept for some sports and lax oversight of those funds. ''You are at fault if you don't know wh ere thatmoneyisgoingorwhatit's being used for,'' she said.

Superintendent Hazel Bauman responded firstwithan apology to those who appeared before the board.

See BULLYING, A7

Contact the city desk: (509) 459-5403; fax (509) 459-5482; email news@spokesman.com

BULLYING

Continued from AS "I would like to say my heartfelt apologies for the mistreatment your children have been receiving," she "Said. "That is absolutely not what I want our school system to be. It is not what I ---condone at any level, whatsoever."

Bauman said she experienced bullying in her family, recounting how her son was subjected to it in middle school "I know personally what it feels like as a parent to see the vulnerability of your child, so I take it very, very seriously,'' she said.

The district did investigate the recent bullying claims and disciplined some students and staff, Bauman added. ''We took very significant action. Actually in one case

somebody's employment ended," she said.

Bullying is a thorny issue with no simple answers, the superintendent added. ''How do we unravel a culture where students somehow or other have come to believe that this one-upmanship, bullying and the cruelty that they visit on each other is somehow the right thing to do?" Bauman asked. ''It breaks my heart."

She said she is working with board Chairman Tom Hamilton on a plan to tackle the problem and begin to change the culture that allows bullying to thrive. That includes bringing before the board soon a proposal to tie district policies to the Idaho High School Activities Association's code of ethics.

Bauman also said the district would audit athletic accounts to make sure funds

are being properly handled.

Addressing another embarrassing incident for the school district, Brent Regan. the newest member of the school board, apologized again for recently making a public remark about Presi- I dent Barack Obama that of-1 fended some.

Facing fellow board members Monday night, Regan said he made "a regrettable comment and some people found it offensive, and I'm deeply sorry for that." He apologized to the board, administrators, teachers, parents and students.

Regan has said he meant the comment he made at a legislative forum on Jan. 26 as a humorous anecdote but understood that it was hurtful to some in the community. He also apologized last week at a meeting of local Republicans.

I

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Parents seek action on bullying Coeur d'Alene school officials say they are working on a solution

By MAUREEN DOLAN Staff writer

COEUR d'ALENE - School officials in Coeur d'Alene pledged a continuing commitment to eliminating buJlying and harassment in district schools

after several parents testified at Monday's board meeting that their children have been the targets of bullying and racism.

"Racism does exist, and my next point is, how is the district prepared to deal with it?" said Deon Watson, the father of a biracial family with two children attending Coeur d'Alene schools.

Watson's oldest son g raduated from Coeur d'Alene High School last year, and is now playing

football, on a scholarship, at the University of Idaho. The father spoke of the pain of watching his child be subjected to "racist comments" and bullying, and told the school board not to forget that they serve srudents of many different races, religions and economic backgrounds.

"Each srudent deserves an equal oppor tunity to an educational environment that is free of harassment and bullying,"

Watson said.

Watson's wife, Anna, also spoke to the board.

She said that while she's grateful for the large amounts of money donated to the sports and activities programs in the district's hig h schools, it sometimes has unpleasant consequences for some students. When bullying and harassment occurs, the see BULLYING, A4

A4

ThePreu

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

From the front

11 from A1

children of large donors are not being held to the same disciplinary standard as others, she said.

"The rules apply to everyone, not just to the kids whose parents don't have money and don't have power, but to all the kids," Anna Watson said.

"My son graduated and we went through this all the time he was in high school."

The parents stated their concerns during a board meeting that began with an apology from one of the board members, Brent Regan.

'1 made a regrettable comment and some people found it offensive, and rm deeply sorry for that and rd just like to take a moment to apologize to you, and the administration, the parents, the students and the teachers for any negative effects that that might have caused you, and distress, and bad reflection on the school district," Regan said.

During a Jan. 26 legislative forum in Post Falls, Regan shared a comment his wife made comparing President Obama to an assault rifle, referring to both as "black" and appearing "scary." Critics cast the comment as "racist" and Regan apologized following the incident He told The Press that he had a telephone conversation with a parent who helped him understand how the comment had hurt her children.

That woman was Anna Watson.

Following the meeting, Watson said she felt that Regan's apology was sincere.

'1 respect him because he listened to me, and he thought about it. I want to give him a chance," Watson said.

Doneisa Eborall also spoke to the board on Monday.

"I have to speak for my daughter. She was a seventh-grader last year, severely bullied," Eborall said.

She said she took her child to the doctor. There were counselors. Her little girl was put on antidepressants, and missed 25 days of school one semester because she didn't want to go. Eborall said she had to homeschool her child.

"You have to stop bullying - the racist bullying, the higher class bullying, the girls who think they're better than everybody else bullying. It's affecting my kid," Eborall said.

She said she wants to see her daughter, now in eighth grade, finish school.

"She would go to bed and not want to wake up because she wished that she was dead. She didn't want to deal with the kids," Eborall said. "'I think racism, it needs to be addressed. I love this community, but I hate this community. Take some action."

Superintendent Hazel Bauman apologized to the parents.

"It's absolutely not what I want our school system to be. It is not what I condone at any level whatsoever, and I take your concerns ver y seriously," Bauman said.

Bauman said she has met with some of the parents, and she did take action, meeting with the administration at the school where the allegations were made.

"We devised a plan of remediation. The perpetrators, the students that were accused of being the bullies, were met with and spoken with. Disciplinary action was taken both at the student level and at staff level," Bauman said.

"I want to make sure that the audience and the community knows that we took very significant action. Actually in one case, somebody's employment ended."

She said it's a complex problem with no simple answers, and that her own child was bullied when he was in middle school.

"Kids called him gay, and he was in bed crying and I held him in my arms too, and rocked him and told him how my heart was breaking for him. I know personally what it feels like as a parent to see the vulnerability of your child, so I take it very, very seriously," she said.

Bauman said the district is working to address bullying on all levels, addressing race, religion and gender. They are looking at different programs to put in place, and reviewing whether the district has enough counselors to work with the victims of bullying and

the perpetrators.

Regarding the allegation that there is "undue influence with financial donations with families of means," Bauman said she and board chair Tom Hamilton are working on a draft addendum to the district's current policy to address the issue. They are working to tie the district's policy to the Idaho High School Activities Association's code of ethics.

"What I said to Superintendent Bauman when we started looking at this, I won't be a man who puts a win-loss record ahead of the character of our coaches, the character of our assistant coaches, and the character of our parents, the behavior of our parents ¡and the behavior of our participants," Hamilton said.

They've come up with several actions addressing this situation that are being reviewed by principals right now, and will then go before the board for approval.

"There won't much grass that grows under our feet in implementing those steps once we're done with that document," Hamilton said.

Hamilton apologized to the parents if the district's response seems slow, but said that a lot of detail has gone into addressing the situation.

"Cultural changes are not easy, and if all we do is pay lip service to this, we have not changed the culture, and I assure you, I won't be done with it until the culture changes," Hamilton said.

Bauman said she would call on the district's finance staff to audit the activities and budgets at the district's secondary schools.

Board chair Terri Seymour became choked up while speaking on the issue.

"I can make a stand right now. It is going to stop, and I will do everything in my power, with this board's help," Seymour said. "It will not continue. That means, whether it be principals, parents, students and teachers. I want it stopped. It needs to stop now, and I apologize and I will do my best to make sure that it stops. rm sorry. I get very emotional about it because my children were bullied also."

The Press, Thursday, February 7, 2013

SECTION

C Exhibit to feature tribal culture 'Many Cultures, One World' scheduled to open Friday at HREI COEUR d' ALENE - Residents of North Idaho will have the opportunity to learn more about other cultures through a new exhibit al the Hunian Rights Education Institute.

TI1e g rand opening ceremony is slated for 6:30 p.m. Friday, at HRE1. and all are welcome to attend.

Entitled "Many Cultures, One World," the exhibit explores the culture and histor y of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe in "Schitsu'umsh Country" and features historic artifacts from the Tribe, including saddles, regalia, beadwork, and various other items.

Visitors will learn about the history and traditions of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and also gain a current perspective on the Tribe's impact and participation in the region today.

HREI and the Tribe's Culture and Language Depar tments plan to partner on several workshops throughout the year to supplement the exhibit, including a Allan beading and weaving workshop, a "Tipi How-To," and a stickgame demonstration.

Chairman Chief Allan of the Coeur d'Alene T ribe said he is pleased to have the opportunity to share the wealth of the tribe's culture and histor y in the region.

"I hope everyone will take this opportunity to learn more about tJ1e Tribe and to ask questions about our culture, traditions, dances and songs," he added.

Thomas Carter, executive di.rector at the Human Rig hts Education Institute, said that the new exhibit aims to promote cross-cultural understanding in the region.

"This is a g reat chance for Coeur d'Alene-area community

members, as well as visitors to North Idaho, to learn more about our neighbors,'' he said adding, 'The Coeur d'Alene Tribe does so much for us and this community, so we're thrilled to be able to give back in this way."

The exhibit is the result of a partnership between the Human Rights Education Institu te, the Coeur d'Alene T ribe, the Sacred Encounters.exhibit at the Coeur d'Alene's Old Mission State Park and Idaho State Parks and Recreation. The exhibit will also feature artifacts from various African tribes from Ghana and other West African countries.

"Many Cultures, One World" is free and open to the public through December 2013 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

HREI is on the corner of Coeur d'Alene City Park in the red brick building.

Info: HREl's Program Coordinator Brian Keenan at 292-2359.

The Press, Saturday, February 9, 2013

For news or story ideas, call city editor Bill Buley at 664-8176, Ext 2016; e-mail bbttley@odapress.com

SECTION

C CALENDAR: Your guide to North Idaho events / D4

Obituaries / C2 TV Listing / CS

Tribe donates $1.4M across the state and the region.

Coeur d'Alene Tribal Council selected a total of 47 schools, school districts and nonprofit organizations for a total of PLUMMER - Nearly 50 $1,359,368 in education donaschools and nonprofit agentions for 2013. cies received extra funds With this latest round of Friday to upgrade technology, donations, the Tribe's lifetime purchase textbooks, provide contributions to education have student scholarships, and fu nd officially surpassed Ole $20 milprograms, U1anks to donations lion dollar mark. made by the Coeur d'Alene "We can't think of a more Tribe. worthy cause than to invest in This is the first year the our children's futures," said Tribe fielded applications for Coeur d'Alene Tribal Chairman education funding and the Tribal Chief Allan of the donations.

Council considered more Ulan see TRIBE, C4 120 compelling requests from

Tribe's lifetime education contributions surpass $20 million

Counesy photo

Chief Allan, chairman of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, makes a presentation Friday before presenting various area schools and nonprofit organizations with a donation. The Tribe has donated more than $20 million over the years.

C4

The Press

Saturday, February 9, 2013

North ldalio

TRIBE

from C1 'This year we saw a great demand for basic education needs - so many teachers and ¡ schools were looking for funds to buy books and classroom supplies they haven't been able to buy because of budget cuts and we're proud to be able to fiJJ that gap and provide for our teachers and our students."

Kootenai County organizations received the largest percentage of donations, but funds were also distributed to organizations . throughout Benewah, Shoshone, and latah counties in Idaho and Spokane County, Washington.

"Our longstanding r~lationship with the tribe has allowed for the enrichment of so many academic programs, arts and humanities opportunities and character-building activities and athletics for students across our school district," said Superintendent Hazel Bauman of the Coeur d'Alene School District, which received funding for its human rights program, its bullying program and other district initiatives.

The Tribe first committed to donating to education in 1992 when its leadership volunteered to return 5 percent of its net gaming revenues to the financial support of education as part of its gaming compact with the state.

The first donations were made in 1994 and since then, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe has donated $20,171,894 in education donations alone. Since 2005, the Tribe's annual education donations have totaled more than $1 million dollars annuaJJy. The Coeur d'Alene Tribe will be accepting applications for 2014 funding through Sept.

30.

Info: Heather Keen, 686-2023 or hkeen@ cdalribe-nsn.gov

Donation recipients 1. American Cancer Society 2. American Indian Resources Institute 3. Avery School District No. 394 4. Bovill Elementary School 5. Boys & Girls Club of Kootenai County 6. Coeur d'Alene Backpack Program 7. Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy 8. Coeur d'Alene School District 9. Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre 1O. Freeman School District 11. Friends of Head Start 12. Gonzaga University 13. Holy Family Catholic School 14. Human Rights Education Institute 15. Idaho Drug Free Youth 16. Idaho Hill Elementary School 17. Idaho Native American Law Student Association 18. Jacklin Arts and Culture Center 19. Kellogg Joint School District 20. Kroc Center 21. Kootenai School District 22. Kootenai Technical Education Campus 23. Lakeland School District 24. LAM Christian Academy 25. Moscow School District 26. Native American Community Center 27. North Idaho College 28 Plummer-Worley School District 29 Post Falls School District 30 Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce 31. St. Maries School District 32 St. Patrick Catholic School 33TESH 34 Tekoa School District 35 The Fig Tree 36 Troy School District 37 University of Idaho - Coeur d'Alene 38 University of Idaho Executive MBA Program 39 University of Idaho Native Law Program 40 Westridge Elementary PTO ¡ 41 Coeur d'Alene .Tribe Early Childhood Learning Center 42 Coeur d'Alene Tribe Scholarship Program 43 Coeur d'Alene Tribe Education Department 44 Tribal Youth Programs 45 Coeur d'Alene Tribe Vocational Training 46 Coeur d'Alene Tribe Language and Culture Programs 47 Plummer-Worley School District/Coeur d'Alene Tribe Back to School Program

COEUR cl' ALENE SERVING

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Saturday February 9, 2013

Coeur d'Alene Tribe's culture goes on display

By MAUREEN DOLAN Staff writer COEUR d'ALENE - Quanah Matheson's voice filled the few spaces left Friday at the Human Rig hts Education Institute.

The Coeur d'Alene T ribe's culture director sang in the language of the Tribe as about 140 people listened during the opening of the institute's newest

exhibit The instalhnent explores the culture and history of the Coeur d'Alenes.

Matheson said it was a "thank you and an honoring song'' remembering Cliff SiJohn, a Tribe elder who died in December. The exhibit is dedicated to the Tribe, in memory of SiJoho, who was active in the preservation of Coeur SHAWN GUST/Press d'Alene cultw¡e.

Ethan Ross, 5, of Hayden, checks out a large fish on display Friday at the Human Rights Education see TRIBE, A3 lnstitute's cultural exhibit in Coeur d'Alene.

The Press

Saturday, February 9, 2013

A3

From the front

SHAWN GUST/Press

Art enthusiasts view the many different exhibits at the Human Rights Education Institute.

TRIBE

LeaU1er, beaded religious items used by from A1 the Jesuit priests at the Sacred Heart Mission are "H's really hard to put on display. our story in this much Before Matheson space," Matheson said. spoke, the Shooting "We've been here since Star Dancers, a group Lime immemorial." of Coeur d'Alene chilThe exhibit marks,the dren, performed, swirlfirst Lime a large-scale ing and stepping their display of the Tribe's his- way through traditional tory has been installed dances. in the city that bears its Tribe member name. The artifacts and Philomena Nomee antiquities provide a winexplained the significance dow to the way the world of the dances as the chilonce was (or the Coeur dren performed. d'Alenes, while celebrating "We teach our kids to many of Lhe Tribe's tradi- dance from the time they tions that continue today. can walk," Nomee said.

Glass cases hold stone She also noted that the scrapers and pestles, sum- children's performance moning images of Coeur at lhe opening was not d'Alenes removing hides only notable for its culCrom deer and elk, g rind- tural connection. Several ing roots and benies lo of the dancers were Cliff be used as medicine.

SiJohn's grandchildren.

Beadwork, woven Matheson said Si.John cedar baskets, regalia and was a good person whose other clothing items can actions always came from be viewed. the heart.

"ln the last days of his life, I would go to see him and he would say, 'Thank you for being in my presence," Matheson said, adding that the institute's mission is a high priority for the T ribe.

Institute director Tom Carter said his organization's relationship with the Tribe extends beyond a mutual desire to celebrate diversity ancl strive for respect for all people. ''They're so willing to give. They've given $20 million to education. I don't want to just take, take, take," Carter said.

City Councilman Dan Gookin said he's glad to see the exhibit in town.

"This is awesome," Gookin said. ''This is important. This is our name."

Coeur d'Alene res ident Padma Rutley said s he was excited lo see the large turnout at Friday's event.

"I like the age difference I see,'' said Rutley's husband, Tom, noting that the crowd comprised all ages from toddlers to seniors.

The exhibit is the result of a parlnership between the Human Rights Education Institute, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, the Sacred Encounters exhibit at the Coeur d'Alene's Old Mission Stale Park and Idaho State Parks and Recreation. The exhibit will also feature artifacts from various African tribes from Ghana and other West African countries.

"Many Cultures. One World" is free and open to the public through December 2013 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. lo 2 p.m. Saturdays.

HREI is on the corner of Coeur d'Alene City Park in the red btick building.

PAGE B2 • SATU RDAY • FEBRUARY 16. 2013

NORTHWEST

Executive accused of slapping 2-year-old .

.

in U.S. District Court.

In an interview with The "I can only say it's an ab- Smoking Gun, a website solute falsehood," Hundley that posts legal documents, told The Spokesman-Re- Hundley denied striking view on Friday. He referred the toddler or using a racial From staff other questions to his at- slur,. though he did acand wire reports torney. knowledge that he "asked A North Idaho aerospace The child's mother, 33- the mother to quiet the executive has been charged year-old Jessica Bennett, of child." Hundley, who said with simple assault Minneapolis, told he was traveling to Atlanta for allegedly slapauthorities her son to visit a hospitalized relaping a toddler while was cryingdue to the tive, described himself as altitude change as "distraught'' on the flight, uttering a racial epithet aboard an the plane came in for during which he said he landing. consumed a single alcoholic Atlanta-bound flight.

Bennett said H un- drink.

Joe Rickey Hundley was sitting next · Hundley became presidley, 60, president Hundley to her and slapped dent of Unitech in October of Unitech Comthe boy in his face, 2011 posites and Structures in causing a scratch under his The company, part of Hayden, is accused by fed- right eye. She said Hundley AGC Aerospace and Deeral prosecutors of slapping used a racial epithet while fense Co., makes composite the 2-year-old boy during a demanding her to quiet the parts for commercial and Delta Airlines flight from boy, who she said began military aircraft. It operates Minneapolis on Feb. 8, ac- cryinglouderafterHundley at the Coeur d'Alene Airport. cording to ilfl affidavit filed slapped him.

Alleged Incident happened on plane

The Press, Saturday, February 16, 2013

dblance lo two golf courses and

For news or story ideas, call city editor Bill Buley at 664-8176, Ext. 2016; e-mail bbuley@cdapress.com

SECTION

C CALENDAR: Your guide to North Idaho events / C3

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and quie1 of Forei,1 Hill~ wi1h easy access 10 everything that Hayden and Coeur d'Alene have 10 offer. Offered at S545.000 Shown " " - - - - - - - ' - --..__.., by Appointmeo1 ~~

Obituaries / C2 TV Listing / C4

Hayden man allegedly slaps child on plane Criminal complaint alleges use of racial slur

By DAVID COLE

Staff writer

The president of a Hayden manufacturing company is accused of slapping a 2-yearold boy and telling the mother to "shut that ('N-word') baby up'' while on a flight from

PLANE from C1

assistance from several people on the plane. One passenger said he wit-

oessed the strike.

District attorneys officials say Hundley was not taken into custody and it is unclear when the case will go lo court.

"We think that it is

Minneapolis to Atlanta, court documents said.

According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, for the northern district of Georgia, Joe Rickey (Rick) Hundley, 60, allegedly struck the toddler seated next to him as the plane descended toward Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Feb. 8. Hundley didn't return calls seeking comment Friday.

in1por tant to let lhe case develop, and we'll see how it all comes oul," Hundley's attorney Marcia Shein said Friday.

Hundley is president of Unitech Composites

The complaint was written by FBI agent Daron Cheney, who is based in Atlanta and investigates crimes aboard aircraft.

The mother of the child, 33-year-old Minnesota resident Jessica Bennel1, was trying to quiet her son who began crying because of the change in altitude on Delta Air Lines Flight 721, the complaint said.

"Ms. Bennett stated that Joe Rickey Hundley then turned

and Structures, Hayden, a large manufacturer of composite products for aerospace, transportation, military, commercial and industrial applications.

Hundley spoke with

around and slapped (the child) in the face with an open hand, which caused the juvenile victim to scream even louder," the complaint said. Bennett couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

She told investigators the strike to her son's face caused a scratch below the right eye.

Bennett then received

The Smoking Gun website, which broke the story. He said he didn't slap tl1e child and didn't use a racial slur Bennett also spoke wiU1 The Smokfog Gun, saying

see PLANE, A3

Hundley ¡'reeked of alcohol." She said Hundley had consumed several double vodkas on the flight.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

SECTION B I SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

WWW.SPOKESMAN.COM/BLOGS/SLICE

COLUMNIST PAUL TURNER OFFERS HIS THOU

Taskforce satisfied with apology for Obamajoke HUCKLEBERRIES rustee Brent Regan of the Coeur d'Alene School District has performed proper contrition for his insensitive anti-Obama joke at a recent legislative forum.

Tony Stewart told Huckleberries that his Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations is satisfied with Regan's apology to district students, parents, administrators and teachers. The task force, which was instrumental in bankrupting the Aryan Nations, is also satisfied that other trustees took the inappropriateness of Regan's comment seriously.

At a press conference, the task force had called on Regan to apologize for his remark -

T

and for other trustees to provide their views on it.

The task force, admitted Stewart, was criticized for staging the press conference, with some saying that the presser was overreacting to a bad joke and others saying that it hadn't gone far enough.

The task force took a stand, Stewart said, to let students know they are important and deserve to be treated with dignity - and to let officeholders !mow they must watch their words. "We didn't please everyone," Stewart said. "But we've always spoken out."

DAVE OLIVERIA

Nollkey In the "How Soon They Forget'' Department, Michael Tate circulated a news release to Huckleberries from congressman Raul Labrador's office last week announcing that Neil Siefring and he are new staffers.

The news release said Siefring was replacing Jason Bohrer as Labrador's legislative director. But it didn't mention the man that Tate replaced as communications director: Phil Hardy. Yeah, the staffer who lost his job when he inadvertently tweeted on the boss's account a reaction to that raunchy "Two Broke Girls" commercial during the Super See OLIVERIA, 87

Contact the city desk: (509) 459-5403; fax (509) 459-5482; email news@spokesman.com

FEBRUARY 17, 2013 • SUNDAY • PAGE B3

THE SPOKESMAN- REVIEW

NORTH W EST

Executive accused of assault suspended Mother says boy traumatized after Incident on airplane Associated Press • A Minneapolis woman said her 2-yearold son was traumatized by a man accused of slapping the boy and using a racial slur during an Atlanta-bound flight. . The boy's mother, Jessica Bennett, said in a statement Saturday that her son has become "apprehensive to strangers" since the Feb. 8 flight from Minneapolis.

Joe Rickey Hundley, of Hayden, has been charged with simple assault. His at-

torney said he will plead not guilty.

Bennett, 33, told authorities her son was crying as the Delta Air Lines flight prepared for landing. Hundley, 60, was sitting next to her and slapped the boy in his face, causing a scratch under his right eye, she said.

FBI special agent Daron Cheney said in a sworn statement, "Ms. Bennett received assistance from several people on the plane."

Bennett said the infant began crying louder after he was hit.

"Hundley's comments were racist and hateful," Bennett said in a statement to KARE-TV. "The family has numerous

questions about how a passenger could get so violently out ofcontrol as to assault a toddler."

Hundley was suspended from his job as president of Unitech Composites and Structures, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Al Haase, president and chief executive of .AGC Aerospace and Defense, Composites Group - Unitech's parent company - said the firm was taking the matter seriously.

"In accordance with our company's personal conduct policy, we have suspended the employee pending investigation," Haase said in a statement.

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According to a criminal complaint written by an FBI agent and filed in U.S. District Court, in Georgia, Hundley struck the boy whose mother was seated next to Hundley as the plane neared Atlanta Hartsfield-] ackson International Airport on Feb. 8. He also allegedly told the mother to shut that u(N-word)" baby up.

Hundley didn't return calls to The Press seeking comment The mother of the child, 33-year-old Jessica Bennett of Minneapolis,

was trying to quiet her son who began crying because of the change in altitude on Delta Air Lines Flight 721, which was traveling from Minneapolis to Atlanta.

Unitech is part of AGC Aerospace and Defense, a global supplier of technologies, systems and services that support key commercial and militar y programs.

In a written statement posted on Unitech's website, Al Haase, president and chief executive offi cer of AGC, acknowledged that authorities are investigating Hundley's alleged behavior. HundJey was

traveling for personal reasons, Haase noted.

"The allegations are disturbing and are contradictory to our values," Haase said. ''We are taking this matter seriously.

In accordance witl1 our company's personal conduct policy, we have suspended (Hundley) pending investigation."

Hundley was charged with simple assault after Bennett told authorities he slapped her crying boy in the face and used a racial slur.

Hundley's attorney, Marcia Shein, said Friday that "it is important to let the case develop."

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A man charged with slapping a toddler on a Minneapolis-to-Atlanta flight is out of a job, his former .employer said Sunday.

Joe Rickey Hundley, 60, of Hayden, is no longer an employee of AGC Aerospace and Defense, Composites Group, Daniel Keeney of DPK Public Relations confirmed Sunday night.

Al Haase, president and CEO of AGC, issued a statement early Sunday that, while not referring to Hundley by Hundley name, called reports of behavior by one of its executives on recent personal travel "offensive and disturbing" and said he "is no longer employed with the company." Keeney would not say w hether Hundley was fired or resigned.

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too big to sit on her lap, she said.

Continued from Al "He reeked of alcohol," based Unitech Composites Bennett told KARE-TV. and Structures unit.

"He was belligerent, and I Hundley was charged was uncomfortable." last week in federal court Bennett said she was in Atlanta with simple as- shocked by the racial slur sault for allegedly slapping she says Hundley used the boy during the Feb. 8 when Jonah started crying. flight. His attorney, Marcia "And I said, 'What did Shein, of Decatur, Ga., said you say?' because I Saturday that Hundley will couldn't believe that he plead not guilty. The would say that," she told charge carries a maximum WCCO-TV. "He fell onto penalty of a year in jail. my face and his mouth was Shein did not immedi- in my ear and he said it ately return messages seek- again but even more hateing comment left Sunday ful. And he's on my face, so evening by the Associated I pushed him away."

Press.

Be.n nett and her husThe boy's mother, Jessi- band are white, while Joca Bennett, 33, told the FBI nab, whom they adopted, is their flight'was on final de- black. scent into Atlanta when ''We wish to emphasize herl9-month-old son start- that the behavior that has ed to cry due to the altitude been described is contrachange. Hundley "told her dictory to our values, emto shut that (racial epithet) ¡ barrassing and does not in baby up," FBI special agent any way reflect the patriDaron Cheney said in a otic character of the men sworn statement. She said and women of diverse Hundley then slapped him backgrounds who work in the face, scratching the tirelessly in our business," boy below his right eye and Haase said in his statecausing him to scream even ment. louder.

During interviews with Bennett told Twin Cities The Spokesman-Review a television stations on Sa- year ago, Hundley talked turday that the incident about Unitech, which was has caused her family a generating millions in sales great deal of trauma and with defense contracts and that her son, Jonah, had work for both Boeing and been outgoing but had Airbus. Unitech was actumed apprehensive of quired by AGC in 2009. strangers.

Hundley said Unitech at Hundley became in- the time had 130 workers creasingly obnoxious and and was growing. appeared intoxicated during the flight and com- The Spokesman-Review plained that her son was contributed to this¡report.

HUNDLEY

THE SPOKESMAN ~REVIEW SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2013

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Hate groups watchdog has Mount St. Michael on list North Idaho

human rights activist, rabbi surprised

By Jim Camden jimc@spokesman.com. (509) 879-7461

What do the Aryan Nations, the Ku Klux Klan and the home of Spokane's Singing Nuns have in common?

They're all on the Southern Poverty Law Center's map of ''hate groups" in the Northwest.

Mount St. Michael, home to a Latin Rite or Tridentine Catholic church, school and convent north of Spokane, has been listed since 2006 by the law center as a radical traditional Catholic group and accused of anti-Semitic activities.

Last week, the law center released the annual update of its

"hate map" of groups around the country, which includes an interactive, easy-to-use online graphic. Mount St. Michael is one of 16 organizations mapped FILE The Spokesman-Review for Washington, sharing the state listing with a potpourri of neo- A nun at Mount St. Mlchael sits behind a curtain in N azi, Klan, Christian Ident- this 2007 photo. The home to a Catholic church, See ST. MICHAEL, AS

school and convent has been listed among hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

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ST. MICHAEL Continued from Al

ity, black separatist, white nationalist and racist skinhead groups.

The Alabama-based watchdog organization defends the St. Michael listing, but it surprised one of its local allies and prompted one longtime critic to say the center was showing its political bias.

The Rev. Casimir Puskorius, pastor of Mount St. Michael, calls the listing ''very unfair" and contends it's a result of a liberal organization taking issue with the teachings of a conservative Christian group.

"We considered suing them, some years ago, but they have more resources than us," Puskorius said.

The law center has a long history of taking on groups like the Aryan Nations and the KKK in court, and it monitors a wide variety of organizations it deems "hate groups" all over the country.

Mark Potok, a researcher for the law center, insisted the church was not on the map because of its religious doctrines. The center's intelligence report on the church from 2006 mentions an early leader's penchant for conspiracies, reports about speakers who have given lectures on Jewish and Masonic plots for world domination or members who share that view.

In the e.arly 1980s, the congregation's leader, Bishop Francis Schuckardt, was ousted amid allegations of sexual misconduct, drug abuse and financial impropriety.

Schuckardt and some of his followers went to California, where he was later arrested for drug violations. The main congregation continued to expand and now has facilities in Omaha as well as Spokane.

The law center lists some of Schuckardt's legal and financial problems and abuse allegations in its intelligence briefing, adding that his successor bas condemned the Vatican for efforts to reach out to Jews and Muslims and that the church's website has sold anti-Semitic literature or hosted speakers who talk about JewishMasonic conspiracies or praise well-known antiSemites.

Puskorius said the bookstore might have stocked some books like the law center describes at various times, or had some speakers who talk about those conspiracies at Mount St. Michael at some point.

"Those are opinions that peopl~ have. People have made the case for them,"

The listing on the hate map surprised Tony Stewart, a North Idaho human rights activist who praises the law center for its work to defeat the Aryan Nations by winning a lawsuit that caused the neo-Nazis to surrender their compound at Hayden Lake. Stewart said he visited Mount St. Michael a few years ago when he invited the Singing Nuns to appear on a local public television show. They said they wanted to meet him first.

"We had coffee and cookies. I had a wonderful couple of hours with the leaders of the convent and the sisters," Stewart said.

On hill near HIiiyard

Mount St. Michael was originally developed north of Hillyard by Gonzaga's Jesuits as a villa and as a farm to supply the university. It later became a seminary. In the 1970s, the Jesuits decided it was too expensive to operate and put the land up for sale. In 1977, it was purchased by a small but growing congregation of breakaway Catholics who rejected the reforms that started in the previous decade with the Second Vatican Council.

Sometimes called Tridentine or Latin-Rite Catholics, they believe changes in the liturgy and doctrine from Vatican II are invalid, as are all the popes and any pronouncements they have made since then. They use an older, Latin version of the Mass and adhere strictly to doctrines in place before that council.

"We do pray for t he conversion of the Jews. We pray for the conversion of all non-Catholics."

The Rev. caslmlr Puskorlus Pas~or of Mount St. Michael

he said, but the church doesn't push conspiracies.

The congregation is not anti-Semitic, Puskorius said. It invited a Jewish photographer to its annual conference to discuss the Shroud of Turin, the cloth that some believe wrapped the body of Jesus after the crucifixion, he said.

"We do pray for the conversion of the Jews," Puskorius said, because they believe that's what the Bible teaches. ''We pray for the conversion of all nonCatholics."

Hard to get off 11st

Mother Kathryn Joseph, who was among more than a dozen nuns who left Mount St. Michael in 2007 to rejoin the Roman Catholic Church and form a new order, doesn't believe her former congregation is prejudiced against Jews. She had been at Mount St. Michael for decades and hadn't heard anything about Jewish conspiracies since the 1980s, when Schuckardt ran the congregation. She remembers seeing "Protocols of Zion," one of the anti-Semitic books mentioned by the law center, on a table in those days, but the former bishop ''had a lot of conspiracy theory things out."

Like most Traditional Catholic groups, they reject Nostra Aetate, a letter from Pope Paul VI which denounces anti-Semitism, Mother Kathryn said. But that's because they reject everything any pope has done for the last 50 years, she added, not because of the message.

"To suggest that they are anti-Semitic is just not fair," said Mother Kathryn, now the head of the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church, a Roman Catholic order in the Spokane Diocese.

The Sisters of. Mary wear navy blue habits; the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen sisters from Mount St. Michael wear royal blue. Members of the two orders are often mistaken for each other.

It's the Mount St. Michael sisters who perform the Singing Nuns concerts around Christmas and the Fourth of July.

Carol Swain, a professor of law and political science at Vanderbilt University and critic of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said Mount St. Michael appears to be tarred by a liberal organization for holding conservative religious beliefs. Swain has previously defended conservative groups and individuals, such as Glenn Beck and Lou Dobbs, who came under fire by the law center. She contends the law center is so narrowminded that it is a hate group. Swain, an AfricanAmerican who once recommended a documentary the center considers racist, has been labeled an apologist for white supremacists by the law center.

"I've never heard of anyone getting off their list," Swain said. She thinks a conservative group should take being listed by the law center as "a badge of honor."

The law center intelligence briefing lists no instances of anti-Semitic activities in the Spokane area traced to the congregation or any of its members, and Rabbi Michael Goldstein of Temple Beth Shalom said he's unaware of any problems connected to the north Spokane church.

Christian traditions for centuries taught that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus, Goldstein said. That often led to violence against Jews around Easter and was the basis for pogroms in Europe.

Those teachings "are a potential source of problems, but I don't know of anything affecting my congregation" from Mount St. Michael, Goldstein said.

The rabbi, who came to Spokane in 2011, said he didn't even know where it was located.

~ news@thefigtree.org

Volume30Number3

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C!t.. (509) 535- 1813 •535-4112

Monthly newspaper and website covering faith in action thro11ghout the Inland Northwest online at www.thejigtree.org • check The Fig Tree Face6ook page daily for news and links

Benefits feature people telling how stories in The Fig Tree help 'make connections' At The Fig Tree Benefit Breakfast and Benefit Lunch in March, several speakers will share a few minutes each on the theme, "Making Connections,'' telling how The Fig Tree newspaper, resource directory and its online presence help people connect with each other and connect ideas that motivate.

The brea kfast buffet begins at 7: 15 a.m. and the program at 7:30 a.m .. Wednesday, March 13, in Cataldo Hall at Gonzaga University.

The lunch buffet begins at 11 :45 a.m. and the program at noon,

Friday, March 15, also in Cataldo Hall at Gonzaga University.

The 2013 breakfast speakers include Denise Atwood, fair trade advocate through Ganesh Himal Trading; Jan Martinez, founder and director of Christ Kitchen; John Osborn. a physician and long-time volunteer with the Upper Columbia Chapter of the Sierra Club, and Peggie Troutt, founder and coordinator for the Calvary Soup Kitchen in East Central Spokane.

The lunch speakers are Tony Stewart of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations;

Dick Boysen of the Spokane Guild's School ; Nasreen Shah of Jasmine Crafts and the Interfai tb Council, and Lena Lopez Schindler of the Cathedral of St. John's Service League and The Windfall Thri ft Store.

Evanne Montoya, an intern from Whitworth University who is writing articles for The Fig Tree, is preparing a video and slide show on the theme.

The events gather both people who value The Fig Tree media and people who are interested in learning about them. It is a time to celebrate The Fig Tree's approach to journalism and its media that connect people in the faith and nonprofit communities.

The events raise funds to help cover the costs of producing the media to share stories ofeveryday people who make a difference because of their faith and values. . "The benefits are opportunities to articulate ournonprofit model of journalism: · said Fig Tree editor. Mary Stamp. " to tell The Fig Tree story, like public broadcasting appeals, and not only irtvitc Comi1?11ed on page 3

Benefit events celebrate The Fig Tree's 29 years and begin its 30th year continuedfrom page 1 support but also to invite people to become involved as volunteers and writers."

She said this year's events celebrate the completion of29 years serving the Inland Northwest and the beginning of the 30th year.

"While media are not direct service, as people are informed, they are inspired and become involved in serving people and advocating for policies to improve lives," she said. "We see when mainstream media focus on disasters, projects or issues, people are motivated to give and to help. As mass media attention wanes, our media continue to tell stories of how faith and nonprofit communitie~ work to restore lives, reach out and work to make society just.

"The Fig Tree not only makes connections, but also communicates that even though people and institutions may fail, people in faith and nonprofit communities care, serve, overcome divisions, challenge bigotry and greed, and

work for shalom," Mary said.

"Those who live their faith and values give us a plethora ofstories to share." lo 2013, The Fig Tree improved its website at www.thefigtree.org and is using Facebook and Twitter to help connect people w ith resources.

This year, The Fig Tree will

reprint 10,000 copies of the Elder Refugee Resource Directory it produced i n Russian, Arabic, Nepali, Karen and Chin, in collaboration with World Relief, Refugee Connections Spokane and Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern ¡Washington.

In addition, The Fig Tree trains interns from Whitworth University, Gonzaga University and Eastern Washington University, offering practical experience in its solutions-oriented media.

"We need to prepare young journalists for careers in new en-

trepreneuriaJ forms of responsible community media," Mary said.

Table hosts cover the cost of the meals for the guests they invite.

There are still tables open to host and spaces for people to RSVP. For information, call 535-1813, or email info@thefigtree.org.

March 2013 - The Fig Tree - Page 3

Yom HaShoahfocus is on resisting genocide Tony Stewart, a founding member of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, will speak on "Resistance to Genocide," the theme for the 2013 Yorn HaShoah, Spokane Community observance of the Holocaust, at 7 p.m., Sunday, April 7, at Temple Beth Shalom, 1322 E. 30th Ave. He bas been ,professor of political science at North Idaho College for 40 years and bas worked to challenge hate and white supremacists in the Inland Northwest through the task force.

The observance includes reading of the winning high school and middle school entries in the Eva Lassman Memorial Creative Writing Contest on that theme.

The theme was chosen so students and Yorn HaShoah participants would learn about resistance to the Holocaust, in which Nazis in Germany exterminated 6 million Jews-two-thirds of the entire European Jewish population-and 5 million other people, including Romani, Communists, the disabled, homosexuals and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Despite odds, people did resist.

Essay writers will tell what they can do tt> prevent acts of genocide and hatred in the community, region and world, and how they can support people who suffer.

Carla Peperzak in Holland and Michelle Culbertson in Belgium, who were involved in resistance,

will Light the candle i!) honor of the righteous of the nations.

April 2013 is the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, when 750 lightly armed Jews challenged the heavily armed German military and successfully held them at bay for one month until the Germans leveled the ghetto and shipped the few survivors off to death camps.

Not all resistance was violent and not all resistance originated with Jews. The Whit~ Rose Society was an inspiring example of German citizens who organized to oppose the genocidal policies of their government.

For information, call 747-3044 or visit spokanetbs.org.

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Genocide Watch leader to speak at CdA banquet t,. world expert on preventing genocide will be keynote speaker at the 16th annual human rights banquet in Coeur d'Alene next month.

Gregory Stanton, president of the international Genocide Watch, wili discuss how local action can prevent atrocities. He will cite examples such as the fall of the Soviet Union, the defeat of dictators Slobodan Milosevic in Yugoslavia and Charles Taylor in Liberia, and the effort locally to shut down the Aryan Nations operation in Kootenai County.

Stanton is the Research Professor in Genocide Studies and Prevention at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in Arlington, Va. In 1999 he founded Genocide Watch, which works to build an international movement to prevent and stop genocide and other forms of mass murder.

The April 22 banquet is ¡ presented by the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations and the Human Rights Education Institute. It will be held at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn. Banquet tickets are $40 each.

Information: (208) 765-3932 or (208) 292-2359.

Scott Maben

April 2013 Volume30Number4

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~ (509) 535- 181 3 •535-411 2

Monthly newspaper and website covering faith in action througho11t the Inland Northwest online at www.thefigtree.org • check The Fig Tree Facebook page daily for news and links

Women who resisted Nazis light candles, Tony Stewart speaks for Yorn HaShoah Carla Peperzak, who grew up in Holland and settled in Spokane in 2004, and MicheiJe Culbertson, who grew up in Belgium and settled in Spokane in 1959, have not met, but each was part of the resistance in their countries after the Nazi German invasions of their homelands in 1940.

During the Yorn HaShoah service at 7 p.m., Sunday, April 7, at Temple Beth Shalom, I 322 E. 30th Ave., Carla will Light a candle as a Holocaust survivor and Michelle will light the candle for the " righteous among the nations" for her role in the resistance to protect

Jewish people from being taken to concentration camps during the Holocaust.

Through their years in the resistance, and their years of silence about what they did, both women have believed that it is crucial to respect people from different races, cultures and religions.

Although Carla's ancestors were all Dutch and Michelle's all French-speaking Belgians, both are proud that, because they and their children lived and traveled abroad, their grandchildren are multi-racial and multi-cultural.

Carla's grandchildren have

Yorn HaShoah service is April 7 Contim,ed fi·om page 1 force as it has confronted white supremacists and other forms of bigotry in the region.

The observance includes reading the winning middle and high school entries in the Eva Lassman Memorial Creative Writing Contest. The theme was chosen so students would learn about resistance to the Holocaust, in which

Nazis exterminated 6 million Jews and 5 million other people, including Romani, Communists, disabled people, homosexuals and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Despite odds, people did resist.

Essay writers also address ways to prevent genocide and hatred, and how to support people who suffer.

For information, ca.II 747-3044 or visit spokanetbs.org.

parents with heritages from Iran, Puerto Rico and India.

"Our family gatherings are like a mini-United Nations," she said.

Michelle's daughter Denise, married a Hawaiian, so her two grandchildrep are a mix of Belgian, Norwegian, English, Jrish, Scottish , Hawaiian, Chinese, Portuguese and Korean. Her great-grandson is also German and Russian.

When Denise helped at the Christmas Bureau in December, she met a Jewish couple and told about her mother 's background.

"When they invited me to light a candle for people in the resistance, I agreed," Michelle said.

•·1t•s an honor."

At the 2013 Yorn HaShoah Spokane Community Observance, Tony Stewart, a founding member of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, will s peak on "Resistance to Genocide.·· A pro fe ssor o f political science at North Idaho College for 40 years, he has challenged hate in the region through the task

Continuecl 011 page 7

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The Press

Friday, April 12, 2013

North Idaho

Genocide expert to speak in Cd'A Gregory H. Stanton, president of the international Genocide Watch, will be the guest speaker at the 16th annual hwnan rights banquet taking place April 22 at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn. The event is presented by the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations in cooperation with the Human Rights Education Institute.

During his speech, "Ending Genocide: Local Action is the Best Way to Prevent Atrocities,'' Stanton will present examples of how local movements successfully defeated the Aryan Nations in the Inland Northwest, dictators Milosevic in Yugoslavia and Charles Taylor in Liberia. and caused the fall of the Soviet Union and the Communist Party.

"Just by going to this banquet, the attendees hear the wisdom of a great speaker, gain kno~ledge, observe diversity and understand the importance of human rights.'' said Tom Carter, director of HREI. "I would like to see this type of

banquet take place in eve,¡y city around the world."

Stanton is U1e research professor in Genocide Studies and Prevention at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University in Arlington, Va. He founded Genocide Watch in 1999 and launched and directed anti-genocide efforts in Cambodia and internationally.

Stanton ser ved in the United States State Deparbnent from 1992 to 1999, where he drafted the United Nations Security CounciJ resolutions that created the international Crinlinal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Burundi Commission of Inquir y, and the Central African Arms Flow Commission. He also drafted the U.N. Peacekeeping Operations resolutions that helped bring about an end to the Mozambique civil war.

In 1994, Stanton won the American Foreign Service Association's prestigious W Averell Harriman award for

"extraordinary contributions to the practice of diplomacy exemplifying intellectual courage," based on his dissent from U.S. policy on the Rwandan genocide. He wrote the State Department options paper on ways to bring the Khmer Rouge to justice in Cambodia.

He was the chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyer's Division Committee on Human Rights and a member of the AB.A's Standing Committee on World Order Under Law. He has been a law professor at Washington and Lee University, American University and the University of Swaziland. Stanton holds degrees from Oberlin College, Harvard Divinity School, Yale Law School, and a doctorate in cultural anthropology from the University of Chicago. He was a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (2001-2002).

"We sponsor this banquet as an annual reminder of the need to unite as a people in support

of human rights and human dignity," said Christie Wood, president of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations board. 'The banquet is a way for the task fo rce to provide fi nancial support for the educational programs at the Human Rights Education Institute."

The task force will present its 2012 Civil Rights Awards and recognize four North Idaho CoJJege minority student scholarship recipients for the 2012-2013 Academic Year.

The scholarships are jointly funded by HREI and the NIC Foundation. The scholarships are named for former Idaho Governor Phil Batt and former Idaho State Senator Mary Lou Reed.

Banquet tickets are $40 each or tables for 8 persons can be purchased for $500 or $1,000.

All the banquet profits go to the Human Rights Education Institute to assist their educational programs as well as the scholarships. lnfo: 765-3932 or 292-2359.

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APRIL 23. 2013 • TUESDAY • PAGE A 7

NORTHWEST

Anti-bullying group earns rights award Task force honors Benewah Human Rights Coalltlon ny Stewart, who co-founded the Wassmuth Memorial Volunteer of trict's annu41 Martin Luther King

By Scott Maben

The coalition, founded two scottm@spokesman.com. (509)459-5528 years ago, was singled out for its successful anti-bullying program A human rights organization in with the St. Maries and Lakeside Benewah County has received school districts. The nonprofit this year's Kootenai County Task group also has worked to improve Force on Human Relations Civil relationsbetweenmembersofthe Rights Award.

Coeur d'Alene Tribe and nontriThe Benewah Human Rights bal residents_ Coalition was presented the · "They're trying to get all differaward Monday nightatthe annual ent segments of society to work human rights banquet hosted by together and cooperate and the task force in Coeur d'Alene. understand one another," said To-

Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. "I think they've been very good at what they're doing."

Christina Crawford, president of the Benewah Human Rights Coalition, accepted the award. A writer and actor, Crawford is known for "Mommie Dearest," her ·autobiographical account of growing up with her adoptive mother, film star Joan Crawford.

Gayle Hughes and Lauren Lepinski received this year's Bill

the Year Award for their work with the task force. Hughes and her professional design office provide free services for the organization's materials, and Lepinski edits the group's quarterly newsletter.

The Human Rights Education Institute's Tony Stewart Human Rights Education Award went to Mandy Surratt-Florin, principal of West Ridge Elementary School in Post Falls, for helping coordinate the Post Falls School Dis-

Jr. program for fifth-graders. Surratt-Florin will retire at the end of this school year.

The banquet's keynote speaker was Gregory Stanton, president of Genocide Watch, an international organization dedicated to identifying and combating genocide.

Stanton spoke of the success of citizen movements in the fall of the regimes in the former Soviet Union, the former Yugoslavia and Liberia, as welJ as the defeat of the Aryan Nations in North Idaho.

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16th annual human rights banquet

GABE GREEN/Press

Dr. Gregory Stanton spoke at the 16th annual Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations banquet Monday evening about his experiences as president of the organization " Genocide Watch" which helps to globally identify, prevent, and fight against genocide.

In support of human rights Speaker addresses genocide prevention, awards honor citizens

By DAVID CO LE

Staff writer COEUR d' ALENE - Dr. Gregory Stanton, president of the international organization known as Genocide Watch, said it's important to identify the process of genocide so preventive action can be taken.

It all starts with ''classification"

and "symbolization," Stanton said, speaking to 400 attendees at the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations' 16th annual human rights banquet at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn Monday night.

"In fact if you can defeat genocide at this level. by refusing to classify (people based on characteristics like race or religion), you

' n act if you can genocide at this level, by refusing to classify (people based on characteristics like race or religion), you have defeated it - period.''

DR GREGORY STANTON, Genocide watch president

have defeated it - period," Stanton said.

If symbolization is eliminated, genocide is again defeated, he said.

"You can't even put up a swastika in Germany now," he said.

'They've been through Nazism, they know what it means. It is literally illegal to put one on a wall.

You'll be arrested for it."

The next step in the process of genocide is "dehumanization," he said, which is where the real problem lies.

"Every social group has rules against murder." Stanton said. "If

you can convince yourself that whoever it is who you're killing is not human, then of course it is not murder. The way you do this is to use hate propaganda."

Among the other steps is "organization" of hate groups, such as the Aryan Nations, he said.

Stanton, who himself has battled the Ku Klux Klan in his career, said it was an honor to speak in North Idaho. He said with the help of President John F. Kennedy and the FBI the KKK was brought to its knees. see BANQUET, A4

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"This¡is the heritage also of this county," Stanton said. "Because you also have fought the battle, and you fought it here at the local level.

And you also have won."

Stanton also spoke of the ongoing challenge of genocide in various parts of the world, including Rwanda.

He gave special attention to the success ¡of citizens' movements in the fall of the regimes in the former Soviet Union, the former Yugoslavia, and Liberia. He said that local action is the most effective way to prevent atrocities.

His presentation included both photographs and video to highlight the horrors of a government or organization that targets a national, ethnic, racial or religious group for elimination.

This year's "KCTFHR Civil Rights Award" went to the Benewah Human Rights Coalition for their success in promoting human rights in Benewah County. The coalition, founded two

years ago, was especially recognized for its successful anti-bullying program with the St. Maries and Lakeside school districts over the past two years.

Gayle Hughes and Lauren Lepinski re- . ceived this year's "Bill Wassmuth Memorial Volunteer-of-the-Year Award" for their dedication and volunteer work with the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

Hughes and her professional design office provides free services for all the Task Force on Human Relations' materials.

Lepinski volunteers as the quarterly editor of the Task Force on Human Relations' newsletter.

Thomas Carter, executive director of the Human Rights Education Institute, presented the institute's "Tony Stewart Human Rights Education Award" to Mandy Surratt-Florin, principal of West Ridge Elementary School in Post Falls. She has spent years working on the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fifth grade children's program.

The 2012-2013 Human

Rights Education Institute and North Idaho College foundation Governor Phil Batt and State Senator Mary Lou Reed NIC Minority Student Scholarship recipients were introduced. Since 1999, the institute and college foundation have funded. 63 minority scholarships at NIC. The proceeds from Monday's banquet go to the Human Rights Education Institute with a por,tion of those profits funding the institute's portion of the annual NIC minority student scholarships.

The remaining profits assist other institute educational programs in the public schools and community.

In introducing this year's banquet, Tony Stewart, master of ceremonies, said, "The (Task Force on Human Relations) board wants to express its deep appreciation to the people of the Inland Northwest for filling this banquet hall for the past 16 years in a show of support for human rights."

Are we tolerant enough?

Medical group wanting to meet here asks tnayor

By TOM HASSLINGER Staff writer

COEUR d'ALENE -A large medical grqup considering Coeur d'Alene as the site of its annual meeting in 2015 is wondering whether the area is tolerant enouglt for U1e culturally diverse group of professionals.

The short answer from Coeur d'Alene officials: Yes, it is.

Western Orthopaedic Association President Dr. Ellen Raney sent a letter April 5 to Mayor Sandi Bloem asking for information that points to local efforts to "promote Bloem the inclusion of racial and ethnic diversity" to ease concerns if the group would feel comfortable here should they chose the Lake City as the spot for their annual summer retreat.

"Our group is ethnically diverse," Raney, an orthopedic surgeon from Portland, Ore., wrote.

"In reading about Coeur d'Alene, our members have expressed concern about whether our group would feel welcome given the activity of racially see TOLERANT, AS

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TOLERANT from A1 intolerant groups in the area."

The annual weeks long gathering is usually attended by 45~ people, the letter says.

Bloem mentioned the letter at Monday night's Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relatio11s banquet The task force promotes cultural diversity across the region. On Tuesday, Bloem said that after she received the letter she asked Human Rights Education Institute Director Tom Carter to respond to the group, and Carter has a conference call with the association's president scheduled for today.

"Sure I'm concerned.

It would be nice not to have anyone feel that way," Bloem said about receiving such a letter addressing a stigma from which North Idaho has been working to distance itself. But "I feel grateful this community has taken a strong message against hate and bigotry."

In fact, few areas can point to such a detailed list of what it bas done to combat hate, she said.

The history, well known locally, is that the task force was formed to combat hate in the Inland

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Northwest, and in 2000 it was instrumental in a lawsuit that bankrupted the Aryan Nations, which had established a compound in Hayden lake.

"I'm not aware of a mayor anywhere who would have the ability to show a group of people what has been done to be sure that we are a community that accepts all," she said.

"Meaning," she added, "we have volumes and volumes of effort" Raney was in surgery and unavailable for comment Tuesday. The WOA has 1,700 members, all licensed medical or osteopathic doctors. The city of Coeur d'Alene, meanwhile, will consider adopting an anti-discrimination ordinance in the next few weeks, as other Idaho cities have such as Pocatello and Boise.

Uke it or not, however, the racist stigma is something that is attached to Coeur d'Alene to some degree. On Coeur d'Alene's Wikipedia page, it clarifies that the Aryan Nations' home was in nearby Hayden lake, not Coeur d'Alene. Hayden Lake's Wtkipedia page also addresses the issue.

Google 'Coeur d'Alene

AS

racist' and stories of Nazi literature being distributed on lawns and highway posts appear, as does then compound leader Richard Bulter's Wikipedia page and stories on Coeur d'Alene School Board trustee Brent Regan's remark comparing assault rifles and President Barack Obama, a comment for which he later apologized.

A small group of protesters picketed the Monday night banquet as well But Carter agreed with Bloem that few areas have done more to combat racism, and that the area has distanced itself from the stigma. The letter isn't the only question about Coeur d'Alene's reputation the HREI director has heard from tourists, or prospective tourists.

"We're 100 miles away from that," he said of the Butler days. But "it shows the awareness of people saying, 'is this something we really need to worry about?' They're asking instead of assuming. All that it is, it's a stigma that's left around, that's all that it is, and it's good that they ask.

"And no, there isn't," he added.

PAGE AS I THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013

WWW.SPOKANE7.COM/CALENDAR

WONDERING WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND? LOOK HERE FIRST

Law protecting gays sought CdA councilman to propose

anti-discrimination ordinance

By Scott Maben scottm@spokesman.com, (208) 758-0260

Coeur d'Alene soon may join a growing number of Idaho cities to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation - a reaction to the Legislature's steadfast refusal to add such protections to state law.

City Councilman Mike Kennedy is drafting an ordinance

modeled after one adopted in Boise last year. It would protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations.

"I think it's needed, I think it's overdue, and it's simple equal rights," Kennedy said.

"We shouldn't be excluding any group or party from full participation and full protec-

ty code, Kennedy said.

Washington In Washington, local laws were passed in a dozen cities and counties before a statewide law was adopted in 2006. Spokane's ordinance passed in 1999.

tion under the law," he said.

The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations asked the Coeur d'Alene Council to add the language to the ci-

The Legislature has spurned attempts each of the past seven years to add the words "sexual orientation" and "gender identity'' to the state's Human Rights Act, which now bans discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age or disability. Most years lawmakers refused to even allow the bill to be introduced.

"The Legislature didn't act again this year on it, and so it makes sense to do it now and help push the momentum toward a statewide law," Kenne-

dy said.

Sandpoint led the charge in December 2011 when City Council members there adopted the first such ordinance in the state. Boise, Moscow and Ketchum followed with their own laws.

The Pocatello City Council in southeast Idaho rejected an anti-discrimination ordinance last week but plans to consider a modified proposal that more citizens could support.

Coeur d'Alene and other IdaSee LAW, A7

LAW

Continued from AS

What's next

ho cities als6 strengthened rules governing child qre centers after the Legislature repeatedly rejected bills to do so.

Under pressure, state lawmakers eventually adopted some tighter standards for c}Jild care providers.

"It's not .lnusual for cities to lead the Legislature ~n some way on a topic Like this," Ke~edy said. "Hopefully the Legislature will take a step at some point."

A similar process led to statewide protections elsewhere. In Washington, local laws were passed in a dozen cities and counties before a statewide law was adopted in 2006. Spokane's ordinance passed in 1999.

J on Downing, a part-time chemistry instructor at North Idaho College, said he feels frustrated that Idaho lags on addressing this civil rights issue.

"I am angered that our demands have gone on deaf ears," said Downing, who is gay. "I am disappointed that state representatives are more concerned about their reputation than about the concern of the citizens they represent."

As co-adviser for the NIC GayStraight Alliance, Downing said he hears stories of discrimination in the Coeur d'Alene area. ''I have had students fired from their jobs for coming out in their workplace," he said. "I had a student just last month be kicked out of her apartment for having her girlfriend overnight. I have seen the bruises from. bullies left on students. I have counseled student victims of hate, some of whom were considering suicide to escape the ugliness they see all around them."

And with no laws in place to protect

Coeur d'Alene City Councilman Mike Kennedy said he hopes to bring the proposal before the city's General Services Committee May 13, then to the full Council May 21.

the victims, they are reluctant to speak up, he said. "To openly come out puts you in danger of being fired, evicted or bullied by friends and family," Downing said.

In a Feb. 4 letter to the mayor and City Council, the Task Force on Human Relations wrote, "The City of Coeur d'Alene has the opportunity to move forward in advancing the principles we have all promoted for decades. We urge you to stand on the broad shoulders of those who have gone before you in confirming once again the dignity and rights of all our residents and share in this noble legacy."

Kennedy said he hopes to bring the proposal before the city's General Services Committee May 13, then to the full Council May 21.

Religious organizations would be exempt from the ordinance, as would anyone who owns a rental property in which they also live, such as a landlord renting a room in their house, Kennedy said.

The ordinance would provide for mediation of a complaint prior to the city determining a violation has occurred and issuing a fine.

"In reality it would be little more than a slap on the hand for people that violate the ordinance, but the message the ordinance holds is powerful," Downing said.

11

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The Press

Friday, April 26, 2013

Briefs Education Institute 414 W. Seedlings to be given away today Mu llan Ave., and observe

the day which honors the public cause to come The Idaho Department of together in the spirit of lands will give away free universal love to eradicate fear. This event is free. conifer seedlings at the Speakers will include parking Jot at Cherry HHI Jackie Gedeik and off 15th Street in Coeur Kathleen Lamanna d'Alene today from 9:30 a.m. to noon to commem- who both petitioned for the proclamation and orate Arbor Day. organized this event, The seedlings will Thomas Carter, Executive include Ponderosa pine Director of the Institute, and Western white pine.

Tony Stewart from The Although there is not a limit on the nwnber of seed- Kootenai County Task Force On Human Relations lings per household, only and Hazel Bauman, take what you can plant For more information, Superintendent of schools. call 769-1577.

Church to host The Idaho Forest Products Commission video seminar today is giving away free DivorceCare, a series one-year-old Colorado blue of weekly free video spruce seedlings at Hom seminars on divorce Depot in Coeur d'Alene, and recovery, is being local FedEx stores, Paul offered at Dalton Gardens Bunyan restaurants in Church of Christ, 6439 N. Coeur d'Alene, Hayden 4th St, on the corner of and Post Falls, Numerica Hanley and 4th.

Credit Union in Hayden The video seminar series and Coeur d'Alene and runs Thursdays from 6 Hayden, Spirit Lake, to 7:30 p.m. throu_ghJuly Rathdrum, Post Falls, 17 and features Christian Pinehurst, Harrison and experts on the subject Athol libraries.

The video presentations are combined with a 'Choose Love Over support group discussion Fear Dav' set of the materials presentThe city of Coeur ed, delving into tJ'fe deep d'Alene has proclaimed hurt and heartbreaking trauma caused by divorce May 1 as "Choose Love Over Fear Day." and seeking solutions for The public is invited to healing and recovery.

Anyone who may benattend a proclamation ceremony that day at 12:30 efit is welcome to stop by. at The Human Rights Info: 772-0541 COEUR d' ALENE -

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Discrimination isn't an urge we're familiar with, but it must be a powerful one.

A group of Republican state senators, including Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, has lined up behind a bill to ensure that those who want to withhold services on the basis of sexual orientation would be free to do so. The bill stems from the incident in which a Richland florist refused to supply flowers for a gay couple's wedding. Attorney General Bob Ferguson tried to work it out with the business, but ultimately filed a lawsuit At the time he said, "If a business provides a product or service to opposite-sex couples for their weddings, then it must provide same-sex couples the same product or service." .

Simple and fair: The florist cited religion for declining the sale, but Senate Bill 5927 would also include objections based on philosophical differences or matters of conscience. The measure would not apply to customers who fall into federally protected classes, such as race, religion or disability. Sexual orientation is protected in state law but not federal law, so there's no mistaking the target of this bill.

Washington voters have weighed in repeatedly on these human rights issues by passing initiatives that ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and by sanctioning gay marriage. It took the state more than three decades to reach this point Now, ll senators want to undo those hard-fought gains with a late-session bill.

It's odd that this bill has materialized in a Republican-run Senate that's been obsessed with limiting bills to the topics of jobs, education and the budget Social issues have been off limits. If the Senate Majority Coalition is consistent, it will kill this bill.

Meanwhile, Coeur d'Alene City Councilman Mike Kennedy wants his hometown to join the growing number of Idaho cities that have banned discrimination in hiring, housing and public accommodations.

Because the Idaho Legislature has refused to budge, some Idaho cities want it known they support equality.

The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations supports the move.

Sandpoint was the first Idaho city to adopt such an ordinance. Boise, Moscow and Ketchum have followed suit. Pocatello recently shot down a similar ordinance. That vote in Moscow didn't come without recriminations. The Latah County Republican Party recently voted to censure its chairman, City Councilor Walter Steed, for voting for the sexual orientation ordinance.

We applaud Idaho political leaders for taking on this contentious human rights issue. They are following the same path Washington cities took when our Legislature kept saying no.

We suspect the Senate bill in Olympia will die this time and then be resurrected next year. It's a fool's errand because public sentiment is increasingly on the side of equality when it comes to gay rights issues.

It took Washington state human rights advocates 29 years to knock down the first discrimination barrier statewide with the kind of measure just introduced in Coeur d'Alene and adopted in other Idaho cities. The undeniable trend is toward equality.

There's no turning back.