Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations Scrapbooks 2003-04

SUNDAY OCTO BER 5 , 2003

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Civil rights coalition near death Contributions to organization founded In CdA fell dramatically after Aryan Nations case was won

By BIii Mortin Staff writer

Financial woes

Th e Northwest Expenses are nearly double Coalition for Hurevenues in the Northwest man Dignity Coalition for Human Dignity lnc:s once a premier reIRS filing for the fiscal year gional civil rights orending in 2000, according to ganization - has the latest reports available. ceased operations amid a severe finanFfnancfaf snapshot cial crisis. (figures In thousands) The human rights group is an apparent victim of hard economic times and the misperception th at the fi g ht against hate has been won in the Pacific Northwest, observers say.

Revenues Expenses Assets Liabilities The human rights SOURCE: Organization reports to IRS organization began as the Northwest Staff g,aphlc: Molly Quinn Coalition Against Malicious Harassment, a group founded in Coeur d'Alene in 1987 by the late Bill Wassmulh and others to combat the Aryan Nation~ and other hate groups.

Wassmuth was its executive director until 1999, when the Seattle-based group merged with the Coalition for

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Human Digni ry, which tarted in P rtland. 'he organization battled hate gr up. in Wa hington, Idaho, Oregon. M ntana olorado and Wyoming.

But thi . ummer, le than a year after Wa muth death the hum an righ coalition , a evicted fro m it attic office fo r not pa ing rent.

The co lition's tel phone i di ·c nAle/The SPOkesman-Rl!Vlev,· n cted its Web it i d wn and it po ·t office bo clo ed. In it last The Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment was founded in Coeur rep rt, filed in 2000 th c alition d'Alene in 1987 by the late BIii Wassmuth. aid it e pen e of 0,000 were - that"s what I'm trying lo figure d ubl it income.

Eric Ward the coaliti n' ex cu- out. tive director re igned in mid-Augu l It pains me so much to 'An Important force' and ha n't b en r plac c.l. see this. It seems Like ail of In the wake of its appa rent d mise ' Keeping the doo of the orthalition left ehind wc l oalition open during th la ·t lh North, e. t BiU \!Vassmuth shard mall r gra -ro ts organizati n cartwo year has been a month-tomonth linanciaJ battl . · Ward ·aid in rying on the fight again l hate. ne f work has aone down the tho·e gr up i G nzaga' ln·titute hi. re ignation I lt r.

Wi th little administration and for ction Again t Hate, fou nded in drain. management ·kill , it b cam a t - 1997 by ritch low and Was muth.

For 15 year the orthwe l oatally c hausti e . truggle." Ward aid Idaho Purce, Jc nn •r board member in the private letter to b ard mem- liti n wa a very importan t force in ber. . " Finally, I uc umb d." the battle again. t ,. hite upr ma y •· ·aid Mark Potok. of the uthern Lillie or no publ ic attention ha be n gi en t the coaliti n · plight. Povert Law enter in M ntgom ry, enter t r and board member · have remained AJa. firm ed Frida that hi orga nization silent or guard d.

H de ·crib d the coa lition a · th has th rec rd . ·· w e are a r po. itory " It pain m much to e thi. ,. lar$e. t gra · -r ot ci ii right organi - for any civil right · group. in the nited tales. said board member Idaho Purce of za tion of its kind in th rthwe t that ma want to u e the.

Pocatell , who re ign d Friday. 'll ow, behind th ·cene , there i · record. •· he . aid. seems like all of Bill Was ·muth' fi nger-pointing aad question· ab ut Burghart ·aid he i guardedly optihard, ork ha gone d wn the dra in: the orthw t oaliti n' fin an e mi tic that the rthwe t oa liti n· Another longtime b ard memb r and record-keeping current and for- ca n pull out of its death . piral.

Jim Perkin , of olville, also r igned mer boa rd m mb r a.

'The perception that the appa rent last week. I e expre ed fru lrati n The IRS i a king qu tions ab ut demi e or th Nation. mea nt with the organiza tion' leadership th e nonprofi t organ ization· tardy an end t hate grryan up in th Pacifi and fin ancial di arra , but pride in reporting or required finan ial in fo r- North, e. t had a defin ite negati e the group' record f fighting hatred mati n. impa t n the orthw ·t oa lition," and bigotry.

Al least ne board m mber ca ll d Burghart aid. imilar comment came fr m ci ii f ra n ul ·ide accounting earlier thi ' Th sc of u · who continue to be right activi ·t Tony tewart or ar but th req uest fell on dear ca rs, invol eel in human right. , ork knm Coeur d'AJene, and eorg apparently b cau e there is n m nc that the perception i fa! c, ' he . aid. chlow of pokane. for an audit.

Th notion that hate group had "This, unfortunately, ha been the The coalition s current chairman plight or man nonprofi t· in r c nt Vern n Damatri John on of B lling- be n d fea ted ' re rberated ilh year ,' ritchlow aid. · IL' been ham and hi. wife, reportedly are fo undation. and the giving public ri u. I impacted the cau ·ed by th downturn in thee on - g ing th rough th orga nization re- alik and m and the sto k market and the cord , stored for a time in a garage a funding of the orth, e t oa liti n," Burghart said. abi lity to ·ucccs full fund-rai ·e. ' former boa rd m mber aid.

Ward, the rt h, e ·t oa lition' ome board member ·a th y J hnson a profe or at We:t rn expect th r main ing six people on Washington niver: it did not re- la. t director, has been working r r nt r for w ommun ity ince the ard lo vot later this m nth to turn telcph ne ca ll and e-mail la t th ea rly pt mb r. H couldn't be form ally disband the orga nization , eek eeking ommcnt. reached for comm nl. whi h no e ·i t nlyon paper. he c aliti n'· n iti c record Th ' truth i. we have not et mad about white uprema i ts and hate Deep debts a f rmal decision ab ut , hat we're grou · in the rthwe t ~ er Id t going to do;· aid longtim oard the cnt r fo r cw ommunity, an In pt mb r 2000, the ryan m mb r Le, lbert of Portland. anti-hate group ba · d in hicago, ation lo l a 6 mill ion judgment ' We ar in a fi nancial cri is," ·ource aid. that bankrupted th group. Thal lb rt said. " I-I m we got to thi spot De in Burghart, director f th made it ha rder for the Northwest

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Sunday, October 5. 2003

FROM THE

The Spokesman-Review

FRO NT PAGE Coalition to raise money.

Board member Slew Albert said people and foundations stopped giving money to the Northwest Coalition after that suit, brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center. " I believe the real reason we got in this place is because we were succes.sful in targe ting hate groups," A lbert said.

"As we had these successes, people and organizations stopped giving us money and grants. and the Northwest Coalition just wasn't that important anymore,'' he said.

'Tm not optimistic that the organization can be saved.'' Albert said, '·but I always hold out some some hope. A t this poi nt, rm more inclined to pessimism."

Board member Robin Carson, of Bremerton, declined comment, as did union lobbyist Robby Stern, of Olympia, who resigned from the coalition board earlier this year.

T he coalition has a substantial amount of unpaid bills, current and form er board members ·ay.

No board member could provide the exact amount of debts.

Debts include $10,000 owed lo Pat M oloney, a Boise businessman and longtime civil rights supporter who organized the coalition's last conference in September 200 I in Spokane.

M oloney, who owns T he M eeting Network, said he used $38,000 o f his

firm·s money to pay for the conference. H e was reimbursed $28,000 in a series of payments between M ay and August 2002. " A fter that, Eric Ward would not return my phone calls," M oloney said F ri day.

Purce, a longtime board member, aid she tendered her resignation Friday. She hasn't received notices of board meetings or minutes for more than a year.

She grew disgusted with the coalition's direction after a bitter conflict in early 200 I with the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest. " Part of the problem as I saw it was the board was not getting a full picture o f what was going on financially," Purce said.

She was critical of Ward and his predecessor, Terre Rybovich, who succeeded Wassmuth when he retired in 1999 and rhe Northwest Coalition Against M alicious H arassment and the Coalition for H uman Dignity merged. " M any o f us thought that merger was the biggest mistake they ever made," Purce said.

'We lost our focus' After the merger, the group expanded its areas of interest beyond racism and hate groups, and included issues of Indian sovereignty and

aborti on rights.

Puree's hw,band, John Purce, was one of the founding members of the Northwest Coalition Against M al icious H arassment. Other founding members included Tony Stewart and M arshall M end, of Coeur d'Alene, and the late Larry Broadbent, former undersheriff in Kootenai County. ''We just lost our mission after the merger.'' Idaho Purce said. " We lost our focus."

Potok, at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the Northwest Coalition " helped the Pacific Northwest face its racist demons." " There had been a marked reluctance to squarely face the problem of white upremacy until Bill Wassmuth and o thers organized the Northwest Coalition," Potok said.

Burghart said, ·'Hate sroup activity is a continuing menace m the Northwest." ·'People who arc concerned about having safe, welcoming and inclusive communities need to be made aware o f those threa ts," he said. " Moreover, they need to lend their support to organizations that arc on the ground, maki ng a difference.'· • Bill Mortin can be reached at (509) 459-5444 or by e-mail at billm@spokesman.com.

Its wrong to say that Bill Wassmuth labored in vain.

Coalition failed, but spirit lives on

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A lot of finger-pointing is going on about the demise of the Northwest Coalition for Human Dignity.

Some human-rights activists blame the financial woes that rocked the coalition on the downturn in the economy and the stock market.

Others say donors stopped giving because they thought.the problem had gone away in September 2000, when a $6.3 million verdict bankrupted the Aryan Nations.

Still others cite mismanagement and poor leadership.

But the late Bill Wassmutb would have agreed with those who said the October 1999 merger of two coalitions to form the organization was the beginning of the end. .

The merger of Wassmuth's Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment and the Coalition for Human Dignity was doomed from the start. Although they shared many of the same donors and goals, the coalitions had different methods. Wassmuth's group believed in consensus building- the other, in confrontation.

As a result, Wassmuth was lukewarm to the merger and, after he left the coalition, watched sadly from the sidelines as it crumbled.

We're not guessing about this.

Former Spokesman-Review reporter Andrea Vogt describes Wassmuth's thoughts about his life, work and death in her superb new book: "Common Courage: Bill Wassmuth, Human Rights, and Small-Town Activism" (University ofldaho Press). Wassrnuth believed, Vogt writes, "the coalition would emerge intact after a few tense transition years, but he put more faith in the longevity of the small local coalitions he had helped start in the rural communities."

That belief should encourage those among the former Catholic priest's fans who bel ieve, like former coalition board member Idaho Purse of Pocatello, that "all of Bill Wassmuth's hard work has gone down the drain."

The region's human-rights movement shouldn't be judged by the current troubles of a once-proud coalition. Rather, it should be measured by the 150 Northwest task forces that Wassmuth helped found during his decade as coalition director- and the hundreds of dedicated activists who remain to continue the work. The movement lives on in such rural outposts as Noxon, Mont.; Rawlins, Wyo.; and Kamiah, Idaho, because Wassmuth wasn't afraid to leave his Seattle office to confront bate and prejudice any time, anywhere.

That same spirit remains strong at the movement's core, too in Coeur d'Alene, where it all started more than 20 years ago. In July 2002, three veterans of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations answered a call by going to help Pennsylvania deal with a racism problem.

In other words, Wassmuth's work was not in vain.

Racist Richard Butler Is running for mayor.

to manage growth at a reasonable cost to the taxpayer.

Revitalizing downtown will help broaden Hayden's commercial tax base. which will mean lower taxes for residents.

Saterfiel is married with two children.

Gharst, who lives in Butler's home, refused an interview, saying reporters are snakes. " I really don't want to talk to you because you stand for the death of our race," Gharst said.

It's an especially difficult election for Councilman Chris Beck. who shares a last name with Zach Beck, an Aryan Nations supporter.

Chris Beck, a geotechnical engineer, has been on the council for four years and backs plans to reconstruct Government Way and build a community center.

"These two projects together will help us define downtown because it's real nebulous where it is now," Chris Beck said.

He plans to put up yard signs reading ·'Cl1ris'' to decrease any confusion between himself and his Aryan Nations challenger.

Zach Beck, 24, recently moved from California to live with Butler. He said California and Arizona had too many temptations and was an interracial environment. " I wanted to get out of that and return lo

God's land,'' Zach Beck said.

Besides returning man's will to God, Zach Beck said he is concerned about Hayden's taxes, the reconstruction of Government Way and field burning.

He also claims Councilman Chris Beck is his uncle, a brother of his father's.

Chris Beck said that's a lie and he didn't even know where Zach is from. Chris Beck said bis fa mily is from Southern Idaho and Oregon, not California. ·' I'm appalled.·• Chris Beck said.

• Erica Curless can be reached at(208) 765--7137 or by e-mail at ericac@spokesman.com.

Butler. Ifs a platfonn, nothing more

By Erica Curless Swff writer

Winning isn·1 Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler's point.

The ailing self-proclaimed pastor i running fo r Hayden mayor as a la t hurrah, a fin al attempt 10 air his message of white supremacy. "There's nothing furth er than this," Butler aid Monday.

At 85 and with a bad heart, Buller knows he doesn't have a lot of time left to convince people thar they must reclaim a lawful Christian ociety that has turned godless because of what he calls an international socialist regime.

He feels he has already won just because people are talking about the Aryan Nations again, even if they don't check his name or the name of his two followers ru1111ing for City Council seats Nov. 4.

Yet human rights activists say this election is Hayden's chance to win - to finally straighten the record and rebuff the years of hate that the Aryan leader ha linked to the town that never embraced his views. " It's a time lo really be able to say no," said Tony Stewart, secretary of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. ·'No. You've mi used (Hayden's) name."

He encourages all of Hayden's 4,725 registered voter to go to the polls. [f they cast ballots against the Aryan Nation , that will give tbe national media fodder for weeks, Stewart said. All the headlines will read ·'Hayden says no 10 the Aryan Nations." he said.

In 200 I, the most recent city election, only 16.2 percent of those voters turned out.

TI1e international and national media are intrigued by Butler's ploy. Mayor Ron McIntire, who is running against Butler, has done interviews with the New York Times, the London Time , the Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report and the Associated Press, among others. ''They're picking up on what it used to be,·· Mcintire aid about the worldwide

interest. '' It's almost as if they think the Nazis march through town, and then they are disappointed when I say it's only about three or four people."

McIntire mostly shrugs off Buller's lastditch attempt at fame and concentrates on the issues, such as creating a downtown core for Hayden and building a community center.

The mayor, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, even blew off a direct attack earlier in the week when Butler distributed a fli er attacking bis religion.

McIntire said there's no real behind-thescenes attempt to get out the vote but he hopes people do cast ballots. " It's taken a lot fo r us to overcome that image," McJntire said. "We need to really bury (him) ifwe could, but I don't know if that will happen."

The other mayoral candidate, Gordie Andrea. a retired cop and former City Council member, refuses to even talk about Butler. '·l don't even want you to mention his name," Andrea said.

Hayden City Clerk Jan Fisher said that as chief elections officer, she has to stay neutral.

"What I have been encouraging people to do is if you have convictions on what should happen in the community, go and and make a statement and vote on Nov. 4," Fisher said.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which helped wage a lawsuit with locals that eventually bankrupted the Aryan Nations. agrees the national eye is on Hayden. ·'It make some sense to one last time publicly repudiate this man in as dramatic a way as possible,·· said Mark Potok, editor ?f the center's intelligence magazine based m Montgomery. Ala. "That would be a bit ofa coup."

But Potok is quick to remind people the Aryan Nations movement is nearly extinct.

"As far as we can tell, Richard Butler and his Coeur d'Alene followers at th is

point would barely fill a telephone booth " Potok said. ' This isn't the first time a North Idaho wwn has had a chance to send a message to the Aryan Nations. ~ In 1999, Sandpoint residents overwhelming rejected Butler sympathizer Vincent Bertollini in a five-way race for mayor. Bertollini, who is now a fugitive from ju tice. managed only 33 votes out of 1,395 cast for mayor.

Stewart said this election gives North ldaho another chance for victory against the Aryan Nations.

The largest statement was made three years ago when a Kootenai County jury leveled a $6.3 million civil verdict against Butler and his group. Butler was forced into bankruptcy and lost his 20-acre compound near Hayden Lake.

Bertollini bought Butler his Hayden home, where the Church of Jesu Chri t

Christian/Aryan Nations meets each Sunday in the living room.

Another gain was in 1998, when the Kootenai Counry Task Force on Human Relations transformed an Aryan Nations parade in Coeur d'Alene into a fund-raiser.

Task force members collected pledges for each minule of the march and raised about $35,000 for human rights. The campaign took the focus off the Aryan Nations and gave the national media something else to report. " It's just a really important moment for Hayden,'' Stewart aid.

Butler says he and fo llowers Zach Beck and Karl Gharst are enjoying their lowbudget campaigns, which includes distributing fli ers touting their beliefs and a few door-to-door calls. " It's good meeting people and talking is ues,'' Butler said.

• Erica Curless can be reached al (208) 765-7137 or by e-mail at ericac@spokesman.com.

'SPOKES AN ED I TI ON OF

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-REVIEW

SUNDAY OCTOBER 19 , 2003

Candidates point spotlight on Hayden - not hoopla

By Erica Curless Staff writer

Carving out an identity for Hayden and crealing a downtown e-0re are the issues city candidates want to talk about instead of their Aryan Nations chaUengers.

Yet it's been difficult to get past the hoopla created by Aryan Nations founder Richard

Butler's bid for mayor in the Nov. 4 city election. ¡ "I'm not sure why he wants to run," Mayor Ron McIntire, 66, said this week. "He's never been to a council meeting."

McIntire, who also is vying against former City Councilman Gordie Andrea, sa id his top concerns are redoing Government Way, the main street through Hayden. By putting in

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Last hurrah â&#x20AC;˘ Richard Butler is running for Hayden mayor as a final attempt to air his message of white supremacy/A14

sidewalks, lights and tum lanes, McIntire hopes to help create a downtown core.

To anchor the downtown, McIntire and the current council have plans for turning Hayden Elementary School into a community center Continued: Hayden/ A14

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that would house a new Parks and Recreation Department. a senior center and activities for area youth. " ll would provide some real thing to look at other than empty buildings and broken parking lots," said McIntire, who owns Super I Foods.

McIntire, who wa elected to city office for the first time in 1999, said these improvement are slow because Hayden lacks a large commercial tax base and the town relies on grants and impact fees paid by new developments.

With a population that has nearly doubled in a decade, Mcintire said, the city is trying to keep up by recently hiring a new city p\anner and a city engineer and appointing its first Parks and Recreation Commission.

Andrea, who served on the council between 1988 and 1994, aid that Mel ntire is probably impossible to beat because of his money and high-profile business, but that people need to have an alternative. " I'm not going to roll over and let him have it." said Andrea, who also challenged McIntire in 1999.

Andrea, 64, said he is upset that McIntire changed the time of the twice-monthly council meetings to 4:30 p.m., making it impossible for most working people to anend.

And he disagrees with how much influence City Attorney Jerry Mason has in city business. Mason represents other local towns, such as Post Falls, which Andrea said is a conflict. He questions how Mason would represent Hayden if it ever had a dispute with Post Falls as the towns grow closer together.

As a retired police officer, Andrea wants Hayden to staff its own police department instead of contracting with the Kootenai County Sheriffs Department, whkh is understaffed. ln general, he said, Hayden isn't keeping up with the growth.

"The very thing the people moved here for is what they are losing," Andrea said.

He thinks Hayden needs to create its own identity to draw business, although he's not sure what it should be. He agrees a community center is needed, but isn't convinced that's what makes the heart of a town.

Butler, 85, is using the race to attract attention to his white supremacist and antiSemitic views and has few comments on the town's business.

Yet he doesn't want Hayden to go into debt by allowing too many "immigrants," meaning nonwhites, to infiltrate the area and take good-paying jobs.

He wants a strong tax base and opposes Wal-Mart's proposed superstore in Hayden because it would take business from small, mom-and-pop shops. " I'm in favor of the small-business man and the working man," Butler said.

Absentee voting for the Nov. 4 city elections and Kootenai County local option sales tax measure begins Monday.

Towns throughout North Idaho are having electionsforvarious mayoral and City Council positions. Kootenai County also is having an election on whether to reinstate the half-cent local option sales tax.

Registered voters in Kootenai County can cast absentee ballots at city halls in Athol, Hayden, Rathdrum, Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Harrison and Wor1ey. The cities will also have ballots for the county measure.

Residents can also vote at the Kootenai County Elections Office, 315 Garden Ave. To request a mailed absentee ballot, contact the county by Oct. 29.

For more information, call 446-1030.

City Council races Councilwoman Nancy Taylor is running for re-election against Kootenai County Solid Waste Director Roger Saterfiel and Aryan Nations follower Karl Gharst.

Taylor, 45, was elected in 1999 and is known for her alternative voice on the council. Although Taylor is outnumbered, she said her views are critical for debate.

"Now I pick my battles, but I haven't shut up," Taylor said. 'T m being direct without being so forceful."

She said that Hayden needs to create an identjty and that reconstructing Government Way and building a community center is a start because tbat will vitalize a downtown core.

She is opposed to making Government Way four lanes because she wants people to stop at local business, not use the road as an alternative route to U.S. Highway 95. She thinks creatjng two travel lanes and a turn lane is a better option, more like Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d'Alene.

As an avid bicyclist, Taylor wants to make sure that new developments have bike paths and pedestrian walkways and that the city works with other local governments to link these path .

Taylor said the creation of the Parks and Recreation Commission was her suggestion because it will help strengthen Hayden's park system and kick-start plans for the community center.

She worked for the town for three years before getting elected. Now the mother of eight children works for a Rathdrum physical therapy office.

Saterfiel, 51, is running because he believes his experience managing 35 employees and a $7 million budget makes him a good candidate.

Now the cbairman of the Kootenai County Fair Board, he wants to get involved in Hayden as it goes through a critical time of growth. " I know you can operate government efficiently and economically," Saterfiel said.

As a solid waste director. he said his job is

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Wednesday, October 29, 2003 The Spokesman-Review .Spokane. Wash,/Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

an decals.put on campaign signs Vehicles in Hayden, Including ambulance, tagged

By Erica Curless Staff writer

HAYDEN, ldabo - Numerous Aryan Nations bumper stickers have appeared on campaign signs and even an ambulance in Hayden this week.

The orange and yellow stickers with the Aryan Nations' symbol were stuck Monday to the bumpers of an ambulance and a Dodge pickup parked outside the Northern Lakes Fire Station.

City Councilman Chris Beck found the same bumper stickers on two of rus re-election signs in his front yard.

Several more of his campaign signs located across town also had the Aryan Nations stickers as did several of Mayor Ron Mclntire's signs.

Beck and Northern Lakes Fire officials reported Lhe defacing to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department, but it remains unknown who slapped the stickers on the yard signs and bumpers.

A sheriff's deputy tried to fingerprint a vinyl Aryan Nations sticker on one of Beck's signs but was unable to lift a fingerprint.

Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler is running for Hayden mayor in the Nov. 4 election along with former councilman Gordie Andrea. Two of Butler's followers also are vying for City Council seats. Butler has said his

candidacy is a final attempt to air his messages of white supremacy and anti-Semitism. " h's a sign of desperatidn, and they are trying to further confuse voters,â&#x20AC;˘Âˇ said Beck, who is running for re-election against Aryan Nations supporter Zach Beck.

The two men are not related even though Zach Beck has claimed the current councilman is his uncle.

Aryan Nations follower Karl Gharst is running against Councilwoman Nancy Taylor and Kootenai County Solid Waste Director Roger Saterfiel.

Butler said he had nothing to do with the bumper stickers but was happy to bear the Aryan Nations' word is getting out.

Continued: Stickers/ BS

Kathy Plonka/The Spokesman-Review

Aryan Nations bumper stickers appeared on Northern Lakes firetrucks and on Hayden Mayor Ron McEntlre's and Councilman Chris Beck's campaign signs.

Stickers: Butler

said deputy has inquired Continued from Bl ''We must have got some supporters out Lhere," Butler said Tuesday.

The ailing 85-year-old selfproclaimed pastor of the Church of Jesus Christ Christian said he has no bumper stickers like the ones found on the signs because he never gol around to making them. " If you lind some, I'll buy them," he said.

Butler added that a sherifrs deputy had stopped by his I layden home Tuesday asking about "graffiti" on campaign signs. " I told them our signs get knocked down every time we put them up and I wouldn't Lhink about calling the sheriff." Butler said. "AJl's fair in love and war."

McIntire said the vandalism and Butler's campaign doesn't mean

much to Hayden residents. " But I sure wish they would get caught doing it,'' he said. " It's just one of those things, l guess."

McIntire didn't start erecting his red and white re-election signs until Monday. Already many of them are missing or were taken down because they had Aryan Nations stickers on them.

He said sign stealing is an unfortunate and expensive part of the election process.

In his last run for mayor, McIntire said only eight of about 50 campaign signs were left at the end of the 1999 election. ''I don't know if it's kids or what.

You just can't tell,'' he said.

In neighboring Hayden Lake, council candidate Ed ¡'Butch" Blanchette reported Monday that $238 worth of campaign signs were missing, including six from his front yard.

Blanchette is vying for one of two open four-year terms against Councilman Robert Prince and Michael Jordenson.

The top two vote-getters will win scats.

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Vole 1Il Jfayden G1°(y C.fecl10ns

Many of us a re aware that three Aryan Nations members are running for elected office in the City of Hayden .

Some members of the national press are watching these races closely as a referendum testing the support for hate groups in our area. On November 4th, the citizens of Hayden have a great opportunity to tell the world that we live by the same strong values that make America great. By electing the candidates to represent our community who have a strong commitment to individual freedom and human rights, w e make our voices heard.

L et's make a stat ement that there is no room for hate groups in our area. A strong voter turnout will send a message to the nation and the rest of the world that we support American values. Help keep our community and country strong by going to the polls and voting on November 4th.

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We strongly urge anyone living in Hayden to be sure and vote for the candidates who s upport American values. c-

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MAKE A STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN VALUES **

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Representing American Values

Hayden City May o r

Ron McIntire Gordon Andrea Nancy Taylor Roger Saterfiel Chris Beck

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Advanced Technology Surveying Matt Mayberry Tom Yeiser Allwest Testing & Engineering Chris Beck Avista Utllltles Paul Anderson

Fi rst Bank GMAC Jerry Hill Kelly Hanson Mimi & Kirk Fisher Sharon Culbreth Hagadone Corporation H a yde n Chamber of Commerce

BIii Booth Border Sheet Metal & Heating Greg & LeaAnn Brovillard Central Pre-Mix Dan Malcolm Century 21 John Beutler Tom Torgerson

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Chris Beck Committee to Elect Chris Beck Coeur d 'Alene Tractor J ohn & Joanna Adams Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce Coldwell Banker Randy Cox Dorene Ru ssell Ken Gavan Dennis White Gary Schneidmiler Richard & J ean Kohles Linda Wilhelm Solar Larson Nancy White Frank Bennett J oe Dobson' Katie Bane dal Computers Dave Palmer Greg Palmer Dragons Point Computers JR & Susan Newcomb Discount Communications Allan & Darcie Brandvein Electronlc Packaging Associates, Inc Alan J . Golub Everett's On The Lake Everett Fees First Ameri c a n Tltle

Hayden L ake Ins urance Randy Haddock Hecla M i n i ng Company Phil Baker Art Brown Vicki Veltkamp Ron Clayton Mike Callahan Lew Walde Rob Buckham Jeri Delange Clyde Pe ppin Paul Glader John Galbavy H ome by D esign Magazine Brandon Lee lnsfy Prints Bill & Becky Ellefloot Interstate Concrete & Asphalt Dan Malcolm J -U¡ B Engineers Inc. James Coleman Key Mortgage Victor Carlino Kootenai County Task For~e on Human Relati ons Tony Stewart Lakeshore R ealty Anne Anderson Land America Lawyers Tltle Dave Valencia Marshall M end R e alty Marshall & Dolly Mend McCall & Landwehr, CPA's Lorraine Landwehr McLeod Prope rties John Mcleod

Michael J. Blbln & Associates Michael & Tina Bibin Mountain Wes t B a nk Norm & Diana Gissel North Idaho Imme diate Care Centers Dr. Jack Riggs North Idaho Title Michelle Fink Kerri Scott Cheri Knobler Northwest Dynamics Lori Barnes Pioneer Title Company nm Bundgard Cheryl Shippy Liz Nelson Marjorie Valencia Christy Presley Polin & Young Construction, Inc. Larry Polin John Young Ramsde n and Lyons Attorneys At Law Michael Ramsden Marc Lyons Doug Marfice Michael Ealy Terrance Harris Jed Whitaker Renlce Sandler Real Estate S a rgents R e staurant Terry Eastman SCI Structural Engineers Tim Lawton Tyko M e chanical Wayne & Debbie Kovash View Point Media Systems M ike Kennedy Dave Horn Dan Walker Wandroke Enterprises Dick & Shirlee Wandroke W indermere Coeur d'Ale ne Realty Mike Parsons Don & Midge Smock

Sunday, November 2, 2003

In game ofpolitics, one backer can sure throw some heat, Doug Clark says.

Demon helps Idaho candidates really catch fire ·n,e Spokesmo11-lkPiew

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owdy, humans. It's me, Satan.

You know, Beelzebub, Old Nick, Old Scratch, Lucil'er, Pluto, Diablo.

Mephistopheles, Prince of Darkness . . .

Doug That's right - the Devil.

Clark With the election but two days away, I'm making a last-minute call to get out the North Idaho vote for my Hitler-heilin' helpmates: Richard Butler, Zach Beck and Karl Gharst.

Or as we call 'em down here in Brimstone Boulevard: Father, Son and Unholy Gharst.

Butler is the 85-year-old founder of the Aryan

Continued: Clark/ 86

Clark: Three

throw hats into

the ring of fire Continued from Bl

Nations, of course. He·s been tirelessly preaching my gospel of racial hatred in North Idaho for the last quarter century.

Such a trouper. And the poor man's health is shakier than a Magic Fingers matlres.<;.

I've been trying Lo get him to retire and check into the Motel 666 with yours truly.

We're leaving a light on for him.

But Herr Butler says ncin! He wants Lo take one final stab at trashing North Idaho property rates by runnil)g for Hayden mayor.

Beck and Gharst, his loyal lapdogs, have joined Butler's Last I lurrah by running for Hayden City Council seats.

These aren't the first racist politicians rve stumped for. (Lester Maddox says "Hi!") Even so, nothing would make me prouder than seeing these beloved bigots plant their jackboots at Hayden City Hall.

So I'm asking all you voters to

scamper, don't saunter, 10 the polls on Tuesday.

Asking? Hell, I'm commanding.

Make it a neo-Nazi hal trick for Hayden.

Vote the GOF (Grand 01' Fascist) party.

TruLh is, Satan·s in a bit of jam here.

You see, months ago I cut a little devilish deal to help the boys with their campaign. Signed it in blood and everything.

Then life got crazy.

Bombings in Baghdad.

Conflagration in California. Marlins winning the SericsN ....

Work. Work. Work. 01" Satan's been up to his pitchfork in work.

Sadly. the Butler for Mayor crusade fell through the cracks.

Satan's not too big Lo admit it. I fumbled.

With my diabolical guidance, Butler might have had a chance. Or at least garnered more votes than Gray Davis.

But now?

Well, these three have as much chance of winning as finding a snowconc in my kitchen.

Some joker-and I ain't mentioning any names herethought it was a good tactic to slap Aryan Nations bumper stickers on the signs of non-racist Hayden candidates.

Al least it wasn ·t Butler. He

swears he doesn ·1 have any bumper stickers like the ones stuck to the signs.

"If you find some,'' he told a reporter, "I'll buy them."'

Thafs my Dick!

If that wasn't enough of a public relations disaster, a bigger fiasco came Friday night when the cops. showed up at the Butler abode.

And arrested Beck.

They carted him off to the Kootenai County Jail on a felony charge of malicious hara'iSment for allegedly taking a swing at a Hispanic man in a Hayden parking lot Hasn't Satan taught you anything?

Save the harassment until we win the election.

Then we kick all the minorities out of Hayden.

I had such big, big plans for the Butler and buddies campaign.

Now we're almost out of time. All I can do is get down on my scaly knees and beg.

So come on, Hayden people. Help the Evil One out here.

Go to the polls Tuesday. And remember, every vote for a racist is a vote for Me! • Doug Clark can be reached at (509) 459-5432 or by e-mail at dougc@spokesman.com.

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Sunday, November 2, 2003 The Spokesman-Review Spokane, Wash/Coeur d'Alene. Idaho

Hayden candidate faces hate¡crime charge Aryan Nations follower allegedly punched Hispanic man on chin

By Erica Curless

Hayden in Lhe face after asking Miller said Saturday.

AJbright if he was '' Mexican."

Local human rights and Hispanic COEUR d'ALENE - An Aryan Beck, who lives with Aryan Nations representatives think Albright could Nations follower and Hayden City founder Richard Butler and is on initiate a civil lawsuit against Beck Council candidate will make his first Tuesday's ballot for Hayden City and the Aryan Nations. appearance in court Monday for Council, was charged with felony A lawsuit resulting in a $6 million allegedly attacking a Hispanic mania malicious harassment because the verdict in 2000 is what bankrupted a grocery store parking lot. attack is considered a hate crime. the Aryan Nations and caused Butler Zachary Beck Zachary Loren Beck, 24, was ar"It fa lls under a hate crime if you to lose his 20-acre compound near rested Friday night for allegedJy ask a guy, ' Hey, are you Mexican?'" Hayden Lake. punching John A. AJbright, 20. of Kootenai County Sheriffs Sgt. Stuart Butler is running The lawsuit, waged by locals and or while another Staff wri1cr

Beck: His Aryan Nations ties began in Arizona Continued from B1

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'路Jt does show his nature and character and his violent behavior," Chris Beck said. 路'Jt's nice to see him be arrested, but it's unfortunate one of our community members had to suffer.'路 Albright, who couldn't be reached for comment, reported lo the Kootenai County Sherifrs Department that he was parked at Albertson's about 4:15 p.m. Friday when a silver Ford extended cab picked pulled next to him in the parking lot.

Two men wearing black jackets with Aryan Nations insignias on them got out of the truck and pointed to a ticker of a Mexican fl ag on Albright's window, the Sheriff's Department said.

Zach Beck allegedly asked Albright if he was Mexican, and when Albright said yes, Beck reportedly ~wung at Albright's face, grazing his chin with a closed fi t.

The other man, who hasn't been identified, told Albright, "You better watch your elf, we know your car and you better get out of town," a press release issued by the sheriff department said.

Beck and the other man then fl ed in the pickup.

Miller said deputies recognized the description of Zach Beck's silver pickup because the department is currently investigating him for allegedly defacing Chris Beck's and Hayden Mayor Ron Mclntire' 路 campaign signs. Zach Beck is also suspected of driving the same truck repeatedly in front of Chris Beck's home.

Orange and yellow bumper stickers with the Aryan Nations symbol were found this week on yard signs in Hayden and on the bumpers of two ambulances.

After the attack at Albertson's, deputies contacted '.?ach Beck at Butler's Sunview Drive home and Beck refused Lo come out.

After negotiating with Butler, Beck surrendered without incident an~ was booked into the Kootenai County Jail. Miller said.

The department is still unable to identify Beck's passenger.

Zach Beck said he went 10 Albertson's to buy groceries. He admits he had a conversation with Albright but declined to talk about the details. " I can't talk about that right now," said Beck, a blond, blue-eyed man with numerous tattoos on his upper arms.

He said he thinks it's possible Chris Beck had the deputies follow him, waiting for an excuse to lock him in jail before the election. Zach Beck also said he knew nothing about the Aryan Nations bumper stickers found on the campaign signs or who drove his truck by Chris Beck's home.

Chris Beck said he has had no involvement with the Sheriff's Department otl1er than to report the repeated defacing of his campajgn signs and that someone in a silver Ford truck with no license plates threw a package of Aryan Nations literature in his driveway and then proceeded to drive slowly past hjs home for a half-hour Thursday night.

Zach Beck said he moved to Hayden from California about a year ago to live with Butler.

Arizona Daily Star newspaper reports show that Beck, wh? also went by the aliases Zachary Lion Ben on and Zachary Lin Benson, was s~ntenced in Pima County Supenor Court in 1998 and 1999 for marijuana and drug paraphernalia charges.

Both sentences included three years' probation and the 1999 se~tence included 90 days of electro111c monitoring.

He said he got involved with the Aryan Nations while serving jail time and that he had an uncle who was a member in the 1980s. " lt shows everybody the kind of people we are dealing .with," said Marshall Mend, a founding member of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Rights. " Richard Butler has either been bringing hardened criminals to this area or taking good people and,. throu~h. his ,,rhetoric, turning them rnto cnmmals.

Mend said the task force worked to get tlle felony malicious harassment law passed by the Idaho Legislature in the 1980s, and. it is one .of the toughest hate crime laws tn the country.

Gladys Esquibel, Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affai~s ch~irwo.man, said the Aryan Nations 1s usmg the city election as a way to attract attention. " H's a hate crime," she said. "lt's not something the state of Idaho can put up with.''

Miller said the Sherifrs Department has had little problem witll Zach Beck or Butler's oilier followers in the past year. " lt's been really quiet until he decided to go out and campaign,¡¡ Miller said. â&#x20AC;˘ Staff writer Ben Sh ors contributed to this report.

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Tuesday, November 4, 2003 The Spokesman-Review Spokane. Wash./Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Candidate n1ay spend election in jail White supremacist charged with hate crime

By Erica Curless

ported that Beck hit him in the chin after dangerous weapons.

Beck pointed to a Mexican flag sticker on Sterell added that when deputies arAlbright's Cadillac and asked him if he rived at Butler's home Halloween night, Aryan Nations follower and Hayden was " Mexican.''

Beck refused to come out.

City Council candidate Zach Beck may Albright declined to comment MonBeck is on today's Hayden city election have to watch the election results from day. ballot, running against Councilman Chris the Kootenai County Jail tonight. " l would rather nor," he said. "To me Beck who is neither related to the Aryan First District Magistrate PauJ McCabe it's not a media issue.''

Nations follower aor shares his views. set Beck's bond at $50,000 Monday and Kootenai County Deputy Prosecutor Sterett also asked the judge to forbid nobody had yet bailed out the 24-year- Reese Sterett asked the judge to set Zach Beck from comacting Chris Beck or old white supremacist who is charged Beck's bond at $100,000 because he has Albright. with a hate crime. an extensive criminal record in Arizona, The Kootenai County Sheriff's DeBeck, who lives with Aryan Nations California and Washington, including at partment is also investigating Zach Beck founder Richard Butler, was arrested least 10 fa ilure-to-appear charges, and for allegedly defacing Chris Beck's and Friday on suspicion of felony malicious because there's a high risk he may Hayden Mayor Ron Mclntirl!'s campaign harassment fo r allegedly attacking a commit another hate crime. signs and the bumpers of two ambuHispanic man in a grocery store parking Sterett said Beck's charges range from lances. lot after asking him if he was "Mexican." drunken driving and possessing marijuaZach Beck also is suspected of driving John A , Albright, 20, of Haydeo re- na to writing bad checks and possessing his silver Ford pickup repeatedly in front Staff writer

of Chris Beck's home and littering his yard with Aryan Nations literature.

Zach Beck told th e jud ge he doesn't agree with th e hate c rim e charge and that he eventually surrendered to sheriffs Zach Beck deputies. " I live in Hayden and I'm running for City Council in Hayden," Beck said. "With all this going for me, I have no reason to run."

Beck then asked McCabe to reduce his bail to $50,000 from the $100,000 sug-

gested by the prosecutor.

McCabe agreed.

Zach Beck looked surprised and said "Maybe $25,000," causing people in th~ jail's teleconference room to laugh.

In ajailhou e interview Saturday Zach Beck said his arrest was a ploy by his opponent Chris Beck to discredit his name before the election. He said he has a witness and is willing to Lake a polygraph test.

In the sheriffs report released Monday, Albright told deputies that he parked his white Cadillac in the Albertsons .Parkin~ lot about 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Albright said he opened his door and then realized he needed to turn off his Continued: Beck/ 86

Beck: Arrived at Butler's home Continued from Bl

radio.

That's when Zach Beck reportedly pulled up in his pickup. Beck and one of his two male passengers got out and motioned for Albright to roll down his window. The men were wearing black jackets with the Aryan Nations in ignia on the sleeves, the report said.

Albright said Beck then pointed to a Mexican flag sticker in the Cadillac's window and asked if Albright was " Mexican."

When Albright answered yes, Beck allegedly swung at him with a closed list, grazing his chin.

Albright reported that he pushed the driver's side door into Beck, hilling his face. The econd male, who hasn't yet been identified, tried to get into Albright's car but Albright hit him in the face with the door.

That's when Beck allegedly told

Albright, "You better watch yourself, we know your car and you better get out of town."

The men got in the pickup and left.

When Albright reported the attack to the Sheriffs Department, deputies recognized the description of Beck's pickup from the other crimes they are investigating.

Albright couldn't provide specific detail. on the second male other than he was white and wearing an Aryan Nations jacket. The third man who stayed in the truck is described as an older white male with a salt-andpeppcr beard.

When the deputy arrived at Butler's Sunview Lane home about 4:54 p.m., Beck wasn't home. But as the deputy le~ the residence Beck pulled into the driveway, driving the silver Ford pickup. The three men got out and went in. ide, ignoring the deputy's commands to stop.

Butler and the ot her men in the

house refused to open the door. A sheriffs dispatcher called Butler on the phone and asked him to go outside to speak with the deputy.

Butler eventually asked Beck to speak with the deputy.

Beck opened the kitchen window and talked with the deputy but refused to go outside.

The report states that Beck admined to seeing the Mexican nag sticker on Albright's Cadillac and asking him if he was Mexican.

Beck said Albright said he wasn' t Hispanic. Beck said he then left and denied punching Albright. He also refused to give the deputy the names of his passengers.

The deputy then left Butler's home until he got more backup.

The deputies returned to Butler's home about 5:45 p.m. and Beck still would only talk from the kitchen window.

Butler eventually came out and the deputies told him they intended to arrest Beck. The deputies could see Beck walking around the house cat-

ing his dinni;r. He then removed his Aryan Nations jacket, put on a flannel shirt, gestured obscenely at the deputies through the kitchen window and then walked out of the house, deputies reported.

Local human rights and Hispanic representatives said they hope Albright will initiate a civil lawsuit against Beck and the Aryan Nations.

A lawsuit resulting in a $6 million verdict in 2000 bankrupted the Aryan Nations and caused Butler to lose his 20-acre compound near Hayden Lake.

Butler is running for Hayden mayor while another follower, Karl Gharst, is also vying for City Council.

The 85-year-old self-proclaimed pastor of the Church of Jesus Christ Christian, said the campaign is probably his final attempt to spread the Aryan Nations message of white supremacy.

Zach Beck said he got involved ~th the Aryan Nalions by meeting other members while he was serving time in jail. He aJso had an uncle who was a member in the 1980s.

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AN EDITION OF T u . £ ~-RIMEW

-REVIEW WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2003

Sunny and cold Hi~s In the low 30s./See A2

Hayden rebuffs Aryans

By Erica Curless

Hayden election, which is nearly half City voters Sta/f writm of the town's registered voters and an re-elect Mayor Ron McIntire was so confi- all-time record.

Incumbents dent Tuesday night that Hayden "That's really, really an outpourIn landslide voters would reject Richard Butler ing,'" McIntire said about lhe early his Aryan Nations followers that returns before going to bed. "It rejection and he went to bed. should be a pretty clear sign for the of white Aryan program.·· And his dreams came true.

Local human rights activists say the supremacists Butler, the ailing Aryan Nations founder, mustered 50 votes for just over 2 percent of the vote for mayor.

And the two otber Aryan Nations followers vying for City Council seats received only 2.05 percent and 3.36 percem of the vote in their races.

About 2,122 people voted in the

results send a clear message to the world that Hayden, Idaho, wants nothing to do with the Aryan Nations. To them it's Hayden's chance to straighten the record and rebuff the years of hate that the Aryan Continued: Hayden/ A10

Jesse Tinsley/The Sp0kesman-Rev1ew

Hayden City Council candidate Chris Beck and his wife, Uz, look up election results Tuesday In the Caddyshack sports bar.

Hayden:A 'resounding no to hate' Continued from A1

leac:Jer has linked to the town that never embraced his views.

"The voters of Hayden are saying a resounding no to hate," said Tony Stewart, secretary of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. "Nobody ever runs for office hardly and gets I or 2 percent of the vote."

Butler declined to give an interview Friday but told one of his followers who answered the phone to tell the media, "He hopes he's reached a couple of people with the 1 truth."

Several Hayden residents said Butler and his followers have the same right to run for public office as anyone.

"You have to come vote, particularly because of the Aryan Nations," sajd Mike Burrell who voted at the !iayden City Hall. " I came to vote against them."

With 1,924 votes, McIntire easily won a second term against Butler and

former Councilman Gordie Andrea, who got 148 votes.

Councilwoman Nancy. Taylor also retained her seat with 1,236 votes compared to challenger Roger Saterfiel's 771 votes. Aryan Nations challenger Karl Gharst got 42 votes.

And Councilman Chris Beck easily toppled Aryan Nations challenger Zach Beck, who spent election night in the Kootenai County jail for allegedly attacking a Hispanic man Halloween night. The two men are not related and Chris Beck does not share his challenger's Aryan Nations beliefs.

Zach Beck claims his arrest was an attempt by his challenger to discredit his reputation before the election.

Chris Beck got 1,986 votes to Zach

Beck's 69 votes. " It's indicative of the city and our residents of not supporting their views," Chris Beck said.

The Kootenai County Sheriffs Department is also investigating Zach Beck for allegedly defacing campaign signs and driving his pickup repeatedly in front of Chris Beck's home.

During the campaign, the Aryan Nations also passed out literature condemning Mclntire's religion.

Butler said winning was never his point. At 85 and with a bad heart, it was Butler's last hurrah, a final attempt to air his message of white supremacy.

Even though Butler's ploy intrigued the international and national media, tJ1e non-Aryan Nations

HOT POT ATOES

candidates felt the attention took the emphasis off the true issues such as creating a downtown core and building sidewalks.

• Erica Curless can be reached at (208) 765-7137 or by e-mail at ericac@spokesman.com.

lf-S - o 3

Butkr, his hangers-on dlJn 't seem to have karned much 77,r Spok<'sma11-Ue1•ir11•

Y

ou're 85. Your black heart's fa iling. You've lost your home. You·re living in a small house with two morons who share your racist beliefs. And, by this morning, you've been roundly repudiated by your neighbors in your campaign for town mayor. Is it possible for Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler to sink lower? Glad you asked. Zach Beck allegedly OF commilled a hate crime Friday and landed in jail, Oli~eria proving himself to be a chip off the old blockhead. Zach is accused of trying to punch a Hispanic man in a supermarket parkjng lot. This, after Butler already has lost his compound because frenzied fo llowers bullied a woman and her son.

Mebbe Butler needs to be sued again. Obviously, he hasn't learned his lesson.

TH UR SDAY

-REVIEW

NOVEMBER 6, 2003

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Sunny and brisk Highs in mid-30s,/See A2

AN ED 111 0 N Of

1\tE .5POKESMAN-RJMEW

North Idaho votes to go back to the future By electing incumbents, political veterans, voters opt for comfort of status quo

By Erica Curless Staff writer

It's a flashback for Kootenai County voters.

Half of the Coeur d'Alene City Council is the same as 10 years ago. The half-cent sales tax increase is back. And after months of a media blitz focusing on the Aryan Nations election campaign, there are no changes in Hayden city government.

In Rathdrum, where all the elected offices

were up for grabs, the current council president became mayor and all the council members except one have been there before.

The only obvious change is in Post Falls, where Councilwoman Jackie McAvoy was ousted by political newcomer and pizza shop owner Todd Tondee.

And other than bringing the voice of small business to the council, Tondee said he doesn't think there will be a huge change in the dynamics.

" I don't think it's going to change drastically," Tondee said Wednesday while picking up campaign signs. " But it certainly will have the small-business perspective."

'Ctl<JJ'l While voters across WJ•l•JM North Idaho went to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in various city elections, Kootenai County also held a special election on reinstating the half-cent local-option sales tax.

E.Jei •

County Election Supeivisor Deedie Beard said 14,033 votes were cast in Kootenai County - a 25.91 percent turnout. Beard said the turnout was good considering it was the first combined city and county election.

There's no question that Hayden broke records with about 2,122 people voting, which is about 44 percent of the registered voters.

City officials and human rights activists said the turnout proves there's tittle support for Richard Butler and the Aryan Nations, who launched political campaigns in Hayden Continued: Election/ AU

Section: Nearly 7Qpercent OK

sales tax hike Continued from Al to attract attention to their white upremacist cause.

"It's a great way for residents of Hayden to say we refuse to let you stain our name," said Tony Stewart, secretary of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

Mayor Ron McIntire was reelected, as were incumbents Chris Beck and Nancy Taylor.

Unlike Beck, Taylor had a nonAryan Nations challenger. Kootenai County Solid Waste Director Roger Saterfiel, a newcomer to Hayden politics, ran against Taylor but got only 771 votes compared to her 1,236 vo!s. Aryan Nations follower Karl Ghllrst was also in the race and got 42 vores. ''We've been doing exactly what the voters want us to do," said Taylor, who is known for being outspoken.

Taylor said she's not a dissident and it's healthy to bring up opposing views.

1 ' That's exactly what the representation should be, a representation of differing ideas."

Jn Coeur d'Alene, former Mayor Al Hassell beat out Councilman Chris Copstead. Incumbents Ron Edinger and Dixie Reid also won seats.

It's been 10 years since the three have served oo the council together.

But several things have changed in that decade.

Hassell has never worked with council members Deanna Goodlander, Woody McEvers and Ben Wolfinger or Mayor Sandi Bloem.

And in the six years since Hassell served as mayor, the way the city does business bas changed. No longer is the mayor the sole day-to-day director. The city now relies on the 14 department heads, a city administrator and the mayor to carry out the council's direction.

Yet nobody is expecting Hassell to create major change, other than bringing a new perspective and asking different questions. " I do think a little differently than some others," Hassell said. "My process of analysis is different."

Because the council works as a team, Reid said she can't see one new member having too much influence.

But Reid said it will take Hassell time to get acquainted with the new system.

"When a new person comes on, I

don't care if they've been there before, it's a learning process," she said.

Hassell said a lot of the dynamic will depend on which committees and departments Bloem will ask Hassell to oversee.

"He'll bring different ideas and different thinking but still respect the team concept we have," Bloem said.

Nearly 70 percent of the voters agreed to increase the sales tax a half cent to pay for the jail expansion.

That's the same way the county had been paying off the bonds on the jail until last year when the Idaho Supreme Court overturned the 1996 Jaw that allowed the local tax.

Starting April 1, sales taxes wilJ jump to 6.5 percent.

Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden, opposed the measure because he felt the county should live within its current budget. But since a supermajority of voters agreed to it, he's content.

"It sends a strong message that the public will accept an increase of sales tax to get property tax reduction in the future," he said.

Yet some critics are expected to once again challenge the sales tax increase in court.

The county expects to collect $16 million and pay off the jail by December 2006. Half of the cash will go to pay off the remaining $8 million jail

tab while the other half will go toward property-tax relief.

Ln Rathdrum, City Council President Brian Steele won the mayoral race and incumbents Jess Ojala and Bill Swaghoven also retained their seats.

Former Councilwoman Beverly Young, who hasn't been on the council since she lost a 1997 reelection bid, also was elected.

The only true newcomer is local businessman Vic Holmes. ''The town didn't realJy need a clean slate," Steele said. " It just needed a new start."

Communication among the current council, mayor and staff has been difficult, sparking constant controversy.

Steele hopes to open the communication and get back to business.

Paula Laws, who ran against Steele along with Carl Wilt, said she thinks there will be a big change even though she lost.

"There's some new blood on there and they are going to look at procedure and policy and the community as a whole rather than special interest groups," she said. â&#x20AC;˘ Staff writer Erica Curless can be reached at (208) 765-7137 or by e-mail at ericac@spokesman.com.

Kootenai County voters â&#x20AC;˘ proJect a strong II1essage

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We applaud Kootenai County voters- at least the 26 percent who could be bothered to cast a ballot.

In a North Idaho election that received news coverage from San Francisco to Berlin, Germany, the city of Hayden showed its contempt for Richard Butler by voling in record numbers against him and his three-man racist ticket.

In Coeur d'Alene, voters corrected a mistake they made six years ago by returning respected fo rmer mayor Al Hassell to the City Council. ln Kootenai County, voters overwhelmingly thumbed their noses at the Idaho Legislature and a small cadre of local naysayers by e~bracing a revised local-option sales tax to pay off bonds for county jail construction.

Some analysts have used the term "back to the future" to describe what happened in Kootenai County races. After all, no faces changed in Hayden; Hassell has served as a council member and mayor before; and voters had approved a half-cent sales tax before, only to have the state supreme court rule it unconstitutional. We prefer to think voters wisely supported proven candidates and a relatively painless way to fo1ish paying for a massive expansion of the Kootenai County Jail.

No group deserves more praise in our post-election analysis than Haydeu voters, who, once and for all, showed the world what they think of racist interlopers. A relatively staggering 2,122 residentsor 44 percent of the registered voters- cast ballots in the Hayden mayor's race, which featured incumbent Ron McIntire and Butler.

That's almost double the 1999 record of l,159 votes. Only 50 of this week's votes were for Butler. In other words, as human-rights leader Tony Stewart said later, Hayden not only said " no" to neo-Nazj racism, it said "absolutely no."

We're amused that Coeur d'Alene City Hall insiders are fretting about Hassell's solid second-place finish. They have noted that things have changed since he was mayor- that the council and staff work as a team. If that's so - and we don't concede the point Mayor Sandi Bloem unified the team. The council was petty and vindictive under Hassell's successor, Steve Judy.

We look to Hassell to bring a new perspective to the homogenous cou ncil.

Finally, we salute county voters for knowing a good deal when they saw it. By giving 69 percent support to the sales tax, they overcame the two-thirds supermajority barrier, erected by legislators, to reinstall the half-cent tax. The tax pays for the jail and provides millions of dollars in property tax relief.

Some opponents say they'll challenge the sales tax in court again.

Tuesday's vote shows how out of step they are with the community. â&#x20AC;˘ "Our View" represents the editorial voice of The Spokesman-Review. It is written by members of the editorial board, who are listed on this page.

December, 2003 Volume 20, Number I 0

figLree @thefigtree.org www.thefigtree.org

Monthly newspaper covering fa.ith in action throughout the Inland Northwest

North Idaho human rights advocates emphasize education

Literacy fosters dignity

By Mary Stamp By joining together to speak out against hate Lhat was taught for years in North Idaho, human rights advocates in the regio n have been changing the perception of the area.

Three human rights proponents recently summarized the 23-year journey to counteract bigotry and their commitment to make North ldaho a center for human rights education.

Speaking Oct. 23 on the United Nations Day theme, " Building a Bridge to Literacy," Nom1an Gissel, Tony Stewart and Mary L ou Reed recounted the persistence and resolve needed lo rid North Idaho of the while supremacist Aryan Nations headquarters.

The "bridge" to literacy is c lear to them: People need lo be 1iterate to be educated so they can gain human rights, participate in democracy and achieve world peace, they said at an event sponsored by Spokane s United Nations Association.

Nonn, Tony and Mary Lou , members of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human RighL<;, are working to establish the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d'Alene.

Continued on page 12

Hands together symbolize the meeting encountering, acting empowering, hoping envisioning, represent the solidarity vigilence, courage 11011viole11ce, education persistence of area people in face of hate threats, fear crimes, frustration obstacles as they progress toward rheir long-seen dream that American diversity will be lnland Northwest diversitvcolors:faiths rnltures, agespeople living in dignity and respect, in equality and justice, in harmony and peace.

Page 12 - The Fig Tree - December 2003

Proponents of human rights dismantle center for hate Continued from page I Over Lhe years, the ir efforts received less media attenlion lhan lhose who gave Lhe region a poor reputalion.

They have worked persistently with olhers, been targets oflhreats and gathered grassroots mome ntum in the Northwest to dismantle white supremacy in the region.

Whenever hate arises, countering it requires ongoing vigilance from people who step forward to say "not in our community."

Norm gives historical overview Nonn, the auorney who worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center in its successful lawsuil that bankrupted the Aryan Nati ons, said the United NaLions predecessor, the League of Nations, recognized the threa t o f fascism before World War II. "Today, with the Nazi Party banned in Germany, new Nazis are trying to intluence people in lhc United States and England," he said. "More than 23 years ago, we awoke and realized lhere were Nazis in Kootenai County."

Norm presented the cultural, political and religious background of lhe Nazis and why they chose the Northwest.

"An antecedent of the religious compone nt was the Chris tian Identity movement in the 1830s British Empire, promoting the idea that the British were the new chosen people. The idea was imported to the United States, and a strain ran through several Protestant churches," he said.

Norm Gissel, Mary Lou Reed and Tony Stewart It gai ned strength in the 1930s and 1940s in Southern California. R ic hard Butl er too k over the Christian Identity movement there in the 1960s and formed the Aryan Nations, which he brought to North Idaho.

The compound at Hayden Lake was a center for the American Nazi Party. In its IO buildings, there were hundreds of swastikas, more than 50 Hitler photos and a bust of him on a podium beside the pulpit, Nonu said.

While the political ideology came from the Nazi Party, he said that its cultural background came from the American Klu Klux Klan movement.

From the 1920s to 1960s, he continued , the klan likened itself to service organizations, but serving as the racial and cultural gatekeepers to keep blacks, Hispanics and Jews " in their place." ''They instilled fear by bodily crimes-hangin gs, mutilatio ns and assaults," he said. "The communities affecLed o ften granted immunity from prosecutio n, so the klan could kill and suffer no criminal consequences."

The civil rights movement in the 1960s raised U.S. moral consciousness with the idea that all people are equal.

"The klan had failed in big cities of the Norlh in the 1930s, and in the South during the 1960s.

Klan ideas then spread in rural white America from Ellensburg to New Jersey. They linked with ideas of the Aryan Nations as it settled in the Northwest to create a homeland usi ng kJan-like acti vities," Norm summarized.

While the Inl and Northwest bore no moral responsibility for the Nazis moving here, "it became our moral responsibility once they were here," he said. " What would we do as human beings? What is our responsibility? That was the dilemma we faced in Lhe Inland Norlhwest," he said, turning to Tony to describe res ponses of mora l Amer ican citizens in the area.

Tony s ums up citizen response To ny, who came to Coeur d Alene in 1970 to teach political science at North Idaho College (NIC), said that " literacy is at the heart of human rights.

Educated people are less li kely to be recruited into hate. Educated people arc also able to eradicate hate and prejudice.

"Wherever we live, moments come when we face c rises and are tested. We become great if

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we do not remain silent. Courage is required in face of dangers, hate and enemies of democracy," he asserted .

"The Aryan Nations moved LO the area in the early 1970s and in 1975 Butler purchased 20 acres and built 10 buildings. They began to harass elected o ffi cials,'' Tony said. "In the 1980s, people began responding": â&#x20AC;˘ When hate graffiti appeared on a Jewish-owned restaurant, 15 people met with the owner and said "not in our community." â&#x20AC;˘ Whe n a biracial couple in Coeur d Alene was targeted , the community said " no" and took action.

Dina Tanners, who then lived in Coeur d Alene, invited the community to organize and helped form Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, Tony said.

"We affirmed that we would be in charge of our future and fate, and that our actions must not be determined by hate," he said.

In addition to the task force, o the r huma n ri g hts groups formed-the Interstate Task Force on Human Relations in Spokane and eventua lly the No rthwest Coalitio n agains t Malic io us Harassment, which became the Northwest Coalition for Human Dig nity, serving Idaho, Mo ntana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming

Tony described the Aryan Natio ns as a political organization with a religious arm, the Church of Jesus C hrist Christi an, tha t preached hate.

"IL drew the interest of media, and we paid a great price in gaining the reputation that our region was who they were. It was a stain on the area that has been hard to overcome," he said.

"Failing to recruit people from North Idaho, the Aryan Nations recruited disillusioned young men in prisons, bringing them to North Idaho to teach them Nazi Party thought and hate," he said.

Tony said followers committed about one hundred felonies-murders, poisonings and robberiesand wanted to start a revolution in Seattle.

"An Arkansas mother, father and their daughter were killed," he said, "then a man taught to hate here went to Los Angeles and injured Jewish children. The one who taught the hate, however, avoided prosecution."

Tony said hate will go on even after the Aryan Nations.

He considers the region' s response as "an incred ible story o f many people who have given hours, because they feel they had a moral obligation to respond."

Beyond family and work, the ba ttle agai ns t the Nazis, supporting hate-crime victims and o rganiz ing no n vio le nt actio ns consumed most of Tony s time.

"We would not remai n silent, but we did not let Aryan Nations events set our agenda. We would not pro test at the ir e ve nts and risk hav ing sho uting matches.

That would confuse the public," Tony said.

The task force met month after mo nth, reacting, but independent.

When there was an Aryan Nations "world congress" in July 1986, the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations set a rally in Coeur d Alene, drawing five governors to speak for human rights. In contrast with 200 at the congress, 1,000 people came to that rall y, and media who came Continued on next page

Continuedfrom previous page from around the world heard the ir message, 100.

When the home of former priest and organizer, Lhe late Bill Wassmulh, was bombed, they held an evening rally for nonviolence- to show courage in face of intimidation.

"We he ld press conferences, went to court with victims, had programs with children and did a Martin Luther King, Jr., Day program wilh thousands of fifth graders in Lhe county," Tony said. "We passed laws, so now Idaho has Lhe longest list of laws against hate crimes in the nation. We raised money and held conferences and workshops. We gave grants to teachers. We held a 1998 rally at Gonzaga Univers ity.

"We worked with legal, business and religious communities to form a coalition of all aspec ts of the community. T hrough that, we gained strength and permanence," Tony said .

"We knew that as long as this was a world headquarters teaching hate there wo uld be more victims," Tony said. " It was important to e liminate the nest."

Supporters of Lhe first and 14th ame ndme nts were fru stra te d , knowing that vio lent crimes occurred because hate was being pre ache d , but the y c ou ld not stop the preacher without d irect victims.

In February 1998, the Aryan Na ti o ns secure d a pe rm it to march on S herman, rather than their usual route near Lhe garbage dump. Knowing it would draw media, protesters and the klan, the task force decided to checkmate with a twist of humor, using this " lemon" to " make lemonade."

They asked people to pled ge fo r each minute of the pa rade to raise money to teach chi ldren about di versity.

If the Ary ans cancelled the march, the task force would raise no money for d iversity education.

If the Aryans ran the parade route, there would be less monei "We suggested that they march slowly. We raised $35,000 from Lheir 27-minute walk," Tony said.

"As a result of our fund raising related to the march, the nation

learned about us, and we took victory."

Because people at the compound became parano id, fearing that people would invade, Victoria Keenan and her son were shot at and assaulted when they drove by, Tony said.

The Koote nai C o unty T ask Force bro ught human rights attorney Morris Dees to file suit.

Twelve women and me n said, "Not in our state," and awarded $6.5 m ill io n to the Keena ns, bankrupting the Aryan Nations, Tony said .

Philanthropist Greg Carr, an Idah o na tive wh o in ven ted Prodigy software and ran Boston Techno logy, cre ated the Carr Foundation, which is dedicated to human rights. He bought the compound and do nated it to North Idaho C ollege's Foundation.

"We tore down Lhe campus of hate and returned it to nature," Tony said , who described "the overwhelming vote against the bid

by Butler to be mayor of Hayden as a final exclamation to say ' no' to hate in our community."

T he former compound is now Peace Park, where birds sing and deer roam free ly, he said.

"Although it was a great victory, it was tiring and time consuming, but it would be fatal to say we were done with prejudice and bigotry. To challenge them is a lifetime commitment," Tony said. "We cannot stop. We must stand with all who suffer, all the victims of hate in Lhe history of the world. We need to understand Lhat when we stand up, good people wil I disagree. Some people came on board immediately, olhers took years to become supporters."

Mary Lou reports on new center Mary Lou to ld about the next chapter, Lheir plans for a regional Human Rights Center in Coeur d ' Alene . " Every d ay our phones ring, and we discuss the issues. It's an unbelievable gift that calls for us to conl inue to give," she said.

"We go to Wyoming and Montana where hate groups are arising and share our experiences, so more people will speak up sooner."

"To fight hate, we need to educate people," asserted Mary Lou,

an Idaho State Senator from 1984 to 1996.

To do that, the task force estab1ished the Human Rights Education Institute to promote human rights, equality, respect and human dignity as essential elements of j ustice and democracy.

"We want the regio n seen as having a welcome mat out for people of all c ultures and colors," she said. "Communities do not grow under Lhe stigma of racism and narrow mindedness. We need to educate our ch ildren to embrace diversity, tolerance and acceptance and to celebrate the joys of living in a diverse community."

The institute has signed a lease with the City of Coeur d ' Alene to use a visible, historic building at the edge of Coeur d ' Alene Park for Lheir human rights education center.

T hey plan to develop a dramatic, interactive exhibit, hoping to draw busloads of students from tbe region and hold their attention.

In add ition, there will be space for traveling exhibits from other areas, preparation of their own trave ling exhibits, intercultural entertainment, age-sensitive human rights education programs and curricula on bullying and harassment for children and adults.

"We hope attitudes wi ll change in h omes, schools and co mmunities," Mary Lou said. " A key time to help children form ideas about fairn ess is in their preschool years when they begin understanding the differe nces between themselves and others and the difference between threat and comfort.

"We will contjnue to work with other agencies to break down barriers of hate and overcome the illiteracy of hate," she said, proud Lhat the response of people in Lhe area to the hate was without hate, violence or evil.

To o vercome the "unj ustified mantle of rac ism" hung on the Inland Northwest, Norm hopes to attract people of color to live in the regio n so " the color o f America is Lhe color of Lhe Inland Nonhwest."

For in formation, c all (208) 664-3564.

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Monday, December 8, 2003 The Spokesman-Review Spokane, Wash,/Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Hucklebenies: French taking

a look at Idaho Continued from AS appropriately: "Rep. Harwood has found room in his mouth for both feet on occasion." On many occasiom,.

Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

BIii Bryson, here with "Miracle on 34th Street" co-star Kytle Turbin, appears to bear some small resemblance to a certain well-known seasonal character.

Here's an actor with a Claus in his contract HUCKLEBERRIES

ParUngshot They"ve heard of us in Paris. At least, about our "Lemons to Lemonade" .pledge drive. Remember?

In July 1998, local human-righters raised some $35,000 by seeking pledges for a downtown march by Richard Butler's lemons, er, neoNazis. Last week, two French students working on their master's degrees phoned NIC instructor Tony Stewart to sec how we did ii.

They're trying to set up a foundation that will provide violence prevention programs for elementary

and middle school~. Tony talked to them for a half hour. Tony isn't sure how their prof in Paree got his name. But who could blame him for thinking: Oo-la-la'!

11,e Spokesman-&l'ien

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uckleberries hears that Bill Bryson is a drop-dead ringer for Santa Clauswhatwith his own long, white beard and twinkle in the eye, and all. And that his performance as Kris Kringle in the Lake City D.F. Playhouse's "Miracle on 34th Ollverla Street" is worth the price of admission. lo fact. a girl reportedly saw Bill audition for the part of Mr. C and whispered to her father: "He's here!" Bill's '' Kris," of course, reprises the role of the jolly codger who believes he's Santa and convinces a young girl and a skeptical judge likewise. Shoppers at the Post FalJs Wal-Mart don't need to be persuaded, though. They already know Bill as "Kris" -or at least that's how he's ID'd on his name tag for his day job as a Wal-Mart greeter. Hi! Hi! Hi!

â&#x20AC;˘ D.F. Oliveria can be contacted at (800) 344-6718. Or(208) 765-7125. Or daveo@spokesman.com.

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Standards to sing for Human Rights Week All fifth-graders in ' Cd'A school district to hear band's music COEUR d' ALENE - Toe Standards, an up-and-coming singing group, will use their special sounds to teach local residents about human rights this week.

Toe four brothers from Twin Falls will be visiting schools路 in the Coeur d'Alene School District in honor of Human Rights Week, offering the message "Uve in Harmony."

Pam Pratt, principal of Skyway Elementary, said Toe Standards may not perform for every student, but will make sure all district fifth. graders hear its music.

That's because fifth graders from across Kootenai County will be taken to North Idaho College on Friday for the annual Martin Luther King Human Rights Celebration.

"They're a great a cappella band, and have sung through the U.S.," Pratt said.

The band came together 10 years ago after the broth-

ers attended a concert by Toe Nylons, a famous a capella singing group.

"Live in Harmony'' is also the name of Toe Standards' third album, which includes the song "I Believe."

Toe celebration especially for area fifth-graders begins at 9:30 a.m., and features The Standards, along with various presentations and music by area students.

Presenters include Skyway's Special Chorus, a representative from each school talking about harmony,

students ,lighting a "Friendship Flame," and a Korean exchange student at Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy talking about harmony. Toe event ends with all students singing "Love Can Build a Bridge."

Pratt said The Standards will also offer a full show Thursday for parents, families and others in the community who want to hear them.

This performance is .at 7 p.m. in the Coeur d'Alene High School auditorium, and tickets are $5 for students or $7 for adults.

Four Corners unveiled Railroad agrees to remove downtown Cd' A tracks

By MARC STEWART Staff writer

COEUR d' ALENE - An ambitious proposal will change the look and atmosphere of the gateway to the Lake City.

The Four Corners project is expected to cost millions and take years to complete.

But when it's finished, city officials believe it will be priceless.

The plans calls for shrinking the Independence Point parking lot, relocating the Museum of North Idaho, tearing out downtown railroad tracks and improving Memorial Field. . '1t's space that the public

wants to entrust for the future," said Mayor Sandi Bloem. 'The enhancement to the parks and the keeping of Memorial Field and the attention to the Fort Grounds neighborhood is a real asset.

When we're done, we will have great vistas, improved parking and wonderful public spaces."

The city's Committee of Nine presented a proposal during a council workshop Wednesday afternoon.

It was well received.

'1 think they did a marvelous job," said Council President Dixie Reid. "I am so impressed with the plan they brought forward."

City officials are dreaming big.

CORNERS continued on A3

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The Committee of Nine's recommendations to the City Council for the Four Corners area and City Park.

1. Independence Point: Create more green space by reducing parking from 87 spaces to 35 spaces.

2. Proposed Chamber of Commerce location: The $1.1 million building would also be the home of the Downtown Association.

3. Museum of North Idaho: The museum will be relocated to an undetermined site.

The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe railway will be removed. The existing parking lot will be expanded to 174 spaces.

4. Human rights center: The histortc power station would be expanded into a multi-million dollar facility.

5. New building: A 40,000-square-foot building could be used for private or public uses - possibly the future home of the Museum of North Idaho.

6. Mullan Avenue improvements: Reduce lanes, add parking spaces and make pedestrian frtendly.

7. Traffic circle: A roundabout at Park Street and Mullan Avenue.

8. Memorial Field: Build new grandstands, keep histortc grandstands, reconfigure softball field.

9. Skate park: Expand area for skate park, upgrade park, add parking spaces.

1O. Garden Avenue: Connect to Northwest Boulevard.

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"We haven't evaluated the cost of the entire project yet," said Bloem. "Lots of pieces are falling into place."

The first domino fell Wednesday when city officials worked out a deal with Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad to remove its downtown tracks City Attorney Mike Gridley, who was instrumental in negotiating the deal, said the removal costs still need to be established.

"We have an agreement in principle to remove those tracks and the crossing on Mullan Avenue," Gridley said.

"We have to pay for the movement" The plans call for BNSF to eliminate tracks that run parallel to Northwest Boulevard between the Mullan crossing and the North Idaho Museum.

"It means wonderful things for the Human Rights Center," said Bloem. 'The parking lot where the museum is could get started as soon as possible."

The committee spent about a year working on the Four Corners project Its recommendations will be presented at Tuesday's City Council meeting at 6 p.m.

The City Council hasn't approved the plans. The proposal overview is as follows:

• Independence Point Less parking, more grass and trees. The Committee of Nine calls for a 60 percent reduction in paved surfaces.

The proposal is to reduce the existing 87 parking spaces to 35. A transit dropoff area

would be created on Sherman Avenue.

There are designs for a gazebo and gathering area.

• Museum of North Idaho Museum officials want a new home in the hub of the Four Corners project A 40,000square-foot building will be constructed on the corner of Bloem Northwest Boulevard and Mullan Avenue once all of the railroad tracks are gone. The museum wants it However, city officials aren't sure the museum will get it "It could be a wonderful site for a performing arts center," said City Councilwoman Deanna Goocllander. "It could be a number of things in that building."

The museum's current facility, which is adjacent to Northwest Boulevard, would be demolished and the railroad tracks removed.

A 174-space parking lot would service the Human Rights Center, the Chamber of Commerce and City Park.

The Museum of North Idaho has resided at 115 Northwest Boulevard since 1979. It has 3,000 square feet and many of the museum's artifacts are kept at an off-site storage building.

"We're very crowded," said Dorothy Dahlgren, museum director. 'The museum is always growing and expanding."

Dahlgren said the museum paid an architect $45,000 to

design a new 30,000-squarefoot museum.

• Human Rights Center

Complex The historic power station on Mullan Avenue will undergo a $350,000 facelift If all goes well, the facility could be expanded southward.

City officials and citizens hope the old Cultural Center will become one of the focal Reid points of the city.

The building will accommodate school children and other events.

"This will help to make Coeur d'Alene the human rights capital of the world," said Marshall Mend, founding member of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

The Human Rights Center Complex will have a front court plaza with dropoff areas and interpretive artwork.

A brick wall on the old power station would be partially replaced by glass, creating a view of the park.

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• Chamber of Commerce The business community headquarters w.ould move downtown from its office on Third Street and Spruce Avenue.

A proposed 4,000-squarefoot building would be surrounded by Northwest Boulevard, First Street and Lakeside Avenue.

"It would make us the gateway to the community and that's what a chamber of com-

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merce should be," said Jonathan Coe, president and CEO of the Coeur d'Alene Area Chamber of Commerce.

"It's in a great place to hold a meeting."

Coe said the chamber would share space with the Downtown Association and the Lake City Development Corp.

'That continues to be our goal, to move there," Goodlander said Coe. "We're in the midst of discussions and planning."

Coe said the project will cost an estimated $1.1 million.

The chamber owns the grass portion of the property, which is surrounded by Northwest Boulevard, First Street and Lakeside Avenue.

Coe said the chamber has a commitment from The Hagadone Corporation to sell the remaining two-thirds of the site.

• Memorial Field The softball field will be reconfigured so a hitter would face north. The historic grandstand would be freshened and a similar grandstand to the west would be constructed.

The outfield would also be extended to 300 feet and warm-up areas would be added.

A new entry plaza will highlight the Rock of Fame.

• Skate park Skateboarders don't have to worry. The most popular park in the city could be

expanded and improved.

The park would be located north of Memorial Field.

The park would have additional jumps and take advantage of the natural grade changes.

Goodlander would like to see a BMX section added for riders who per form stunts and tricks.

The plans call for a new parking lot, which would have 119 sp3:ces.

• Garden Avenue extension The most complicated piece of the city's Four Corners puzzle, it is also the most likely to change.

The goal is to connect midtown with North Idaho College and the education corridor by extending Garden Avenue to the west across Nor thwest Boulevard.

Garden Avenue would connect with Park Street.

But the configuration of Northwest Boulevard and Garden Avenue makes it nearly impossible.

"Sometimes engineering and planning don't coincide," said Brad Jordan, who sits on the Committee of Nine. "We had a tough time with this one."

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Saturday, January 17, 2004 The Spokesman-Review Spokane, Wash./Coeur d'Alene. Idaho

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A celebration of diversity North Idaho fifth-graders honor slain civil rights leader by learning to accept one another as is

By Taryn Brodwater Staff writer

Live in Harmony.

It seemed like a manageable task. At least for two hours.

The more tban l,000 fifth-graders gathered at North Idaho College for the 19th annual Human Rights Celebration even went so far as to put their arms around the classmates sining on each side of them.

And if it wasn't shocking enough that studentsof the age where members of the opposite sex still

have "cooties" -were showing such kindness for one another, they took it to another level.

Prompted by the musicians on stage, the students turned to one another and shouted in unison: "1 love you man!"

Organizers for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day assembly encouraged students to carry the program's theme, "Live in Harmony," into their everyday lives.

Ye Ree Park, an exchange student from Seoul, South Korea, told students she had changed schools nine times and had to make new friends each time.

"The first thing I do is look for a good thing in people, like kindness," said Park. who attends the Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy. If she was focused on the bad in people, Park said, " I'd cheat them and myself out of a wonderful friendship."

Coeur d'Alene elementary principals Pam Pratt and Bob Sham berg - emcees for the program told students they shouldn't discriminate against anyone for any reason.

No matter what color a person is. No matter how many parents they have. Whether they're short or Continued: Klng/86

All together now

Jesse 11nsley/The Spokesman-Rll'llew

Nathan Wllllams of The Standards holds his mike to the crowd as the band performs at the Human Rights Celebration at North Idaho College on Friday.

souls," he said.

Amber Hart of Dalton Elementary told tudents they should respect and love their enemies - even if they don't like them.

At the end of the program, real estate agent and local civil rights activist Marshall Mend lit the ··Friendship Flame." Then a student Continued from 81 from each school touched a candlestick to the flame, making a ring of lit tall, big or small. candles of different color .

A student from each of the 14 As the flames nickered together, elementary schools from Post Falls students and The Standards, the and Coeur d'Alene shared an " I musical group headlining the assembelieve" statement and ideas for bly, sang "Lean on Me." living in harmony.

Austin Calzada said he thought the ·'We can live in harmony if we message King shared was simple, but learn to Jove each other like we love important: "We're all special." our elves," said Hayden Lake Ele" Martin Luther Kfog actually only mentary's Kaye Thornbrugh. lived for 39 years," the Winton fift hBryan Elementary's Addison Wells grader said. " He had a short period said he thought Martin Luther King of time co change the world. And he Jr. wa amazing: "We celebrate his did it." birthday because his birthday is the birthday of a legend who has changed • Taryn Brodwater can be reached at (208) 765-7121 ortarynb@spokesman.com.

America forever in our hearts and

King: Students learn to 'Live in Harmony'

The Press, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2004

For news or story ideas: Call City Editor Bill Buley at 1 ÂŁ.mail: bbuley@cdapress.com

JASON HUN>T/Press

Dalton Nelson, 10, left, Jacob VanEtten, 10, and Treshawn Keloudn, 10, wave their hands during the 19th Annual Human Rights Celebration Friday at North Idaho College.

Living in Harmony Students celebrate human rights with music of The Standards

By KAREN SHERMAN Staff writer COEUR d' ALENE - Inside North Idaho College's Schuler Auditorium, the acoustic ceiling and walls worked overtime to absorb sound.

Because each time five brothers walked onto the stage Friday morning, 1,200 fifth-graders clapped and cheered. The students listened as

The Standards, a musical a cappella group from Twin Falls, taught about living in harmony through choreographed song and dance at the 19th Annual Human Rights Celebration.

"It was really good," said Brianna Friehe, a fifth-grade student from Prairie View Elementary in Post Falls. "Plus, one of them is really cute."

The Standards were invited by Pam Pratt, principal of Skyway Elementary, to spend the entire week visiting elementary schools in the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls school districts. They performed songs from their third album,

"Living in Harmony," including their feature song, "I Believe."

The musical group joined fifthgraders from 14 schools to celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and teach the importance of respect, diversity and tolerance. TI1e Standards kicked off the two-howshow by singing the national anthem. "lt is a pleasure for us to be here, especially celebrating human rights," said Nathan Williams, a member of t;he group. "It's so important for us to accept each other and bring each other into ow- family."

HARMONY continued on C4

HARMONY

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Most of the fifth-graders understood why they were bussed to NIC's campus. They w ~ ~ getting out of the clas~ room for free. Instead they ¡ .ned about the influential leader who lived a short life, from 1929 to 1968. . A PowerPoint presentation about King was designed by Sally Sorenson, the music teacher at Sorensen Elementary. It showed many pictures of King giving speeches and leading marches, along with a short biography about

his quest.

"Martin Luther King Jr. helped black people get their rights," said Tausha Ray, 11, a student from Winton Elementary. "It's fun learning about him."

Students from each school were selected to share their thoughts about Martin Luther King Jr. during the celebration.

Some of the students called him "freedom fighter," a "legend" and a "human rights activist."

"He truly believed that all men w.ere created equal," said Kaye Thornbrugh, a fifthgrade student from Hayden Lake Elementary. "If we all do our par t and be kind to each other, we can keep Martin Luther King's dream alive."

A student from each school lit a "Friendship Flame," and a South Korean exchange stu-

dent named YaRee Park spoke about her experiences forging friendships and accepting others while attending school at the Charter Academy. The event ended with all the stu4e.nts singing "Love Can Build a Bridge." , ' "Th'e 19~. Annual Human Rights Celebration was sponsored by the Human Rights Education Foundation, NIC's Popcorn Forum, Human Equality Club and the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

Tony Stewart, president of the Human Rights Education Foundation, accepted a poster from Pratt during the celebra¡ tion for his support of human rights in North Idaho. For 34 years, Stewart has organized NIC's Popcorn Forum, as well as coordinating the annual Human Rights Celebration.

'The fifth grade is an age that is really ideal for this," Stewart said. "They're old enough to do this program it's peers teaching peers."

Garrett Cabeza shared his short essay about Martin Luther King Jr. before a packed auditorium.

"This great man spoke out about prejudices and unjust laws," said Cabeza, a fifth. grade student from Winton Elementary. 'This year I will encourage others to speak up for what's wrong."

Karen Sherman can be reached at (208) 664-8176 ext. 2016 or ksherman@cdapress.com.

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umans are uncomfor table with the idea of chance, of occurrence without purpose or meaning. That must be why I found a common thread in an unconnected series of events this week.

Life is deUcate, in every sense of the word.

It began where it ends: the funeral of one who ended her own file. The popular daughter of a friend, her file was not a stor y of neglect, poverty, abuse, ill health or great tragedy. This lovely young woman was a former Junior Miss, cheerleader and a college stu- Sh oleh dent. She was witty, bright, fun, attractive Patrick and deeply cherished by her family and friends. Her mother, father and brother were active in her file and commun ity, themselves equally as impressive and loving as she.

Stories like that are hard to comprehend, unless we accept the simple fact that each isolated moment in file has the potential to affect us profoundly, no matter what comes before or after.

We live delicately.

Then came the publicized story of a local high school boy, driven out of school in those tumultuous years of adolescence by consistent harassment from his peers. He asked for help, which was lacking. Some would say that's because he was openly gay.

But others, including a well-known mother of a former stellar student 01eterosexual) and a popular cheerleader at the same school, strongly disagree.

That mother told me her daughter was also told that standing out and being "different'' - this time for her accompUshments - was the cause of the violent threats she was receiving.

"When you do things like become a cheerleader and stand out like that, you bring this on yourself."

According to the girl's mother, that's a quote from the same high school. counselor whom the young man said turned down his pleas for help after he was physically assaulted ~d _ba~ered.

Is that counsel? An ed1to1:1al lik_ened the inherent risks of that attitud~ m a high school setting to the potential f?r anoth er Columbine massacre . Even if you'd disagree, perhaps you wou!d agree that at the very least, one file at ¡ the height of delicacy in adolescence could be permanently affected. .

A moment can be fragile. Each file has its turning points, precede~ by par¡ ticular events that may seem mmor to outsiders, but followed by permanent change.

Next came the more personal ~ews of a stroke, the disturbing revelation that part of a mind I've always loved could be permanently disconnected.

One day she's there to listen and share with me her wisdom, the next she may no longer be capable. .

Delicate too can be the connection we have with others .

But still, I hadn't yet seen ~e thread. At least not until the middle of a concert Thursday by five talented young men, 'The Standards." We went PATRICK continued on C4

at the urging- OK, begging of my daughter. After about an hour of piercing girlish screams, I was thinking of little other than my growing headache until the end of the concert The a cappella group gave a short speech before one of their final songs, extollin~ . . both the virtues and sens1b1lity of love for_fello:n ~an and embracing d1vers1ty m people.

That reminded me of the annual Kootenai County Task Force on Human Rights dinner coming up on Monday.

Then it came together.

The whole week had an ironic theme: the connections of chance.

Like it or not, the entire human species is connected.

We're all different in various ways and can call ourselves

individual, but each one of us every day affects many, many others. Some connections we realize, to others we are oblivious. Coincidences of timing and events bring us together in small ways and large, but the result is the same: we affect each other's lives over and over again.

We can make that effect helpful or harmful.

We can acknowledge that when we are harmful, we don't just harm in the immediate moment; we have the potential of affecting thousands of others and ourselves because each delicate moment is feedback in a life that individual will carry to each person and place of his entire future.

Perhaps then we can direct the purpose of chance.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. E-mail her at sholeh@angelflre.com.

AN ED IT IO N OF

1BE.5PoKEsil.AN-RJMEw

-REVIEW

MONDAY JANUARY 19, 2004

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•,

Snow showers Highs in mid-30s/See A2

Substation to showcase human rights

By Taryn Brodwater CdA institute S1afl wrircr to transfonn The Human Rights Education historic railroad Center looks like an abandoned building Into warehouse.

The exterior bricks are cracked educational and covered with moss. The bars on center the tiny single-pane windows are rusty It isn't very inviting, but the dreamers behind Coeur d'Alene's fi rst human rights center are determined to transform a centuryold railroad substation into a nationally renowned center for human rights education.

The building at Mulla'n Avenue and Northwest Boulevard once housed gianl batteries for the electric trains that ran from Spokane to Hayden's Bozanta Tavern in the early 1900s.

"A hundred years later, we're trying to make it something the community can be proud of,'' said Sandy Emerson, a member of the Human Rights Education Institute who helped scout locations for the center.

The effort is being bolstered by $1 million fo seed money from Idaho Falls philanthropist Greg Carrand by a prime location on one of downtown's busiest corners.

The city has big plans for the socalled Four Corners intersection, wh.ich heads a stretch of property to Harbor Center that has been identified as a future education corridor.

"It's so well-located," Emerson said. "It has a presence as the entrance to the community."

As far as a challenge goes, tbis one

LMIJ Cour d'Alene

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is small compared with what local human rights activists have dealt with in the past. In the last two years, they

have celebrated the demise of the white supremacist Aryan Nations and watched as the hate group's Hayden compound was razed and turned into Peace Park.

"A lot of people would say after those victories. 'OK, the work's finished -you can sit back aod not do anything else,' "said Tony Stewart, president of the institute's board. "But there's always going to be a struggle against prejudice and bigotry not only here but all over the world."

The center's focus will be education, with an emphasis on telling the local, national civil rights and international human rights stories. The center could open this summer.

"We're going to have visiting Continued: Center/ AS

Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Page A6

Monday, January 19, 2004

NATION / FROM

Center. Three

finalists picked for director job Continued from A1

exhibits so that people can keep coming back to the center, so you don't come once and say there's nothing else to see," Stewart said.

Since announcing its lease agreement with the city of Coeur d'Alene for the building in July, the institute launched an international search for an executive director.

About 75 people applied. The three fin alists hail from Great Britain, the Midwest and the West Coast.

A grant writer has already been hired, and the center plans to'hire an assistant to the executive director and an education coordinator.

Skyway Elementary Principal Pam Pratt said she's excited about the resources the center will offer for local schools.

"Ln our schools we do a lot of character development," Pratt said. ·'Jn January, we really focus on the human rights and human dignity piece."

Pratt said the schools come together at North Idaho College each year for the Martin Luther King Day program, but the center will be available all year long, with interactive exhibits and performances.

"That's how our kids get the message," Pratt said, '·not just from hearing it, but trying to experience it.''

Marshall Mend, a founding member of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relationsthe institute's parent organization - said the center is the first step in making Coeur d'Alene "the human rights capital of the world."

"The main function is to educate

people, everybody, on human

rights," Mend said. " It is definitely a doable deal. You can change the world one person at a time."

Al the same time that Carr donated $1 million toward the rights center, he gave the former Aryan Nations land to the North Idaho College Foundation. Carr had purchased the land after the Aryan Nations lost a $6.3 million civil suit in September 2000. The 20 acres is now a peace park.

Carr asked that the land be left to rest in peace for a generation, or about 20 years.

Rayelle Anderson, executive director of the foundation, said a neighbor grazes his cattle on the land for the fir t half of each month.

The rest of the month, teachers and students are allowed to use the property as an outdoor learning lab.

Lake City High's forestry students visited the peace park last fall to practice identifying trees and shrubs and study the habitat.

Pam Gomes said she was surprised that her students were a little nervous about taking a field trip to the site of the former compound.

"After a while, they were excited that it had a new purpose," Gomes said. " I see it as a celebration that my students are out there using the property. It's just a beautiful piece of ground."

At one time, the former compound was considered for the site of the human rights center, but aside from being off the beaten track, Stewart said the neighbors deserve a rest after a long struggle for peace.

The institute had considered housing the center in Coeur d'Alene's future new library or in Post Falls near the state line.

"We wre lied pretty hard with where it should be,·• Emerson said.

The downtown location was appealing, he said, and so was the lease agreement the city offered.

The $12,000 annual lease will be waived based on improvements the institute makes to Lhe building.

Engineers have been surveying

the building for structural soundness. Lead architect Scott Cranston and others have been meeting to come up with design ideas.

"A challenge of cour e is going to be respecting the historic character of the building," Cranston said.

"There's a lot of affinity for this old building."

Cranston said, on one extreme, the institute could just restore the existing building. Another option is to just keep parts important to its historical character.

The institute's design committee is looking at ways to make the building more visible and attractive from the backside, which faces City Park.

Stewart said there's going to be a lot of compromise between what tbe institute would like to have for its center and the capabilities of the building. " If we did everything we wanted to," he said, "it would probably be a 30,000- to 40,000-square-foot building.''

• Taryn Brodwater can be reached at (208) 765-7121 or by email at tarynb@spokesman.com.

-REVIEW AN ED IT ION OF

TffE.SPOKESMAN-R.IMEW

TUESDAY JANUARY 20, 2004

Partly cloudy Highs in low 30s/See A2.

Human rights groups heed King's call

By James Hagengruber Staff writer

Task force honors civil rights leaders legacy with fund-raiser to advance cause

Monday offered a rare weekday morning to sleep late and an extra afternoon for skiing. Some managed to do all that, as well as honor a fallen national hero.

At least 100 supporters of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations turned out for the group's annual gala to raise money for the advancement

of human rights. The event at the Clark House Mansion in Hayden, Idaho, was the perfect way to mark the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., said Tony Stewart, president of the Human Rights Education lnstitute's board of directors, a group that works closely with the task force. " We're very serious every year to make sure we remember who the holiday is about and what the message is," Stewart said.

Tickets to the gala were sold out and some people were turned away at the door. Those who made it in from the misty night nibbled on fa lafel, smoked salmon, brie and meatballs as they placed bids in a silent auction. Organizers hope the fundraising tally wiJI top a previous record of $8,200.

Stewart and other human rights advocates bad a chance to catch up and reflect on what they say has been a successful year. Notable events included the development of Coeur d'Alene's human rights center and the outpouring of opposition for the Hayden mayoral candidacy of Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler.

Human rights groups typically receive outpourings of support when hate acts dominate headlines, but the community support seems to be holding strong even in these relatively kinder times, Stewart said.

"We've never had to hold a membership drive," Continued: King/A4

r

Remembering Martin Luther King]r.

Jesse Tinsleyflhe SPokesman-Revlew

Guests anlve at the Clark House Mansion In Hayden, Idaho, on Monday for the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations' annual fund-raising event.

C2 THE PRESS Thursday, January 15, 2004

NIC film festival continues COEUR d'ALENE - The Human Rights Watch Film Festival at North Idaho College will continue with two films on Jan. 22.

"Scenes from an Endless War'' and ''Welcome to Hadassah Hospital" will be presented at 6:30 p.m. in Todd Hall, inside Molstead Library on · NIC's main campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The 32-minute film "Scenes from an Endless War'' is an experimental documentary by director Norman Cowie about militarism, globalization and the war against terrorism. The film uses re-contextualized commercial images, rewritten

news crawls and original footage to question current American policies.

The 50-minute film "Welcome to Hadassah Hospital" is a documentary by director Ramon Gieling intended to set integrity and humanity against today's violence in Israel. Doctors at Hadassah Hospital must regularly treat victims and instigators of the frequent suicide attacks in Israel, making no distinction between patients as they're treated side by side.

The films are presented

by Human Rights Watch as part of its international film festival, which has become a leading venue for fiction, docume ntary and animated films, and videos with distinctive human rights themes.

NIC will present one Human Rights Watch film per month through April. It is sponsored by the NIC Diversity Events Committee, the NIC Human Equality Club and the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

Information: 769-3397

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Saturday March 13, 2004

Being bullish o¡n bullying New PFHS human rights club promotes cultural diversity to students

By BRIAN WALKER Staff writer

POST FALLS - Kirk Duval hopes he has found a cure for bullying at Post Falls High School.

The sophomore started the school's new 40-member Human Rights Organization to promote cultural diversity.

"When you walk down the halls you see people getting picked on," he said. "1 want to prevent the scars ."

Duval ran the group's first four meetings, but on Ftiday he gave way to 13 officer candidates. Winners will be announced on Monday.

"I'm proud of this organization," he

said. "It's come a long way and I trust that I am leaving it in good hands with whoever wins the elections."

There have been attempts by individual students to start such a club at the school in the past, but this is the first time an organization has actually gotten off the ground. Advisors are Susan Ziegler, Meredith Gilstrap and Caryn Choate-Deeds.

Lake City and Coeur d'Alene high schools have had human rights clubs for several years. ''We're trying to do what is right," Post Falls High principal John Billetz said. 'This club is long overdue. I'm glad Kirk has stepped forwar d."

Duval said the club wasn't formed in response to a particular incident, but harassment in general.

"It's too bad this happened after Ryan Myers dropped out," Duval said.

"I planned this group before that ind-

dent, but that was a big push for it. I just think sensitivity to human rights is high right now."

Myers walked aWa} from PFHS in January after complaining he was harassed.

'This is a positive outgrowth of that situation," Ziegler said of the new club.

Ideas students tossed out for the organization included fund-raising for charities and other human rights groups; starting a web site; school assemblies; panel discussions; guest speakers; a bulletin board at school; and a retreat to form projects and brainstorm. . Breanna Janshen, who ran for president of the club, said she wants the school to be a positive place to learn.

"Everybody deserves to be safe and respected," she said.

BULLYING continued on A4

BULLYING

continued from A 1

Matt Gutierez said he ran for vice president because he wants to help change people's "close-minded" perspectives.

"If you're different, you get made fun of," he said. "When it comes down to it, we're all just

human organisms." emphasis is boosting club Shayla Keating said she'd members' confidence. seek acceptance throughout "Jump out of your circle of the school if she is chosen vice comfort," she said. "Change president. the way you view things and "Our zany little quarks the way you feel." make us who we are," she said.

Tony Stewart, secreta y "Post Falls has needed this for the Kootenai County Task organization for some time."

Force on Human Relations, Leah Walton, who ran for said the club is a step in the the club's presidency, said an right direction for healing wounds and educating others.

'The best way to deal with peers is (with) the help of peers," he said. "And the fact that the faculty and administration is working closely with them is wonderful."

The task force has anted up $100 for the winner of a logo contest for the organization. It has also purchased a table at its March 26 banquet for club members and their parents.

Ziegler said the simple fact that the club exists helps students be more aware of human rights.

"If they don't want to be a part of a big group, perhaps they'll at least give it second thought now to listen and learn," she said. "Part of this is to broaden views."

Ziegler said the goal is to create a more tolerant environment where everyone feels included.

"We're a much crueler society these days," she said.

"Rudeness is rampant Maybe we can teach a few kids that it's cool to be kind and polite."

She said Post Falls' population is getting more diverse as it grows. Therefore, harass-

"¡~

li you're

different, you get made fun of. When it comes down to it, we're all just human organisms."

-

M att Gutierez, PFHS student

ment has gradually increased over the years, she said. ''We're a small-town school that suffers froru bigtown growing pains," she said. "If we can keep that small-town attitude, that would be great."

Ziegler said it seems the biggest problem is immaturity and bullying rather than discrimination.

"Immaturity, ignorance and fear are all factors that lead to bullying," she said.

Ziegler said students as a whole have respected the club.

"My students haven't reported any bad things and I hope it stays that way," she ¡ said.

Walton said the organization's potential is enormous.

"When we talk about changing\s:he world it seems big, but don't sell yourself short," she told the group. "Anybody can do it. We can do it. By being here, 7'0U've exercised your rights."

JASON HUNT/Press

Kirk Duval, founder of the Human Rights Organization at Post Falls Higb ~chool, receives a hug from Leah Walton following their first meeting Friday at PFHS.

Saturday March 27, 2004

Hayden voters honored for rights support Residents rejected Aryans' bid for office

By ADAM EINSOHN Staff w riter COEUR d'ALENE - The night began with a prayer in the name of brotherhood, and that sentiment was echoed throughout the evening.

The Seventh Annual Human Rights Banquet culminated a week of effor ts toward improved Canada-U.S. relations, the theme of this year's Popcorn Forum

convocation series. Tony Stewart, a North Idaho College political science instructor and president of the Human Rights Education Institute, was the master ofceremonies at the Coeur d'Alene Inn. After vocalist Jennifer Stamey sang the Canadian and American national anthems, Mayor Sandi Bloem formally welcomed the mayor and City Council of Cranbrook, Coeur d'Alene's sister city in British Columbia. Stewart then introduced the keynote speaker, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo.

BANQUET continued on A3

Hayden Mayor Ron McIntyre, center, accepts the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations Civil Rights award from Norm Gissel, right, and Marshall Mend on behalf of the city's residents.

JEROME A. POLLOS/Press

A4 THE PRESS Saturday, March 27, 2004

Idaho

BANQUET

continued from A 1

Crapo announced that the Canada/U.S. Interparliamentary Group will hold its next meeting in Coeur d'Alene in June. The group is a segment of legislators that works toward better relations between the two nations. Crapo pointed out that 99 percent of the Canadian population lives within 100 miles of the U.S. border, so international relations are of the utmost importance.

"I have a message that I would like to deliver to Canada," Crapo said. "You are our strongest ally and our best friend. Even though we JEROME A. POLLOS/ Press have had our differences, we've had fewer differences with you than with Tony Stewart, president of the Human Rights Education Institute, any other nation." looks on as Lorraine Landwehr is congratulated by Diana Gissel, The Kootenai County Task Force president of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. on Human Relations Civil Rights Landwehr served as treasurer of the Task Force for more than a Award was given to the voters of decade and received the Bill Wassmuth Memorial Award.

Hayden for their efforts to keep hatred and bigotry out of office in unless there is love, nothing good 'Tm stunned," Landwe hr said.

'There were so many people from November. Mayor Ron McIntyre will come from it." accepted the award on behalf of the The Bill Wassmuth Memorial both of these organizations Award for volunteer work in human (Kootenai County Task Force and city.

'1 take this award as not only an rights went to Lorraine Landwehr, Human Rights Education Institute) honor, but a responsibility as well," treasurer for the cer tified public that were so deserving. I will say McIntyre said. "We must remain vig- accountant firm McCall and that we're all committed to the spirit of human rights." ilant in our battle against hate, and Landwehr.

~

INSIDE

Mayors speak at Human Rights Banquet B4

I

The Press, Monday, March 29, 2004

For news or story ideas: Call City Editor Bill Buley at 664-8176 ext. 2006; E-mail: bbuley@cdapress.com

JEROME A. POLLOS/Press

Sen. Michael Crapo, the keynote speaker at Friday night's 7th annual Human Rights Banquet, waits to be introduced.

Idaho

Mayor Speak

JEROME A. POLLOS/Press

Coeur d'Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem introduces Ross Priest, mayor of Cranbrook, B.C., during Friday night's 7th annual Human Rights Banquet. Cranbrook is the Lake City's sister city.

Butler's ola cmnpound is 1'l(Jll) a peace park, D.F. Oliveria says.

Site of Atyan Nations healing

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N

ow I know what racist Richard Butler saw in the early "70s as he prepared to set down his noxious roots in Kootenai Coumy's rimrock: isolation.

Dave Without the Chu.rch of Jesus Oliveria Christ Christian. the 40-foot Aryan Nations guard tower and collection of ramshackle buildings obscuring my view, I saw the ba.rrier of pines and underbrush that surrounded Butler's 20 acres, hiding the neo-Nazi compound and activities from neighbors. law enforcement and news reporters. Coming up the slightly overgrown d.riveway from Rimrock Road with human-rights leader Tony Stewart Monday, I knew the Aryan Central was gone. But I was amazed to see how obliterated it was.

Butler"s white, two-story fannhouse? Gone. The outdoor speakers' platform where Butler and Lhe who's who of neo-Nazidom inspi.red criminal acts?

Gone. The church building with the stained-glass swastika above Butler·s pulpit. Gone. The guard but? The small concession stand with a large swastika on the roof that'd offered ;'Nazi burgers" for $1.25? The bunk house for new recruits who were being indoctrinated into Butler's foul creed?

Gone. Gone. Gone.

The land that once produced hatred and criminals was now covered with dandelions, scrub grass and cow manure. l had visited the compound in May 2001 with Tony. shortly before the Northern Lakes Fire District razed the buildings in a series of practice burns. We'd spent 90 minutes poking a.round the dilapidated buildings, climbing the guard tower

and walking the grounds. finding evidence. such as a sink full of dirty dishes and a mouse-gnawed loaf of bread. that Butler had left in a hurry. The old supremacist had taken only his German shepherd and the clothes he was wearing.

On Monday. Tony and I drove to the compound again. accompanied by North Idaho College spokesman Kent Propst and student body President Joel Crane. We were joined by attorney Norm Gissel, who together with Morris Dees won the civil lawsuit that bankrupted Butler. and Gissel's wife, Diana, president of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. Diana had an album of 149 photos she'd snapped at the compound after the trial while Butler glared and Gem1an music blared Crom loudspeakers.

A Palestinian. she was the first member of a minority group allowed on the property in more than 30 years.

"This land's going through a healing process."

Tony said.

With the sun shining overhead and a breeze blowing across the meadow where the main cluster of Aryan buildings had stood, I had diCficulty understanding how men and women could embrace hate in such a peaceful. beautiful place.

Yet, for 28 years, Butler lu.red drifters and fom1er prison inmates to his compound among the bull pine with the promise of free food and lodging. ··A hundred felonies came out of here;' Stewart said, during a tour of the grounds. ·'And - what?

- maybe nine mu.rders?"

One of the last felonies committed brought the Aryan Nations to ruin. On July 1.1998. three Aryan Nations security guards chased Victoria Keenan and son Jason along Rimrock Road after the Keenans· 1977 Datsun backfired twice. Michael Teague, Jesse Warfield and John Yeager thought someone had shot at theni. During the two-mile

chase. the trio pumped at least Cive bullets into the Keenans· car. Ultimately, the Keenans crashed into a ditch and were held briefly at gunpoint.

In September 2000, a jury slapped the Aryans witl1 a $6.3 million verdict after finding Butler and his organization had committed "gross negligence.•· Butler lost his compound as a result.

Human-rights activists considered transforming the compound into a museum and a low-key education center. fea turing a history of civil rights in America. Later. they decided they wanted nothing that would attract neo-Nazi sympathizers or serve as a reminder of tbe Conner hate campus. ·'We didn 't want to leave anything that nature didn't put here.'· said Stewart, stopping at tJ1e stump of a pine that was toppled because someone had burned a swastika into the bark.

Before their visit. spokesman Propst and student Crane said they'd viewed the Aryan Nations presence as "abstract and fo reign."

"It's hard lo imagine that something Like this happened so recently,'' said Propst, who moved last year from Nebraska. '"For me. this is the kind of thing tJ1at happened 40 or 50 years ago - not four or five years ago."

Butler's old compound is now a peace park. owned by the North Idaho College Foundation, a place to visit and meditate. After the property changed hands, 20 ministers from Kootenai and Spokane counties asked to cleanse the property , with prayer. Under an arrangement with a neighboring rancher. cattle roam the grounds from the first to the 15th of the month, keeping weeds and grass down, and the foundation is free to give tours and conduct study the rest of the month. The land will be left largely alone for the next 20 years.

Stewart relishes the arrangement. He wants the land to heal and rest. No site in North Idaho has been maligned more.

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Tuesday, May 18, 2004 The Spokesman-Review Spokane, Wash./Coeur d'Alene. Idaho

Church to bring â&#x20AC;˘

ant1-gay Inessage to North Idaho

By Erica Curless

Sraff 11â&#x20AC;˘ri1er

They want to give county monument condemning murdered man

A Kansas church is bringing irs anti-gay message to town today and will donate a monument condemning Mallhew Shepard to Kootenai County for its courthouse lawn.

Kootenai Cowny Commission Chainnan Dick Pana baker said members of Rev. Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church are welcome to picket the courthouse but the county wants nothing to do with the granite monument condemning the Laramie, Wyo.. gay man who was murdered in 1998.

"We aren't interested.'' Panabaker said. "We don't have to necessaiily support the lifestyle. but we want nothing to do with that.''

Fred Phelps Jr., the Baptist reverend's son, is organizing Continued: Monument/ BS

Page 86

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

REGION

Monument 'We

as a people will reject the hate' Continued from B1 the 7:45 a.m. picket in front of the courthouse at Government Way and Garden Avenue and isn·t sure who will attend other than himself and his wife, Betty Phelps. The couple, who celebrate their 30-year wedding anniversary today, will then take their m~ge-that all gays are going to hell - to EUensburg and Seattle this weekend.

"Our mission is to get the Bible side of the issue out," said Phelps Jr., who lives in Topeka, KS. "The whole country is immersed in the notion that Matthew Shepard was some kind of hero."

Church members, many of whom are Rev. Phelps' 12 children, travel across the country to denounce homosexuality.

Shirley Phelps-Roper who was traveling back from a Massachusetts protest said this week is especially important because Mas.sachusetts began banding out marriage licenses to same-sex couples at midnight Monday. The state's highest court ruled in November gays and lesbians must be allowed to many.

Phelps.Jr. said the church picked

Coeur d'Alene because il has a Ten Commandments monument already on the courthouse grounds. He said Kootenai County must legally accept the sixfoot granite monument with a bronze plaque inscribed with Shepard's face because of a 10th U.S. Orcuit Court of Appeals ruling. The ruling states that a city displaying a Ten Commandments monument also must display monuments espousing other beliefs.

The chiseled monolith reads ·'Matthew Shepard Entered HeU October 12, 1998, at Age 21 in Defiance of God's Warning: 'Thou shall not tie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.' Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13.''

The church has offered the monument to other cities and counties across the country including Boise and Nampa.

Phelps has threatened to sue Boise beca use the city's Parks and Recreation Commission last year denied tb e church's request for the anti-gay monument. The city agreed to remove the Ten Commandments from the park before allowing the anti-gay monument.

Phelps Jr. said the church is looking for a good C!l5C to test the law. Asked what the church would do if Kootenai County or Coeur d'Alene refused the monument, Phelps Jr. said, "We justtake them one at a time and see how it develops. The law is real clear."

Coeur d'Alene city police don't plan to staff the protest, but would respond if

called. The Kootenai County Sherriffs Department also plans to monitor the event by scanner but the courthouse is in the jurisdiction of the city police. '·We are aware of the ... pastor," Lt. Kim Edmonson of the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department said. "From what we've been told. it's not expected to last too long.''

Phelps Jr. said church members will cany signs outlining the.ir message and sings songs.

Phelps-Roper, who isn't attending the event. said the church has changed the words to '"America the Beautiful" to include passages such as "Wicked Land of sodomites you've reached the bottom rung•· and "111e Army is full of fags. You wilJ never win another war. They are coming home in bags." They also changed the words to "God B1es5 America."

Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations spokesman Tony Stewart said North Idaho has fought hate for years and this is no different.

"We as a people will reject the hate that will be corning to our community," Stewart said.

Stewart added that he recently attended a speech by Matthew Shepard's mother, Judy Shepard, at Goni.aga University and she answered a question regarding Rev. Phelps' monuments condemning her son. Judy Shepard speaks state-to-state in support of hate-crime

legislation.

"She showed so much kindness in the face of hate," Stewart said.

Phelps Jr. said he was traveling to Ellensburg to speak against Rev. Karen Dammann, a lesbian Methodist pastor who was acquitted in March in a church trial over her admittedly hom~xual relationship. Dammann of the Fust Methodist Church in EIJensburg disclosed three years ago that she was in a homosexual relationship. She got married March 1l to her partner of nine years in Portland, where officials began allowing gay marriages. The couple has a fiveyear-old son.

"I can't believe there's a Methodist lesbian preacher in ELiensburg that's made national headlines," Phelps Jr. said. "You just never know where you will have this situation pop up.·• A press release announcing today's picket stated that the church plans to donate the monument to the city of Coeur d'Alene to go along with its Ten Commandments monolith. The city has no Ten Commandments monument and Phelps-Roper said the church got bad information and meant to List Kootenai County.

Coeur d'Alene Deputy Attorney Warren Wilson said that nobody from the Kansas church had contacted the city or offered to donate an anti-gay monument.

Reporter Kevin Taylor contributed to this report.

KOOTENAI COUNTY TASK FORCE ON HUMAN RELATIONS PRESIDENTS FROM 1981-2004* 1981-1983 Rev. Rick Morris (3 years) Pastor First Christian Church, Coeur d' Alene 1985-Through June, 1988 Father Bill Wassmuth (3 Yi years) Pastor, St. Pius X Catholic Church, Coeur d' Alene From July 1988-1990 Norman Gissel (2 Yi years) Attorney, Coeur d' Alene 1991-1995 Tony Stewart (5 years) Political Scientist, North Idaho College 1996 Linda Payne (1 year) Community Activist 1997-2001 Doug Cresswell (5 years) Former Superintendent of the Coeur d'Alene School District 2002-Present Diana Gissel (Presently serving her 3rd year) Spanish Interpreter for the Idaho Courts *Presidential terms run from January through December

PAGE B4

Saturday, July 17, 2004 The Spokesman.Review Spokane. Wash/ Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

OUR VIEW The Alyans may be washed up but others are stepping up ,

Fight against hate an ongoing battle Racist Richard Butler and his cadre of born losers are gluttons for punishment.

After a jury of their peers helped run them off their Hayden Lake compound, after that compound was razed and after the city of Hayden overwhelmingly rejected them at the polls last fall , Butler & Co. insist on parading again through downtown Coeur d'Alene today. It's hard to say why they're annoying Coeur d'Alene shopkeepers with their habitual grab for the spotlight.

It can't be tradition because the Aryans don' t parade every year. And it can't be to show their numerical strength because most local Aryans scattered after they lost their free bunk and meals when the compound was forced to close. Maybe the neo-Nazis want to prove that octogenarian Butler's still alive and somewhat coherent, depending on your definition of coherence.

Local human-rights leaders have summed up the significance of the scheduled parade and responded appropriately with a collective yawn. The Aryan Nations, as Kootenai County residents have known it for the last 25 years, is done. Kaput. A bad memory. A chapter in North Idaho history that closed when the organization was bankrupted by a $6.3 million civil judgment.

There's no longer a reason to make a fuss over these particular char acters. "We think this is a non-event this time,'' said Tony Stewart, a leader of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. However, that doesn't mean the fight in the lnland Northwest against prejudice is over.

About 100 miles east of Coeur d' Alene, near St. Regis, Mont., the so-called Church of the True Israel is staging an outdoors meeting this weekend that organizers have dubbed "a new beginning." According to the group's Web site, events incJude "a survival scenario exercise for children." Speakers come from the usual list of suspect organizations, including Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and Militia of Montana. Underscoring the group's bad intentions, the Web site says of this weekend's event: "Non-whites an~ tJle press will not be allowed to attend."

Of note, the gathering is viewed with alarm by local authorities and live-and-let-live Montana neighbors.

In the Missoulian newspaper earlier this week, authorities said they had contingency plans for a worst-case scenario. And Jeff Noonan, a third-generation native and 20-year military veteran, said 50 people bad met at his house to discuss the supremacist get-together, "and the feeling of the group was that we have a nice-small-town atmosphere free from this type of prejudice and stupidity. We don't want these bigots spewing their bate in this town. Tltis isn't the place for it."

Where have we heard that before?

If northwestern Montanans are wise, they'll contact the Kootenai County task force for expert advice on proven nonviolent ways to resist racists attempting to gain a foothold in their communities. Literally, the task force bas written the manual and taped the how-to video on the subject. Supremacists, like noxious weeds, are hard to eradicate unless you get every last piece of the root. If nothing else, the parade in Coeur d'Alene . proves some of the supremacists' foul root remains in North Idaho. â&#x20AC;˘ ¡our View¡ represents the editorial voice of The Spokesman-Review. It is written by members of the editorial board, who are listed on this page. '

l04

Human rig ts â&#x20AC;˘ groups ignore Aryan parade Saturday's event in Idaho will be a 'dying swan'

BY CHRIS RODKEY Tht Associated Press

SPOKANE- The annual Aryan Nations gathering and parade in northern Idaho this weekend will be largely ignored by human rights groups.

Five years ago, hundreds of people converged on downtown Coeur d'Alene, ldaho, to heckle Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler and a handful of neo-Nazi supporters as they marched through the reson town.

But no large demonstrations are planned during Saturday's scheduled parade because human rights groups contend they've already won the war against the hate group.

'We think this is a non-event this time," said Tony Stewart, a leader of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. "This is kind of like the dying swan in a sense."

Coeur d'Alene officials confirmed the Aryan Nations has a parade permit for Saturday.

The group once welcomed as many as 200 supporters to Butler's compound north of Hayden Lake, Idaho, where they would burn crosses and listen to anti-Semitic, white supremacist speeches. A lawsuit bankrupted the group in 2000, and the compound was

sold to satisfy the court judgment.

As they have in recent years, the Aryan Nations leaders once again have rented a group campsite for this weekend's Aryan World Congress, which starts Friday.

The group's profile is so low these days that the owner of the Kahnderosa Campground near Cataldo, Idaho, where the group has reserved space for about 20 tents, was unaware he would be host to the group until a reporter called.

The Aryan Nations registered under its formal name, Church of Jesus Christ Christian.

The Aryan Nations is the political wing of the church, which follows the white supremacist Christian Identity movement.

Campground owner Wade Kahn said the group could keep its spot as long as campers followed the rules of the campground. The group told him a church picnic was planned, as well as baptisms for 20 to 40 people Kahn Said.

I "As long as they do what they were representing themselves to be doing, they can stay," Kahn said.

Butler did not return numerous telephone calls to his Hayden home yesterday.

In 2000, two area residents who contended they were shot at by Aryan Nations security guards during the annual gathering filed a lawsuit. The case was taken on by the Southern Poveny Law Center and resulted in a $6 million judgment against the Aryan Nations and Butler.

Dad seeks deaf signs near road County says father must build fence, get neighbors' OK

By Cynthia Taggart

Staff ll'riter

HAUSER LAKE. ldaho - The Post Falls Highway District may help a Hauser Lake father prot~t his deaf 7-year-old son by post mg near the boy's home warning signs for drivers that a deaf child lives in the area.

But Jody Mask first must build a fence between his property and North Hauser Lake Road and win bis neighbors路 approval of the signs.

"We sympathize with his concern," Terry Werner. one of the district'~ three commissioners, said. "I think we can accomplish this and cause no one heartache."

Mask called the district office to ask for signs a few months ago and was told no. Mask's son, Keaton, wears a cochlear implant which allows so me hearing. But he路s comfortable with deafness and doesn路t always notice immediately when the batteries in hls hearing aid die.

The speed limit on North H~user Lake Road is 35 mph. but drivers easily accelerate on the straight section .that passes the Masks' ~o~e.

The highway district's receptiomst told Mask over the phone that he could post his own signs on his property. The district follows a fed~ral manual that discourages warnmg signs that suggest a higher level of safety on the road than is reasonable.

The Koot enai County Ta sk Force on Human Relations heard about Mask"s problem and contacted the highway district lo support Mask's request. The district i~vit~d Mask to a face-lo-face meetmg m mid-July. At that meeting, commissioners proposed that Mask erect a fence to help protect Keaton.

They also told him he needed permission from homeowners on whose property the signs would stand. TI1e right of way is too narrow in thatstretch tosupportmoresigns, Werner said. Mask wants two signs, one in each direction. Each would stand about 500 feet from his home.

Mask said Thursday he bas no problem with building a fence. He 路s also talked to both neighbors whose land would support signs and both ate in favor, as long as the signs don't block traffic from their view.

One of the neighbors raised two deaf children.

Commissioners will revisit the sign issue after Mask fulfills his end of the bargain. Werner said.

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Sunday, September 5, 2004 The Spokesman-Review Spokane, Wash./Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

GOP bumper stickers denounced 'The KK. Klan' slogan labeled 'an evil statement'

By Erica Curless Staff writer

Human rights advocates and Democrats are outraged by a locally produced Republican bumper sticker that compares presidential hopeful John Kerry and Sen. Edward Kennedy to lhe Ku KJux Klan.

"Kennedy & Kerry -The KK Klan!" stickers were handed out at the Kootenai County Republican booth during the North Idaho Fair last month.

"That's nasty,•· said Marshall Mend, a founding member of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Rights. '·I think it's very detrimental to Idaho, detrimental to America and detrimental to Republicans.

We don't need that kind of stuff from either side."

Mend is a Republican, which he said surprises many people because he also is a human-rights advocate.

Other Republicans say they know of no one who took offense at the slickers and that it's just typical political speech in a hot election year. T hey add that the Democrats have stickers and buttons criticizing P resident Bush.

Former Kootenai County Republican Central Committee Chairman Bob Nooini said he spent 40 hours at the booth during the five-day fair and never heard a negative comment about the stickers.

"I think it's very detrimental to Idaho, detrimental to America and detrimental to Republicans. " Marshall Mend, of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Rights

"We had a real positive response," he said. "People were laughing and wanting to take them."

Nonini said he may be oa1ve but never drew a connection to the Ku KJux Klan.

Mend and local Democrats said there is no other way to interpret the message.

"God, what an evil statement," said Ron Johnson of the local Democratic central committee. "It's inappropriate."

The stickers do nothing to help l daho's image of being a haven for racists and militias and home to Aryan Nations leader Richard Butler, Mend said. The task force has worked for years to combat that image and made huge gains in 2000 when a $6.3 million verdict against Butler and his group forced him into bankruptcy. Butler lost his 20-acre compound near Hayden Lake.

Also, voters in Hayden last year overwhelming denounced Butler's campaign for mayor. Butler and two followers ran for Continued: Stlcker/ B2

Sticker: Sees no .other way. to mterpret 1t Continued from B1

the Hayden City Council, but nearly half of Hayden 路s residents showed up Lo vote in wbat the task force viewed as a strong rejection of Butler's hate.

Mend said he told the Republican volunteers al the fair booth that the stickers were inappropriate, but nothing was done.

The black-and-white stickers were in a large stack along with similarlooking strips that read "Don't commit Hara Kerry!" and '路Let's not get Kerryed away!" People were encouraged to make a 2';-cent donation for

each sticker.

Local Republicans say they're not exactly sure where the stickers came from, but several said that long-time Republican activist Ruthie Johnson brought them. Some say a physician, whom they think lives in Kootenai County, paid Lo have the sticker s printed.

R uthie Johnson and Kootenai County Republican Central Committee C hairwoma n Donna Montgomery were n't .available for comment because they were in New York at the Republican National Convention.

The sticke rs have no attribution about who printed or paid for the items. The Idaho Secretary of State's Office said Friday that small campaign items. such as pens and bumper stickers, are exempt from disclosure laws.

Local Democrats are still reeling

from their fair booth being vandalized with the same anti-Kerry sticke rs.

Ron Johnson said tbat someone broke into the tent Aug. 27 and plastered a sandwich board sign with the bumper stickers.

The next day, Democratic Central Committee Chairman Bill Ke rsting went to the Republican booth and confro nted Re publican Koote nai County Sheriff R ocky Watson and state Sen. Dick Compton, R-Post Falls. They denied responsibility, Ron Johnson said.

Watson was out of town Friday and unavailable for comment.

Johnson said that two other Kootenai County Democratic billboards on private property along U.S. H ighway 95 and state Highway 53 have been vandalized. Someone spray-painted '路socialism" across the billboard near H auser and changed the " t" in Democrat so it read "Democrap."

The other billboard south of Coeur d 'Alene was defaced to'read Kootenai County D emocrats for " higher taxes."

Johnson' said none of the incidents was reported to the sheriffs department because the party didn't think Watson would do anything.

Local Republican Rick Seward said Democrats also aren't playing nice in this presidential election and have many slogans defaming President Bush and his family.

The Democrats were selling stickers, T -shfrts and buttons at the fair that included sayings such as, "My dog never met a Bush it didn't like" and 路'Republicans for Ke rry."

PAGE 86

Wednesday, September 8, 2004 The Spokesman-Review Spokane, Wash,/Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

OUR VIEW Both sides shuuld be ashamed they've stooped so low.

Bumper sticker crude, insensitive Kootenai County Democrats have a right to be upset about a crude bumper sticker circulated by local Republicans, associating Massachusetts U.S. Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy with the Ku

Kh.ixKJan. In North Idaho, the Aryan Nations cast a Jong shadow for decades, attracting a rogue's gallery of racists, militia members and Klansmen to sully the region's reputation. For almost the same length of time, the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations battled valiantly for the region's soul - and ultimately won.

Republicans who circulated the offending message- "Kennedy & Kerry - The KK Klan" - at the North Idaho Fair were as silly as they were historically insensitive.

Marshall Mend, a human-rights activists and a Republican called the bumpers stickers "nasty," adding: "I think it's very detrimental to Idaho, detrimental to America and detrimental to Republicans. We don't need that kind of stuff from either side."

Before the Democrats point fingers, however, they should look bard at themselves. They're guilty of using overheated rhetoric of this kind, comparing Bush and his administration to Adolf Hitler and other members of the Nazi Germany regime. The Internet is rife with examples of frothing partisans claiming similarities between Bush and der fuhrer, contrasting the Holocaust to the 2003 Iraqi invasion and modem America to 1933 Germany.

Both sides should be ashamed they've stooped so low to appeal to the crass instincts of the political herd.

Kootenai County Republicans send mixed messages when they show up en masse to support the human-rights banquet every spring and then distribute the "KK Klan" stickers from their North Idaho Fair booth. Republicans such as former county Prosecutor Glen Walker and late Undersheriff Larry Broadbent played key roles during the quarter-century struggle against the Aryan Nations. People who distributed the "KK Klan" stickers undermined the seriousness of that struggle and their party's commitment to human rights.

As a refresher course for Republicans who laughed and joked about the stickers, Richard Butler and his Aryan Nations hosted a string of far right extremists who at various times taunted mixed-race children, bombed Coeur d'Alene, murdered, robbed banks, staged swnmer hate gatherings and gave the region a black eye. No one was laughing when Butler's compound served as a launching pad for Robert Mathews and The Order, The Order II, the first skinhead conference (the Bob Mathews Brigade), Randy Weaver and other dangerous groups and individuals.

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1ft.B.5PoKESMAN-RJMEW

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2004

~ --ki:: Partly cloudy, mild Highs in mid-70s/A2.

Richard Butler, founder of Atyan Nations, dies at 86 Racist had dream of white homeland In Northwest

By BIii Mortin and Jim Camden Staff writers

Richard Gimt Butler, one of the most notorious raci.sts in the United States, who built and ultimately lost a North Idaho compound dedicated to bigotry, was found dead Wednesday at 86.

The spiritual godfather to a generation of white supremacists and a magnet for violent anti-government criminals, Butler apparently died in bis sleep, of natural causes. He had suffered from coronary problems since at least 1988, when he had open-

heart surgery at taxpayer expense, after he became a federal inmate on charges of plotting to overthrow the U.S. government.

Las~ year, as he waged a largely symbolic campaign for mayor of Hayden, Butler seemed to acknowledge his end was near.

"There's nothing further than this," he said in an interview some three weeks before a record turnout of voters handed Butler and two followers a resounding defeat.

By then, he had lost a federal civil trial and had to surrender bis Hayden Lake compound. His flock was scattered, and he was

File/The Sl)Okesman,Review

Continued: BuUer/ A6

Richard Butler during his final Aryan Nations Parade In Coeur d'Alene.

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Contact The Spokesman-Review: (509) 459-5000; fax (509) 459-5482; e-mail editor@spokesman.com

Butler galvanized region against hate

By Betsy Z. Russell, Erica Curless and Kevin Graman

INSIDE

• Columlst Doug Clark

Stnffwrittn

Richard Butler's biggest impact on Idaho may be the opposite of what the white supremacist leader intended -some of th e nation's strongest laws against hate crimes, a well-organized network of highly active human rights groups across tbe state, and an increasingly diverse population. " It is surprising how sometimes it takes a look at the dark side in order to organize the bright," said former state Sen.

says Richard Butler's death puts white supremacists in awkward position of having to wear black/Bl

Mary Lou Reed. who chairs a committee building a human rights center in Coeur d'Alene.

Today, the former compound where Butler propounded his neo-Nazi views is a quiet peace Continued: Hate/ A&

Onllne news: www.spokesmanrevlew.com

The Spokesman-Review

3o to www.spokesmanrevlew.com.

I .Hate: 'Idaho just said no' ConUnued from Al

park. where grazing cows and North Idaho CoUege students studying foliage are all that disturb the meadows. ·'The next phase or chapter in our history is one in which we'U ~ave a lot more diversity," said Tony Stewart, a founding men:iber of the Kootenai County Task Force on ~uman Relauons and a longtime local human rights activist. ·'We see that happening, which is very enriching for everybody." \~en Butler set up his Aryan Nations group near Hayden,. its members shoc.4ked the state with bombings, robbenes and attacks on minorities, while proclaiming they wanted Idaho to become a new white homeland.

"While then: were never huge numbers of white supre!11aC1Sts that Richard Butler attracted, I think what was Just ab~olutely bone-chilling was the fact that these people were violent and had criminal tendencies." said Marilyn ShuJer.. the former director of the Idaho Human Rights Comm,~1on. "It wasn't just people with an ideology that we found repugnant, which 99 percent of Tdaboans did but th_ey were on a mission. a quest, and were taking Hv~ in their own hands. And r think Idaho just said no.·· . ~huler helped push for strong new laws against mahc1ous harassment. She remembers when Aryan Nations members came to Boise to testify against the bills, and people outside Idaho began 1dentif)ing the state as the home of white supremacists. "~t w~s a hard time for us:• she said. "IL was an embarrassing lime because we didn't feel that that was who we were, and yet we knew that we weren ·t perfect.·•

Jim Jones, who as Idaho attorney general pushed tor the anti-malicious harassment law, s:iid, ''The very fact that it passed had sort of a dampeningeffecton the bigots and the Butler group and some of the others t~."

"It's not so much raising the ugly head of bigotry that sticks out in people's minds, it's the way that Idahoans reacted to it and rejected it," Jones added. ''You'd have to say that we rose to the occasion, and tl1e people are probably the better for it." .. .

More legislation followed. from ~IVll penaJu~ for malicious harassment to a state-sanctioned Martin Luther KingJr.-Human Rights Day holiday. . .

"We ended up with a really fine, fine collection oflegislation on the books,·· Reed said. "I think it's still true, though, that you cannot legislate people's hearts, so I think education continues to be the real answer."

One of tbe latest education efforts is the Human Rights Education Institute. which is building a human rights education center m downtown Coeur d'Alene. Already a similar group has built its own education cen~er in Boise. including a popular Anne Frank Human Rights _Memorial. And across the state, local groups have organized to speak up for human rights and fight racism.and bigotry.

111e bombing of BiU Wassmuth ~s home tn Coe~ d' ~lene by Aryan Nations members m 1986 helped inspire Wassmuth to form the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment. which became the Northwest Coalition for Human Dignity. The group monitored hate groups and led Northwest efforts to spread to!e!an~.

Wassmuth died two years ago of Lou Gehng s disease.

Rayn1ond Reyes, vice president for diversity at <??nzaga University, praised Wassmuth and Stewart for nsmg to the challenge of the Aryan Nations.

"It's easy to have the reaction, 'Oh, good he's dead,'" Reyes said, "But Butler's legacy continues.... No~ o~r challenge is to define the next step. How can we mst1tutionalize diversity?"

Mark Potok, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project - fom1erly Klan Watch.said the Aryan Nations may have been one of the last big racist groups with compounds. The Internet has made such compounds obsolete. he said.

"Nazis and skinheads don't have to hang around together anymore," he said.

The Intelligence Project does not expect t~e Aryan _Nations to immediately faU apart, though there IS no obvtous heir apparent to Butler. Potok said the supremacist group has managed to hold together by co!nputer and t~lephone from Butler's home since he lost htS compound m North Idaho. .. It is quite likely the Aryan Nations ,viU be run by committee," Potok said. "A battle may develop over leadership.'' . . ln 2003, there were 22chapters of the Aryan Nations in 21 states, Potok said. That number has dropped to 17 chapters. Nationwide, he said there are only about 200 Aryan Nations members. not including Charles Juba 's faction in Leola, Pa., with fewer than a balf dozen members.

Potok said things don't look too good for the long-term future oft he Aryan Nations." All they ha~ was t~e legacy of Richard Butler to hold them together, he said.

Butler's death helps speed up the al!ophy of th~ Nazi Party movement in the Northwe t, said Norm G1$el, a longtime Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations member and part or the legal team that helped bankrupt the Aryan Nat10ns.

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Thursday, September 9, 2004

Today onllne: See a 56-photo documentary on the history of anti-government and hate group activities covering the 30-year period since the arrival of Rich~rd Butler. 1

Butter: 'Fought on

wrong side' in WW Il Continued from Al living in a house with payments being made by a Conner follower who had become a fugitive.

Butler was clearly ailing when be appeared seven weeks ago with about 40 supporters in the annual Aryan Nations parade in downtown Coeur d'Alene. He rode the eightblock length of the parade in the back of a pickup truck, seated in a lawn chair, and made no statements before or after the event.

Kootenai County sheriff's deputies were sent to Butler's home in Hayde.n, Idaho, Wednesday morning to check on a report of an unattended death. An autopsy was ordered.

A racist's path Butler was born Feb. 23, 1918, in Bennett, Colo., where his father, Clarence, was a machinist, and his-mother, Winfred, a homemaker. They were of German-English ancestry and Presbyterians, but didn't attend church regularly.

The family moved to Denver in the early 1920s where Clarence Butler opened his own machine shop. He wasn't active in a large Ku Klux Klan organization that existed in Denver, but didn't hide his dislike for Jews from his son.After the Depression set in, Butler and his family moved to East Los Angeles. There, Richard studied aeronautical engineering and science at City CoUege. started working part time at Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Co., which was building the B-11.

After a stint in India for the company, Butler returned to the United States and married Betty Litch in 1941.

After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941,Butler enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He never left the United States during the war, and was assigned to a base where he taught aircraft hydraulics. "lo the newsreels of the day, I was thriJJed to see the movies of the marching Germans," Butler recalled in a 1991 interview. "In those days, all we knew was that Hitler hated communists, and so did my folks, as we did as teenagers."

He later would embrace Hitler's beliefs. and repeatedly say in interviews and writings that Hitler was the secondgreatest man who ever lived, after Jesus.

"Ifought on the wrong side during World War II," Butler said in later years. His views began to radically change after the war, he explained in writings, lectures and interviews. He became troubled by ''government edicts that seemed to always be contrary to tbe best interest of the nation and the white race, in particular." He blamed ¡'Jewish communism."

The church Butler founded in Hayden Lake preaches a mixture of Hitler-style national socialism and Christian Identity, a belief that people of white, Northern European ancestry are the true children of God. After World War II, Butler and bis wife lived in Montebello, Calif. Thecouplehad two daughters, who have kept their distance from Butler's Aryan Nations activities. But Betty Butler, who died in 1995, was a close confidant to her husband and shared his beliefs.

In the early 1950s Butler began supporting various anticommurust movements. While participating in a campaign to expose suspected communist schoolteachers he met William Potter Gale, a candidate for governor calling for the impeachment of President Dwight Eisenhower and Supreme Court justices for their efforts to desegregate the South.

Gale introduced Butler to an armed vigilante group known as Posse Comitatus, and to Christian Identity. In 1961, Butler began attending the Anglo Saxon Christian Congregation in Lancaster, Calif., run by Dr. Wesley Swift, a fonner KKK organizer.

Bonded by the belief that race is nation, Butler came to vie"'. Swift as his mentor, and the two had long, private study sessions together during the 1960s. Butler described his friendship with Swift as the "most rewarding of all personal relationships" be had in his life. He took a correspondence course and became an ordained Christian Identity minister.He would frequently explain God's life law with the exampleofNoah's Ark. "The elephants are with the elephants the lions are with the lions." '

A 'white homeland' In1968, Butler was hired as a senior marketing engineer by Lockheed Aircraft Co. and helped set up assembly lines at the company's plant in Palmdale, Calif. His personal interest in aviation led him to obtain a private pilot's license.

By the early 1970s, he and his wife were growing tired of racial strife in the Los Angeles area and began making trips in Butler's small plane to the Northwest, dreaming of finding a "white homeland."

Butler had helped invent a system for rapid repair of tubeless tires. If he made a lot of money from that innovation, he never boasted about it. But he was able to retire at 55 and move to Hayden Lake in June 1973. The Butlers purchased an old fannhouse on a wooded 20-acre site, surrounded by fields and pastures.

Butler formed his own Christian Posse Comitatus, and appointed himself marshal. By 1977, be formed the Church of Jesus Christ Christian, and called the political action arm of the church "Aryan Nations.'¡ In 1981. the church hosted its first Aryan World Congress, an event that became an annual gathering for white supremacists, oeo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klansmen and others.

Over the years, nearly every significant leader in white supremacy circles - some from as far away as Gem1any, Italy and South Africa-showed up for the meetings. Butler would preach that the Pacific Northwest should be a homeland for whites, that Jews should move to the Northeast, African Americans to tbeSoutb and Hispanics to California. Arizona and Texas. He called the idea his '¡territorial imperative."

In June 1983, But.ler and his followers showed up at a public rally in Spokane's Riverfront Park, where one young Aryan got into a shouting match with anti-Aryan demonstrators. The rally helped convince the man. Robert J. Mathews1 that the time had come to move beyond Butler's words and start a race war. That fall, Mathews and others who mel at the Aryan Nations secretly fonned The Order.

The white supremacists initially fu nded their intended race war by printingcounterfeit money on the Aryan Nations presses. Butler later would claim he had no idea his church presses were being used illegaJJy. Members of The Order graduated to robbing adult bookstores and security guards transporting money in Seattle. The Order terrorists also bombed a synagogue and assassinated a

. Jewish radio talk show host in Denver. They robbed an armored car of $3.8 million in Ukiah, Calif. In all, members of The Order stole more than $4 millio~ and some of it went to Butler's church and other whitesupremac:, groups. court testimony revealed. .

A federal jury in Seattle in 1985 convtcted JO members of The Order in the crimes; others pleaded guilty. Sentences ranged from 40 to 100 years.

Federal agents could never prove that Butler knew he was given stolen money. . , .

"They're tithes," Butler explamed. "I don task where tt comes from. "

Spreading Influence By early 1985, various members of The Order were on the C ::I run after shootouts with the FBI at Sandpoint, Portland, and on Whidbey Island, near Seattle.

51 ::I When Mathews died on Whidbey Island during a December 1984 gunbattle with FBI agents. Butier caJlcd him a hero. ::I 0 "l wish I had been with him when he died, but I don't have the u guts, anymore,'' Butlersaid. As Butler honored The Order at ~ § his 1986 Aryan World Congress, a newcomer from Iowa listened. Randy Weaver had just moved to North Idaho to fol8 low a white separatist lifestyle in a mountaintop cabin near Naples.

IQ Weaver attended Aryan World Congress again in 1987 and 1989 before becoming a federal fugitive and getting iovolvcd in a 1992 deadly shootout with federal agents. During the 11-day siege - now remembered as Ruby Ridge - Butler joined other anti-government activists at the roadblock below the fugitive's cabin.

Cl) Federal prosecutors accused Butler of being part of a con~ m spiracy to start a race war, but ~ouldn 'tmake it stick. LI? a 1?88 lrial, Butler called the allegations nonsense and Jewish lies.

His wife said he was a nonviolent man who "wouldn'tspank a puppy dog.'' An Arkansas jury acquitted Butler and a group of white supremacist "godfathers."

In April 1989, to commemorate Hitler's 100th birthday. i!

ButlerinvitedskinbeadstotheAryan Nations. Butlersaid he ; wanted to renew his commitment to Aryan youth. The skin5: head gatherings, officially caUed Aryan Youth Conference, } ... .- became an annual springtime event at Butler's compound.

By the mid-1990s, Butler paid for skinhead bands to attract a f crowd at his youth rallies. Still, he never drew more than 200 skinheads.

Another annual event developed in the late 1990s, when ii C Butler began organizing parades through downtown Coeur s d'Alene. The community objected. fearing the demonstrations painted the region as a haven for hatemongers. But when tl1ey tried to stop the parades, Butler was protected by the government he despised- the courts ruled he had a Fi16t • Amendment right to march. : The counterdemonstrations often drew more people than !: " the parades. Tourists gaped at the sight of hooded Klansmen i, and skinheads inching down the street.

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End of an era In 2000, Butler was forced into bankruptcy when Victoria and Jason Keenan won a $6.3 million civil judgment against the Aryan Nations, after being fired upon and assaulted by three Aryan guards.

The Hayden Lake compound \~as purcha~ec! ~y th~ Keenans at an auction, and they sold 1t to a multtmillionaire human-rights activist who turned it into a ~rain~ng ground. for firefighters. As the compound burned m mtd-2001, a firefighter talked about tossing a swastika into the fire: "HopefulJy, it will be the last one in North Idaho."

But Butler wasn'tchased out of the Panhandle. He moved into a home in Hayden purchased in October 2000 for $107,500 by Conner follower Vincent Bertollini. currently a fugitive from charges.of drunken drivi!'g i.n ~3:"dpoint. The aging pastor held semces each Sunday m his hvmg room, and began using the Internet to spread his message.

Butler was always evasive about what would happen after his death. ln 1987, he said he was proud of preaching his racist message, and was convinced the movement would thrive after he's gone. . . . . ·•If I were to die tomorrow or anythmg else, tl will still go on," he said.

But it may not go on in Hayden. A few hours after his death, family members ordered white supremacists out of the home, put some of their belongings on the doorstep and removed an Aryan flag from the window.

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=fi File/The SPokesman-Review

Gary Lee Yart>rough, who with others would later fonn The Order, guards Butler at an Aryan Nations rally In Spokane's Riverfront Park In June of 1983.

PAGE B6

Thursday, September 9, 2004 The Spokesman¡Review Spokane, Wash/Coeur d'Alene , Idaho

OUR VIEW Butler did much harm, but t:he community fought back.

Region rejected gospel of hate Richard Girnt Butler lived and died admiring Adolf Hitler the greates.t monster of the 20th century.

Like his hero the Aryan Nations founder inspired witles followers to hate and harass minorities as well as commit lawless acts. Like Hitler, Butler gained attention with his outlandish pursuit of a whites-only homeland. Also like Hitler Butler saw his dreams of an Aryan kingdom disintegrate before he died isolated from family and followers. Hitler committed suicide in a Berlin bunker as the allie closed in. Butler died in his leep overnight Tuesday in a small Hayden Idaho home, provided by Butler, h(Jll)ever, an admirer who s now a fugitive didn't understand from the law.

He was a total failure. He won t that Narth Idahoans be mi sed. wouldn't embrace an Few men have harmed their community more than Richard ideokJgy many oftheir Butler. By establishing a ram hackle compound of sorts in fathers, brothers and the woods above Hayden Lake themselves had fought Butler lured the di enfranchised criminal and racists to North Idaho to destroy during for conferences parades and World War IL indoctrination. They met. They burned cro es. They plotted how too erthrow the government. They attracted routine media coverage from the New York Times and others fascinated by the fasci t phenomenon establi bing North Idaho in the minds of the fellow countrymen as a haven for racists.

Above all Butler and his disciples miscalculated.

Butler thought he d found an easy mark for his foul creed of white uperiority when be moved from Southern California to live-and-let-live Kootenai County three decades ago. North Idaho wa - and remains - overwhelmingly white. Butler, however, didn't understand that North Idahoans wouldn t embrace an ideology many of their fathers brothers and them elves had fought to destroy during World War II. He erred too in thinking bi neighbors would overlook vandalism and abu e targeting the few minority members in Kootenai County.

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Inadvertently, Butler's movement launched one of the nation's foremost human-rights groups, the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. Beginning in 1980, when racists vandalized a Jewish man's restaurant in Hayden, the task force peacefully challenged every move made by the Aryans in a giant chess match that lasted for almost a quarter century. Malicious harassment was met with tough new state laws that eventually would be Butler's undoing. The 1986 bombing of the late Bill Wassmuth's home was met with a community rally and forgiveness. An Aryan parade was transformed into a fund-raising event by the task force that raised more than $30,000 for human rights.

In the end, Butler lost everything - his sympathetic wife, Betty, to death in 1995; his family to estrangement; his followers to death, prison, disillusionment and other racist sects; his compound and even the rights to the Aryan Nations name to a $6.3 million civil verdict in 2000; and his organization to racist interlopers. But he never lost his passion for his vile creed or his sense of antagonism toward the community that rejected him. After he was ordered off his compound, he still staged smaller gatherings and parades - and even a political campaign.

Last year, he tried one last time to preach his gospel of hate to his neighbors when he ran for mayor of Hayden. But he succeeded only in being humiliated and repudiated by those who lived closest to him. Hayden voters turned out in record numbers to overwhelmingly re-elect Mayor Ron McIntire in a municipal race watched around the world. Butler mustered only 50 of 2,122 votes.

In his perversion of Christianity, Butler considered Hitler as the second greatest man to walk the Earth. It's frightening to think of the evil this zealot would have caused had he been part of Hitler's regime. Now, he's gone. But others harbor his beliefs. We should continue to be vigilant in the pursuit of democracy that thrives on diversity and inclusion.

The Press, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004

Aryan founder Richard Butler dies Organization was forced into bankruptcy after lawsuit four years ago

By MIKE McLEAN Staff writer HAYDEN Richard Girnt Butler, the "grand old giant of white supremacy,'' died Wednesday at his Hayden home.

Nearly four years to the day after the Aryan Nations founder lost a lawsuit that forced him into bank-

ruptcy, Butler was repor ted unconscious and not breathing.

Kootenai County Sherill's deputies were called at 11:20 a.m. to the house where Butle~ w~o Butler apparently died m his sleep, was pronounced dead.

Sheriff's Capt. Ben Wolfinger said deputies found nothing unusual at the scene.

"He was an 86-year-old man with a h~art problem," Wolfinger said. "It appears to be natural causes."

Butler had been in declining health from congestive heart failure for several years.

He was recently treated and released at Kootenai Medical Cenler.

Wolfinger said an autopsy will be conducted today.

Butler, a former manufacturing engineer for Lockheed and a World War II veteran, moved from California and founded his 20-acre compound on Rimrock Road near

Hayden in 1974 with a dream of establishing an Aryan homeland.

Toe Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations was formed in 1981 to counter the forces of bigotry.

Some of Butler's followers, including a group led by Robert Mathews called The Order. were linked to robberies, murders and bombings in the 1980s.

Butler was acquitted in 1988 on charges of attempting to overthrow the government.

BUTLER continued on CS

ca THE PRESS Thursday, September 9, 2004

BunER

North Idaho

fugitive on a Bonner County Keenans' attorneys, said he his views. He was grotesquely warrant stemming from a expects continued withering wrong." continued from C1 charge of drunken driving. of the supremacist movement.

Mark Potok, spokesman Butler ran unsuccessfully "But that whole process for the Southern Poverty Law On Sept. 7, 2000, a jury for Hayden lake mayor in the was in place already," he said. Center in Montgomery, Ala., awarded $6.3 million to November 2003 election in "It began with the verdict, said Butler's death is the end Victoria and Jason Keenan, which the incumbent, Ron bankruptcy and capture of of an era. who were shot at and run off McIntire, gathered 98 percent Butler's compound. It was fol"It may well be the beginRimrock Road during a car of the vote. lowed by the vote by the peo- ning of the end of the Pacific chase by Aryan Nations secuButler's daughter, who ple of Hayden who turned out Northwest's reputation as a rity guards. The verdict forced doesn't share his beliefs, en masse and told Butler what haven for these people," Potok Butler and tl1e Aryan Nations asked three of Butler's follow- they thought of his politics." said. into bankruptcy. ers to pack up and leave his He said the task force will SPLC attorney Morris Dees He had lived since then in a, house Wednesday. remain vigilant. assisted in the Keenan lawsuit. house at 10137 N. Sunview Calls to the house went unan"One of the reasons our 'The group has no assets, Lane that was bought by sym- swered Wednesday afternoon. efforts will not be diminished no money and no compound," pathizer Vmcent Bertollini.

Norm Gissel, founding is we don't want to see it hap- Potok said. '"All that is left is Bertollini, who is still listed member of the Kootenai pen again," Gissel said. the legacy of Richard Butler." on county records as the County Task Force on Human "Butler came up here thinking That may be enough to owner of the property, is a Relations and one of the this society would welcome hold the group together for

some time, he said.

"It may be run by committee," Potok said. 'There is no obvious successor."

With modern communications, Aryan Nations doesn't need a compound, he said.

"They are able to keep together through the Internet," he said.

He said Charles Juba, who is running an offshoot of the Aryan Nations in Pennsylvania, may make a play for power.

"We are seeing a generation change," Potok said. "We are starting to see some of the grand old giants of white supremacy die."

Thursday, September 09, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.

Richard Butler, who led Aryan Nations, 11 dies in Idaho at 86 s. .°""w.~ \,""'...s

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By Jonathan Martin Seattle Times social issues reporter Richard Girnt Butler, the Northwest's iconic reverend of the whitesupremacist Aryan Nations, died in his sleep yesterday in Hayden, Idaho. He was 86.

He lived to see his racist movement bankrupted, his 20-acre compound auctioned off and his followers convicted of violence. But for nearly two decades, Butler was the elder statesman of white hate. His message combined an interpretation of Christianity with Nazism and the dream of a whites-only homeland centered in the pristine hills of North Idaho.

Richard Butler founded the Aryan Nations.

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The group's compound in Hayden, Idaho, with its guard tower, printing press and stained-glass swastikas in the chapel, gave skinheads a place to learn. It eventually spawned radicals convicted of murders, bombings, racketeering and armed robberies. Butler disavowed involvement with these crimes, but he once said that white women who marry outside their race should die.

Butler's movement also produced one of the nation's strongest humanrights groups, the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, to fight back. When dozens of Aryan Nations members marched through downtown Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, they faced hundreds of protesters.

Tony Stewart, a founder of the task force, is proud of the response, but he said the Inland Northwest's reputation is still stained by Butler's racism. "It will take a good amount of time to erase that," he said . "We wish no one ill will, but with his passage, this is an end of an era. Most of his people have already left, but he continued to speak out."

Violence led to the group's downfall. In 1998, Aryan Nations security guards shot at a woman driving by the compound, ran her off the road and assaulted her and her son. She sued and won $6.3 million, forcing Butler off his compound and into the small farmhouse where he died.

In recent years, Butler showed his age - his posture stooped, his voice was raspy and quiet. He suffered from heart failure and recently had a heart

attack, said Capt. Ben Wolfinger of the Kootenai County Sheriffs Office. He appeared to have died of natural causes, but an autopsy is planned . "[The Aryan Nations] is a wan ing group, much like Richard Butler was," Wolfinger said .

Without a headquarters, the Aryan Nations withered and descended into bickering, said Mark Potok, who monitors hate groups at the Southern Poverty Law Center. But he estimates there are still 17 chapters and about 200 members across the country , including in Washington state.

"For a very long time, Richard Butler was a central figure in the whitesupremacy world , and the Aryan Nations was the glue that held together the movement," he said.

Butler was born in Colorado and raised in Los Angeles. While serving in India with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War 11, he noticed that the higher classes of the caste system had lighter skin. He returned home an admirer of Adolf Hitler and became a follower of a white-supremacist pastor.

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Butler's wife, Betty, died in 1995. He is survived by two daughters, who do not share their father's racist beliefs. His beloved German shepherds, Hans and Fritz, also preceded him in death.

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His doctrine followed the teachings of a white-supremacist pastor in Los Angeles: Jews were Satan's children, blacks were "mud people" and white blood must not be diluted by minorities.

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Beginning in the mid-1980s, Aryan Nations followers were linked to a pattern of violence. A splinter group called The Order killed a Jewish talkshow host in Denver and committed a series of armored car robberies and bombings, and the group's leader, Robert Matthews, died during a shootout with federal agents on Whidbey Island in 1985.

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"This in many ways was a serial crime spree that went on for decades," said Norm Gissel, a Coeur d'Alene attorney and a member of the humanrights task force. "The people associated with the Aryan Nations, when you start tallying that up, committed 100 felonies in the name of racism."

In 1999, the FBI reported that Butler's group planned to seize five Western states - or 10 percent of the country - for an Aryan nation.

But the next year, Gissel and a team of lawyers bankrupted the Aryan Nations in a landmark trial involving the 1998 shooting . Two of Butler's wealthy backers left the state, one of them wanted on criminal charges.

In Novem~er, Butler was boarding a plane in Spokane when police arre.~te~ his temale ,~raveling companion, a 31-year-old porn star known as the Latrn Pnncess, on a forgery warrant, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

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One Aryan Nations member, Chevie Kehoe, was convicted of three murders in a plot to set up a whites-only nation. An Aryan Nations security guard, Buford 0 . Furrow, was convicted of killing a Filipino mail carrier and wounding three children at a Jewish community center.

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He had a career as an engineer at Lockheed and developed a patent to fix airplane tires. He picked Hayden for retirement partly because of its low percentage of minorities, and he set about building a movement.

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SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER http ://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/ 190081 _ butlerobit09 .html

Richard Butler, 1918-2004: Aryan Nations founder sowed racial hatred Thursday, September 9, 2004

By MIKE LEWIS SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler, a man responsible for galvanizing racists and the groups that oppose them, died yesterday in bed in his Idaho home. He was 86.

Kootenai County authorities said Butler died in his sleep in the small Hayden house where he lived after a lawsuit bankrupted his group, forcing the closure of his nearby Hayden Lake compound in 2000.

His death, both Aryan Nations and human rights group members said, marks the end of a time when the Pacific Northwest developed a reputation as a hotbed for racist and separatist groups.

"With his passing, I really do believe it is the end of an era," said Tony Stewart, an Idaho college professor and leading human rights advocate.

For 25 years Stewart was a near-constant thorn in Butler's side as he founded local groups such as the Human Rights Education Institute that opposed Butler's teaching of race separation and virulent, violent anti-Semitism.

"He was very successful in getting publicity," said Stewart, who lives in Coeur d'Alene. "He sent a message that Idahoans were sympathetic to his views. This wasn't the case."

Aryan Nations National Director Charles Juba, who succeeded Butler as head of the organization, said Butler was a "monumental" leader in the Church of Jesus Christ Christian/Aryan Nations who raised the sect's profile, even though he never reached the dream of a "northwest migration" that would establish a so-called "Aryan homeland."

"We look at Pastor Butler's generation as those who planted the seeds, and us as those who sprouted from that seed," Juba said.

The group, human rights advocates say, has been withering in recent years with fewer than 200 members in 20 states. That's down from a peak of 1,000 members in the 1980s and 1990s.

Juba, 32, recalled those days fondly, calling Butler's 20-acre, guarded compound "a place where you fe lt at home."

A particularly violent home, authorities note.

The compound also was the base of operations for a violent subgroup of the Aryan Nations called The Order, a secret society linked to the killing of a Salt Lake City disc jockey and other racist attacks.

Federal prosecutors in the mid-l 980s sent several Order members to prison on theft, bombing, murder and racketeering charges.

Butler, however, avoided criminal prosecution throughout his 30 years with the society he founded in 1974 based on the master race and Jew-hating messages of Adolf Hitler and Los Angeles preacher Wesley Swift.

In civil court, he wasn't so lucky. He and Aryan Nations had to declare banlauptcy in 2000 after Victoria Keenan and her son Jason successfully sued the racist group following harassment and assault by armed Aryan Nations guards.

In 1998, the pair were driving past the compound when a sharp, loud noise convinced nearby guards someone was shooting at them. Targeting the car carrying the mother and son, the armed men chased it and shot out one of the tires. Members then put a gun to Victoria's head and threatened her.

Represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Keenans won a $6.3 million judgment but were able to collect only a fraction in the form of the compound itself. They sold it to the Carr Foundation, which in tum donated it to an area college. "(Butler's death) is the end of a dark time for the Pacific Northwest and its struggle with the image Butler hung around its neck like a millstone," said Mark Potak, a staff director with the center.

Butler was born in Colorado in 1918, and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was a boy. Afler a stint in the Army in World War II -- when, he said, he became impressed with Hitler's views -- he returned to California and became a successful aerospace engineer.

In 1974, he bought a 20-acre plot near Coeur d'Alene and began building his compound and church group. By the 1980s, the Aryan Nations had more than 400 members and close alliances with the Ku Klux Klan and international white supremacist groups.

But the group also had the effect of sparking a local human rights organizational push unprecedented in rural America, Patak said.

"The Aryan Nations was responsible for the creation of the most dynamic human rights community in the nation," he said, referring to Stewart's efforts in Idaho and the founding of the Institute for Action Against Hate at nearby Gonzaga University in Spokane.

The Jesuit school also is developing a four-year degree in the study of hate groups.

Butler, in the end, "was a dark cloud, and you work to tum that dark cloud into a rainbow," Stewart said.

P-1 reporter Mike Lewis can be reached at 206-448-8140 or mikelewis@seattlepi.com Š 1998-2004 Seattle Post-Intelligencer

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Saturday, September 11, 2004 The Sp0kesma.n-Review Spokane, Wash./COeur d'Alene, Idaho

Probe starts Nevada Inmates questioned in investigation into rigged envelopes sent to govenors/B3 Oplnlon/84

Roundtable/85

Center focuses on education Human Rights Education Institute getting closer to downtown center, will announce director soon

By Betsy Z. Russell Smffwrirer

Jesse Tinsley{The Sllokesman.Rev,ew

The old depot bulldlng In Coeur d'Alene's City Park will house the Human Rights Education Institute, an organization dedicated to telllng the Inland Northwest's human rights story.

Coeur d'Alene's new buman rights education center may be a little bebind scbedule, but it's still on track, supporters say.

"Come fall , we should have some real exciting news," said Tony Stewart, president of the board of the Human Rights Education Institute, which is planning the new center in downtown Coeur d'Alene.

"In October. we'll be able to announce and introduce our executive director." Stewart said. "And we'll be able to update the status of our center itself.... We've made

some major changes in architectural plans and those kinds of things."

The death of longtime local neo-Nazi leader Richard Buller this week marked something of an end of an era for the local human rights movement , Stewart said.

Though he was in frail health and his followers had dwindled, Butler was active until the end of his life in pushing his racist views, including holding public parades and running last year for mayor of Hayden, an election he lost overwhelmingly. ''We now can give a much higher percentage of our time to dealing with edu-

cation, rather than responding to activities that are going on where there are hate crimes and all those kinds of things," Stewart said.

Human rights education plans have been percolating locally for several years, but Stewart said a key turning point came when computer entrepreneur and Idaho Falls native Greg Carr donated $1 million to the project.

Initially, the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations had been giving scholarships to North ldaho College for minority students and some grants to teachers for diversity programs. Former state Sen. Mary Lou Reed spearheaded a new foundation to take on those roles.

Continued: Center/B6

Page 86

Saturday, September 11, 2004

REGION

Center: School

programs also part of group's plans Continued from 81

Then Stewart got an e-mail from Carr, saying be'd decided to give the new foundation a million dollars.

"I called Mary Lou and said, 'I have somewhat of an interesting e-mail here,' " Stewart recalled: ·'That's when life began to change."

The foundation became the Human Rights Education Institute and began planning the new center, which is scheduled to occupy a remodeled historic railroad substation in City Park that's been leased from the city. The center is envisioned as a place that will teUthe Inland Northwest's human rights story, and also educate people about civil rights in America and worldwide.

In addition to the s.tructure itself, programs in schools and elsewhere will constitute a major portion of the center's work, Stewart said.

"We're just so excited about the whole thing," he said.

More than 70 people from around the world applied for the executive director position.

Carr, in an interview Thursday, said be believed the story ofButler's activities in North Idaho really is about how the community rejected tbem and rallied around human rights.

Carr, 44. former chairman of Prodigy Inc., has committed millions of dolJars to human rights efforts

in Idaho. The era of the Aryan Nations and Butler was one in which the little-known state of Idaho became synonymous for many with racists - a misperception that Carr and many others worked to change.

"The only good thing that you could say comes out of something like that is that it ~a uses people to rise to the challenge.'' Carr said.

He recalled a banquet that was held in Coeur d'Alene at the time of the purchase of the former Aryan compound. Carr bought the compound after Butler lost it in a multimillion-dollar civil judgment and then donated it to the North Idaho College Foundation as a peace park. ··rremember there were 600 people that came to the banquet, and they all paid money because it was a fund-raiser for human rights education," Carr said.

"And outside on the street, there were six people. one of them Mr. Butler, protesting us. And r thought. you know, 600 to six - that's probably reflective of the reality. Ninety-nine percent of tl1e people are in favor of human rights."

He added. "I'm just happy that the vast majority of people do believe in equality and do believe that Butler's message of hate and racism is unacceptable.

And for me, that was the story."

Carr, who funded an $18 million Center for Human R ights Policy at the Ke nnedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1999, has been active in many human rights causes, and also funded a major museum in Idaho Falls. A graduate of Utah State University with a master's degree in public poljcy from Harvard, Carr co-founded a successful technology firm in 1986 that he sold a decade later and then became chairman of Prodigy, a global Internet services provider. ln early 1999, he sold a

''I'm just happy that the vast majority ofpeople dJJ believe in equality and dJJ believe that Butler's message ofhate and racism -is unacceptabk. " Greg Carr, fo rmer chairman of Prodigy Inc. and benefactor of human rights causes

portion of his interests in Prodigy and formed a charitable foundati on.

Carr credits the local community with the idea of turning the former Aryan compound into a peace park.

"Th~t idea came from community leaders in Coeur d'Alene who invited me to join them in that effort." Carr said. "They said, ·Let's buy the compound and let's tear down all the buildings and let's make a peace park,' and I said, 'Great, I'll help you.'

••• Twas proud to just be an Idahoan and proud to work with those folks.''

Stewart said. "He's such a quiet person and nonassuming, but my, is he powerful in what he's doing. ... The Greg Carrs are the trend of the future, and that's the good news.''

• Betsy l Russell can be reached at (208) 336-2854, or by e-mail at bzrussell@cableone.net To read more. see her Web log at www.spokesmanreview.com/ boise.

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NYTimes.com > Week in Review

UNDYING ARYAN DREAMS

A Voice of Hatred Is Gone, but Not Its Echo

By SARAH KERSHAW Published: September 12, 2004

S

EATTLE - Toward the end of his life, the man who was once the nation's most visible face of white supremacy, a Nazi-uniform-wearing, jackbooted ideologue whom his critics called "the grandfather of hate," was a frail old widower gasping for breath in a tiny donated house in northern Idaho.

And when he died in his sleep on Wednesday at 86, Richard G. Butler, who founded the Aryan Nations in the 1970's, had already long ago lost his power and influence over the radical right, a collection of extremist subcultures, mi litias and neo-Nazi offshoots that his movement spawned.

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"Butler's death, in a way, marks the end of an era," said Daniel Levitas, author of "The Terrorist Next Door: The Militia Movement and the Radical Right" (St. Martin's Press, 2002). "But it certainly is not removing somebody from the scene who was actively playing a role of any great significance at the time of his death."

Mr. Butler's brand of white supremacy was based on a theology known as Christian fdentity, combining a heretical interpretation of the Bible and a belief that Jews were Satanic and blacks "mud people." Before the seams of that movement began to come "' apart, Mr. Butler's 20-acre compound in the pine-forested hills of northern Idaho was a gathering soot for white suoremacists.

But Mr. Butler had become increasingly isolated. "Christian Identity Long ago lost its kind of hegemonic sway within the radical right," Mr. Levitas said.

Most experts agree that though white supremacy may be ebbing, it has certainly not died along with Mr. Butler. Indeed, there are signs on the Internet and in rallies that it may still be thriving, from Washington State to West Virginia, although in new forms.

"Is the radical right in trouble, faltering and fading away?" said Mark Potok, who tracks extremist groups for the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala. "I don't think so. I think it's yet again starting to morph."

Though it may have lost its dominance, Christian Identity is still strong within the white supremacy movement, particularly in the South. On the rise, experts say, are groups like one in Portland, Ore., called Volksfront, which says it champions whites' civil rights while rejecting racial violence.

In the Pacific Northwest, a bastion of white separatism, anti-government militias and survivalists, a new dogma has begun to spread, drawing on Odinism, a pre-Christian theology that worships Norse deities and derives its name from the chief one, Odin.

There is some debate as to how prevalent Odinism is among white supremacists.

People who are studying the cult say it has taken hold most notably in prisons.

Skinheads and other separatist groups who have rejected Christian Identity are drawn to Odinism because it rids them of the messy problem of having to contend with Christian values like compassion and forgiveness and frees them to justify violence, said Randy Blazak, a professor of sociology at Portland State University and director of the university's Hate Crimes Research Network.

Mr. Blazak and other experts trace the rise of radical subcultures like Odinism to the turmoil in the white supremacy movement. For several years it has been riven by infighting, philosophical friction and faU-offs in recruitment.

Today there are about 17 Aryan Nations chapters across the country with a total of200 or so members, figures that are a third to a half of what they were in the mid-80's, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. And Mr. Butler left no heir apparent when he died in a house in Hayden Lake, Idaho, that had been given to him by a follower after Mr. Butler went bankrupt and lost his compound.

Things got worse for the radical right after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and the conviction in that attack of one of its members, Timothy J. Mc Veigh. The known paramilitary groups and militias with roots in places like Montana and Washington State numbered 171 in 2003, down from 858 in 1996, according to the law center.

"The militia movement suffered from an aggressive federal crackdown in the wake of Oklahoma City," Mr. Levitas said. He added: "Americans in this day and age are not at all keen on the idea of being recruited into violent revolutionary organizations whose mission is to assassinate public officials. It is not a very sellable idea in a post-9/11 world."

Still, there is debate as to whether the militias are experiencing a quiet resurgence; a report released last week by the Anti-Defamation League said that their numbers were rising in a "retooling of the movement" after a long hiatus, although not to anywhere near the levels of the mid-1990's.

While it is clear that white supremacy is not in its twilight, Mr. Butler's passing was certainly a big moment for northern Idaho.

"It's been a 25-year history and struggle," said Tony Stewart, a professor at North Idaho College who helped found a local human rights group that has battled Aryan Nations.

"The transition of this was already under way. But no one can say he is still operating here. There's a real finality to it."

On Wednesday, after Mr. Butler's body was taken away for an autopsy, his relatives moved the belongings of his Aryan Nations roommates out of the house in Hayden Lake and placed them on the doorstep, a local newspaper, The Spokesman-Review, reported. Then they took down an Aryan Nations flag from a window.

Download Today's New York Times to Your Desktop.

Matthew Mcvay/Corbi

Members of the Aryan Nations and the Ku Klux Klan oather outside Twin Falls, Idaho, for a cross-burning in 1987.

CS THE PRESS Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Let this legacy die

with him Butler won't be missed

I

n North Idaho last week, there were few tears when the news came of the death of the man probably most despised in the region.

For decades his hatemongering and racism came, for many outsiders, to represent more of the culture of North Idaho than it was.

Death is sometimes seen as a time of renewal. Many who fought to counter the ranting of the self-proclaimed "reverend," distorting Christian beliefs to fit his perverse view of humanity, saw this death as an opportunity for rebirth - a chance to emerge from the Rick shadow of hate and Thomas terror that were the legacy of his twisted Rambles teachings - and & Raves arise as a community free from fear of diversity.

Terror reared its head in this area soon after the arrival of the madman and his minions - bombings rocked government and private buildings; threats and intimidation dogged many whose skin color or ethnicity were treated by those mad dogs as a threat to the racial "purity" they espoused.

The terrorism continued on an occasional and annual basis up until only a few weeks ago, when once again part of the city was locked down so the remaining handful of malevolent mongrels could march through downtown in a "parade" that consisted mostly of the doddering, long-since senile old man and his last few hangers-on.

The same small-minded group that would tear down the government that allowed them to seek whatever visibility they could from media that had long-ago dismissed them as crackpots, albeit dangerous crackpots - through their exercise of "free speech," succeeded for years in intimidating a city that was afraid to just say "no" to their spiritual pornography.

For more than half a day during the busy and vital tourist season, merchants along Sherman Avenue were forced to close down so the message of intolerance could be proclaimed.

Some couldn't get in. Those who stayed in some cases were not allowed to leave during that march, or for hours before and after it ended.

One who dared display Hebrew writings on the outside of her shop was terrorized, not so much by the marchers but by federal agents with bomb-sniffing dogs sent to "protect'' her.

She chose to stay the night in the shop with her dog, rather than not be there to watch over it, but was not allowed outside on the morning of the march, as her pet distracted the highly-trained canine patrol circling her'store and others.

For years, the city's leaders have caved in to the demands of the marchers and granted them a parade permit There is new hope among those merchants that that event, costly to them and the public, will fade into memory, an ugly chapter in a community that beat back the hate and countered with a commitment to the cause of human rights.

With the death of their "leader," there's a real chance there will be no further attempts to repeat that annual march of morons.

It should end. If a perrrut 1s sought next year, the city should dig in and fight back against the malice. There are ample legal reasons. City code restricts those who intend violence from holding parades, and history demonstrates that intent Only their cowardice and a repressive police presence has prevented it Code also requires that "business activities in Coeur d'Alene are not unreasonably impacted by parades."

Put this last vestige of evil to rest, so all can share the peace.

Rick Thomas can be reached at ext. 2005 or thomas@cdapress.com.

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Sheriff's deputies respond to call, find Aryan Nations founder dead at his home

BY NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS Associated Press

SPOKANE -Aryan Nations founder Richard G. Butler failed to turn the Pacific Northwest into a whites-only enclave, but bis three-decade effort succeeded in besmirching the image of northern Idaho.

Human rights leaders hope Butler's death at the age of 86 will eliminate the last vestiges of the anti-Semitic, white upremacist group from the region.

"The passing of Richard Butler is the end of an era for that movement here," ( aid Tony Stewart, a human rights leader in Coeur d'Alene. "There is no one to take his place here."

Butler was found dead in his Hayden, Haho, home Wednesday by Kootenai County, Idaho, sheriff's deputies responding to a call. He was in his bed and appeared to have died in his sleep, sher-

iff's Capt. Ben Wolfinger said. The time of death was not immediately known.

"Everything appears to be natural," Wolfinger said.

Several phone calls to Butler's Hayden home ended when someone picked up the telephone and then hung up without speaking.

Butler bought 20 acres near Hayden Lake, Idaho, and moved there from California upon his retirement in 1974.

He built a compound adorned with Nazi symbols that attracted skinheads, ex-convicts and others from the fringes of society. His disciples included some of the most notorious figures in the hate movement.

Residents of tourism-dependent northern Idaho were horrified by the negative publicity, and formed several human See BUTlER, Page 3A

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Associated Press Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler was found dead in his home from what appears to be natural causes.

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Although founder Richard G. Butler vowed the Aryan Nations headquarters would never leave North Idaho, the group Is picking up Its mall In Alabama.

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The Aryan Nations headquarters was located in North Idaho from the late 1970s until late September, two weeks after the death of its founder, Richard G. Butler.

A splinter faction, called 'Impostors' by Butler, claims It Is now the real Aryan Nations.

-REVJIEW What is evil? Philosophers, laymen struggle to define four-letter word

By Virginia de Leon Stoff writer

EV[L I. a) morally bad or wrong; wicked; depraved b) resulting from or based on conduct regarded as immoral 2. causing pain or trouble; harmful; injurious 3. offensive or disgusting 4. threatening or bringing misfortune; unlucky;. disastrous; unfortunate - Webster's New World Dictionary

---,

For the first time in 30 years, the Aryan Nations no longer has its headquarters and post office box in North Idaho.

Instead of Hayden, Idaho, the white supremacist organization is now collecting its mail at a post office box in Lincoln, Ala., a small community 86 miles from the civil rights organization that financially bankrupted the Aryan Nations.

The new Alabama location for the "Aryan Nations World Headquarters" was posted on the group's Web site about two weeks after its

On a dirt road in North Idaho four years ago, fear overcame Victoria Keenan as she came face to face with a white supremacist. '·He looked like the devil," Keenan wrote, describing neo-Nazi security chief Jesse Warfield, one of three men who assaulted Keenan and her son that night. In an article for the Southern Poverty Law Center, an Alabama-based human rights organization, Keenan described a man with a shaved head and glaring eyes - "something about those eyes was just evil, mean," she wrote. "He had 'KILL' in bis eyes."

Keenan, a Native American whose lawsuit against the Aryan Nations eventually bankrupted the group, isn't the only one who has called the neo-Nazis evil. When Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler died last month, on Line discussions about him contained messages like "Good riddance to an evil man."

The Jewish Defense League referred to Butler's 20-acre headquarters as '·the compound of the evil empire.·• And Morris Dees, founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center and the attorney who went after the Aryans after Keenan was assaulted, once described Butler as being so evil that his eye ·'burned a hole through me."

Continued: Aryans/ A10

Continued: Evil/ A10

Staff map: B~dget Sawicki

Aryan Nations moves headquarters out of Idaho after founder's death

By BIii Mortin Staff writer

Aryans: Butler OK'd council plan

the likely leaders.

The four names are expected to be announced in the next few weeks.

"There's no hidden agenda there," Patterson Continued from Al said when asked why the founder, Richard G. Butler, died Sept. 8 of corAryan Nations headonary disease at his Hayden home. quarters was now less Now, instead of one person, a four-member than 100 miles from one "leadership council" is about to be named to sucof the group's archeneceed Butler.

Sprlng mies, the Southern PovThe late founder of the Aryan Nations "signed erty Law Center. off' on the joint-leadership concept at this sum"Tjust think people in the Southeast United mer's Aryan World ConStates are more geared to the Christian Identity gress, just eight weeks bemovement than elsewhere," Patterson said. fore his death, said Laslo Patterson has ties to the Alabama White Patterson, of Talladega, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which became Ala., who holds the rank known as the Aryan Nations Knights of the KKK of "major" in the organafter Butler made a trip to Alabama in January ization.

2003.

The relocation may The Aryan Nations embraces a Christian answer a question many Identity religious belief that white people are the have asked this past true children of God, the real Israelites, while month: Does Butler's Jews are descendants of a sexual union between death finally spell an end Eve and Satan, and that nonwhites are "mud peto the organization he Patterson ople" without souls. founded, at least in this As an extension of that belief, Butler and his part of the world? followers idolized Adolf Hitler and Nazism, and While the organization has a new address in they embraced the racist, anti-Semitic dogma of the Southeast, experts say the specter of Butler the Ku Klux Klan. and the Aryan Nations likely will linger in the Over the past decade, Butler had named NeuNorthwest. The possibility remains that the man Britton, of California, then Ray Redfeaim, group's annual World Congress will continue to of Ohio, as his successors. But they both died bebe held in North Idaho each summer. And there fore he did. are other racist, anti-Semitic groups and individTfhe agreed to the idea of a leadership team, as uals in the region.

Williams and Patterson claim, Butler may have "Our new post office box is not in your back taken a cue from a rival group, the Church of yard anymore, but the Aryan Nations still is," True Israel, composed largely of his ex-folsaid Jonathan Williams, Aryan Nations com- lowers. Based in Coeur d'Alene, that Christian munications director in Atlanta.

Identity group was set up in 1995 by a "five man "We are carrying on the wishes of Pastor But- Council of Senior Prelates." "We have avoided ler," Williams said of the change in leadership the pitfalls of a one-man rule," the Church of style. "No one person can True Israel's Web site said in 2000. fill his position, in my opiThe group held a private gathering in July near nion."

St. Regis, Mont., the same July weekend Butler Butler's suburban held his last Aryan World Congress and parade rancher on Skyview Lane in downtown Coeur d'Alene. in Hayden became the "Obviously, the future of Aryan Nations is still group's headquarters in murky," said Mark Pitcavage, national fact-find2000 when the 20-acre ing director for the Anti-Defamation League. compound, built in the "The loss of the compound and the lack of a mid-1970s, was sold in a clear successor have dealt serious blows to Aryan bankruptcy sale to par- Nations," Pitcavage said. tially satisfy a $6.3 million The white supremacist group also has been afWllllams civil judgment. Butler re- fected by a series of arrests, according to Pitcavpeated Iy vowed the age and other experts who track extremist Aryan headquarters would never leave North groups.

Idaho.

Two weeks after Butler's death, Aryan Na"There will be no single leader any longer," tions Nevada leader Steve Holten, who marched Patterson said when asked about the move to in Coeur d'Alene in July, was arrested on federal Alabama." Aryan Nations will be run by a four- charges accusing him of e-mailing threats of violmembercouncil." He wouldn't say ifhe would be ence to Jewish and minority leaders in California one of the four new leaders or if he is now picking and Nevada. up the organization's mail at the post office in His threats, directed at Jews, minorities, gays, Lincoln, near his home. law enforcement and media representatives on a Longtime Aryan Nations member Rick "most-wanted list," promised "terrorist actions Spring, who lives in Arkansas and couldn't be that will be gruesome and something that has reached for comment, is widely mentioned by ex- never been seen," court documents state. perts and people within the movement as one of Earlier this year, Aryan Nations member Sean

Aryan Nations founder Richard G. Butler Is burted at Coeur d'Alene Memortal Gardens. Butler's bronze marker Is not yet Installed on the grave, where his casket Is burted along with that of his wife, Betty Butler, who died In 1995. The Aryan Nations headquarters moved after Butler's death.

Jesse linsJey/ Toe Spokesman-Review

Gillespie, fonnerly of Spokane, was arrested on hi group together with only bubble gum and charges of firebombing a synagogue in Oklaho- string - the Internet and the telephone- and he ma City. ln Longview Wash. Aryan Nations leaves nothing but his personaJ legacy. There is member Zachary Beck was arre ted on charges no compound money or other property to be of shooting at police. And in Montana Aryan fought over. ' 'For the moment, we expect Butler's faction Nations member Karl Gharst was arrested on of Aryan Nations to move ahead under comcharges of threatening to kill a social worker.

Pitcavage said Charles Juba, who lead an mittee leadership, Potok aid, predicting a possAryan Nations splinter faction in Pennsylvania, ible power struggle. 'would like to assume the mantle of Aryan NaIt's unlikely the Aryan Nation .'will di intetion leader but few people upport him and he grate immediately, but if it survives it will likely has little influence beyond his immediate circle," need a ingle chari matic leader," he said. which includes ex-Pos e Comitatus leader AuBrand name In hate gut Krei .

Other experts said part of Butler's legacy was After Butler's death, the Pennsylvania faction aid James Wick trom was the new "national that he made "Aryan Nation ' a brand name in chaplain" of the Aryan Nations. He did not re- white supremacy circles. ' Unlike some, I do not believe Aryan Nation pond to an e-mail request for comment.

'It is still pos ible that Aryan Nation may is anywhere near dead and buried ' aid analyst limp along until omeone with charisma and or- Rick Eaton at the Simon Wie enthal Center a ganizational abilities comes along to revive it," Jewish human rights organization in Los Ansaid Pitcavage, referring to the revival of the gele.

He predicted any number of people will take World Church of the Creator under Matt Hale a run at" attempting to fill Butler s shoes. "The year after the suicide of its original leader.

After all,' Pitcavage aid, Aryan Nation is name Aryan Nation is too important to let die a powerful brand' in the white supremacist withButlerorturn over to a nut job" Eaton aid.

"The good news " he said, "is that I believe movement. In the months or years to come, many might vie to follow in the footsteps of Wesley that any revival i unlikely to take place in northSwift and Richard Butler. ' Swift, also deceased ern Idaho. While that might be a spiritual gatherwa Butler' pre-0ece or in the Christian Ident- ing place in the future, actual leadership is likely ity movement. In the interim or in the absence of to surface omewhere else.

Another expert, Lenny Zeskind of Kansas Cian Aryan Nation revival, other groups are likely ty said he sees the National Alliance filling some to benefit from Butler' death, he said. of the void created by Butler' death. Its leader, 'End of an era' William Pierce, died in 2002 but the organizaAt the outhem Poverty Law Center in Mont- tion 'is still intact and tronger than any other gomery, Ala., hate group expert Mark Potok said single competing outfit,' Zeskind said. Pierce wrote a novel that in the early L980s in pired The Butler' death "mark the end of an era." ' Butler was ucce sful in bringing together Order, a group of neo-Nazi terrori t . most of key factions of the often-splintered radicaJ right. whom came from Butler' church.

Zeskind predicted the National Alliance and and al o in preading his Christian Identity philo ophy throughout the movement but by the other hate groups will focus on immigration isue to attract followers. ' On this point, clever time he died, hi only importance wa a an aging icon of the extreme right Potok aid. white nationalists ans the u ual uniforms will Moving the Aryan Nations headquarter to be in erting them elve and recruiting the next Lincoln, Ala., "gives a feeling for bow weak the generation of activi t .

"It will be the white nationali ts without tatorganization ha become ' he said.

"At the ame time, it hould be noted that at too and without uniform who will po e the the time of Butler death hi faction had ome greatest danger,' he aid. And that danger today 17 active chapters and more than 150 members. i a great a it was on Jan. L L9 6 after The OrBut, at the time f hi death, Butler wa holding der trial bad been concluded with more than two

dozen convictions.

Members of The Order printed counterfeit money on a press at Butler's Hayden compound and then robbed armored cars in their attempt to start a race war. The group carried out bombings and murdered a Jewish talk radio host before being rounded up by the FBI in 1985.

The legacy of that group of domestic terrorists is well-remembered at the American Jewish Committee headquarters in New York, where Ken Stem also said Butler's passing "certainly marks an end of an era, but not of the problems the Aryan Nations presented."

"History teaches that there will always be ideologies and theologies which preach hatred, and that it is the responsibility of all of us to take those messages seriously," Stem said.

"To me the great story of the Inland Northwest was not Butler, but how people such as Bill Wassmuth, Norm Gissel, Tony Stewart, Marshall Mend and many others organized to combat the neo-Nazis," he said.

"I worry less about what new personalities and formations might emerge from hate groups, and more¡about how their message might gain some traction in the decades ahead as America becomes a nation with a majority of nonwhites," Stem said.

He also said one indirect part of Butler's legacy was the creation of the Gonzaga Institute for Action Against Hate in Spokane.

"Without the hate crimes of Aryan Nations members, it is questionable whether the institute would have been formed," Stem said.

"It is the one institution in the country, perhaps the world, dedicated to creating an interdisciplinary field of hate studies, to help us all better understand how bate works, and bow best to combat it," Stem said.

One of the institute's founders , George Critchlow, said the advent of the Internet and electronic communication has changed everything. "Haters now exist and communicate in a community with no physical bounds or dimensions," said Critchlow, dean of the Gonzaga School of Law. Hate groups don' t need a physical headquarters, because "they have the ability to connect with and influence receptive audiences anywhere, anytime," he said.

"Richard Butler's Aryan Nations compound has given way to Web sites with the capacity of projecting hatred, prejudice and misinformation into places and lives undreamed ofby traditional haters," Critchlow said.

Butler was buried in a private ceremony on Sunday,Sept. 12, at a cemetery in Coeur d'Alene.

Several visitors already have stopped by, but only a metal vase of plastic dogwood blossoms marked the spot last week. The headstone for the World War Il veteran is being prepared by the U.S. government that Butler despised so much.

When it was time to dig Butler's grave, there were two gravediggers at the cemetery- a white man and an American Indian.

The Native American said he wasn 't told about the burial or asked to do the work. But he said he would have welcomed the opportunity to throw the last shovelful of dirt in the grave of one of the world's leading racists.

While few would disagree that Butler spawned evil in this world. some hesitate to label him as "evil."

Was be high on the list of wicked people in history like Adolf Hitler and Khtner Rouge leader Pol Pot? Butler never committed murder. He was only charged with a misdemeanor for interfering with a police investigation of a disturbance in front of his property. His grandson, Chad J. Witherwax, of Post Falls, recently pointed out in a letter to the editor that Butler was a father and grandfather and that he will be missed by his family.

Still, many will never forget how much Butler loathed Jews and people of color. Like his hero, Hitler, he believed that the white, Aryan race was meant to rule the world. His teachings and the gatherings he sponsored engendered such hatred among his followers that some ended up committing heinous crimes, such as the bombing of a synagogue, the assassination of a Jewish talk show host in Denver, the killing of a Filipino American postal carrier and the attempted shooting of children in a Jewish day-care center.

So by espousing hate and breeding attitudes that led to the injury and death ofothers, was the late Aryan Nations leader truly an evil man? Just what is evil, in the first place? What are other examples of evil in our world?

And the even scarier question: Aren't we all capable of evil?

Evil Ideology For Jim Waller, a psychology professor at Whitworth College and an expert on the topic, evil is "the deliberate harming of humans by other humans."

Although he focuses on physical kjJlings in his book, "Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing," Waller's definition includes psychological injury and harm caused by takmg away someone's freedoms.

"I would be hesitant to say someone is evil, but cert~y (Butler's) ideology of hate is evil because it involves limiting the rights of other humans, harming them, wanting to exterminate them," Waller said. "He espoused ideologies that had evil consequences."

Ross Woodward, of Spokane, said he wouldn't disagree with anyone who labeled the late racist as evil, but it's difficult to judge the man without a psychological assessment or some other scientific analysis. "He might have been crazy," he said As a secular humanist who believes that humans alone are responsible for their actions and destiny, Woodward is uncomfortable with the term "evil" because of its religious connotations. Evil, to him and many others, is not a horned devil leaping from the fires of hell. Nor is it the religious concept of sin, a "moral evil," which is what happens "when the intelligent creature, knowing God and His law, deliberately refuses to obey," according to the Catholic Encyclopedia.

To Woodward, a longtime radio broadcaster who leads a local focus group on secular humanism, evil is an action, "an extreme

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Sunday, October 3, 2004

Evil: Eveiyone is capable of hate Continued from Al

situation where you deny personhood to a person, where you regard a person as a thing and deny them the traditional rights of life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Regardless of their religion or personal beliefs, most people have a difficult time denying the existence of evil and its pervasiveness in the world. People also tend to distinguish between "physical evil." which includes illness and catastrophes such as hurricanes, and "moral evil,'' which is the malice that humans commit.

"Human beings have free will," said Gary Singer, the sh'liach tzibbur, or lay service leader, of Congregation Ner Tamid, a Reform Jewish congregation in Spokane. People "sometimes choose to be haters, thieves, antisocial, to put down other groups to elevate their own self-righteousness or thrrst for power." From Singer's perspective, Butler was indeed an evil man because under the guise of religion, Butler and his followers "taught and urged others to hate their fellow human beings ... They made a conscious choice to behave in an evil fashion toward others."

Many examples of evil have existed in history, he noted, from the notoriously cruel Roman emperor Nero to mass murderers Hitler and Josef Stalin to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who is currently facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. But evil also happens "when a person is indifferent to the suffering of our fellow human beings, to poverty, to genocide in the Sudan, to racism, to spousal abuse - these are all examples of evil," Singer said.

As a Catholic, Kent Hoffman said he found himself praying for Butler. "There was

The Spokesman-Review

Jed Conldill{The Spokesman-Review

Whitworth College professor Jim Waller Is an expert on the nature of evil.

something deeply sad and painful. about that man," he said. As a psychotherapist, Hoffman acknowledged that Butler participated in "evil activities'' that incited contempt and discouraged his followers from reflection conditions that could lead them to commit acts of evil.

To understand human capacity for evil, Hoffman uses a formula based on two straight lines in the shape of a cross. On the horizontal axis, you have empathy on the left side and psychopathy or "malignant narcissism" on the right side. On the vertical axis, you have high reflection at the top and low reflection at the bottom. If a person finds himself in the lower-right quadrant, where there is black-and-white thinking or no reflection coupled with extreme self-absorption and contempt, that person would be in danger of hurting others.

Despite the pain that humans inflict upon one another, the good news is that people "are

hard-wired for empathy," which reduces their capacity for destruction, Hoffman said.

As a Spokane clinician who works exclusively through agencies focused on high-risk parenting, Hoffman has learned from 30 years of research on attachment parenting that children raised in the context of empathy have high empathy. Things happen in childhood that eventually affect people as adults, he said,.so parents should be encouraged to develop the natural tendency to love and care for their children.

What sometimes gets in the way of empathy is the absence of someone to help regulate one's emotional experience. When a child is alone with negative feelings, shame can creep in, Hoffman said, which can lead some to grow up hating themselves and other people.

Like bacteria, evil is an active presence that infects people who find themselves in a place where there is little self-reflection and the focus is completely on "the other," he said. One of the reasons Hitler committed monstrous acts might be that he was beaten every day by his father, making him an open wound, ripe for infection from that bacteria, Hoffman said.

Evll within Evil is a loaded word, many say. By labeling a person "evil," said Waller, we end up focusing on the most evident examples rather than our own potential to hate, our own capacity for evil.

In "Becoming Evil," a book dedicated to the 100 million people who were murdered in the past century. Waller explores how anyone under the right conditions - is capable of becoming a killer. To become killers, according

to Waller, members of a group must belil!Vt' ¡ is the right one; they usually fear outsider; a want their group to dominate. They are sway by peer pressure and let go of their personal responsibilities. They are encouraged by a group or government. Finally, killers fully accept that the people they target are less thar human.

"When people talk about issues of racism i America, they want to talk about the neo-N and white supremacists," said Waller, who is also the author of two books on prejudice.

"The things that made Butler sensational are still things that you and I do - we have stereotypes, we have prejudices and petty grievances. we discriminate against people. It doesn't excuse him, but it separates us from larger problem."

When Butler was alive, Karen Boone dido' live in fear of the Aryan Nations leader himself, she said. But as an African American the fact that he was allowed to preach his raci message forced her to frequently look over he shoulder and worry about her safety and that of her two daughters. She never expected Butler himself to hurt her, but she was wary 01 the possibility that she could be subjected to act of bate by someone who secretly embrace his teachings. That hasn't changed now that Butler is dead.

Not all racists look like skinheads, said Boone, who in 1997 was the target of a racist letter mailed to her home in Spokane. "You don't know if the person sitting next to you at work is a white supremacist," she said.

Patrick McCormick, a religious studies professor at Gonzaga University, said it's probably fair to say that Butler was indeed a bad man. "But what troubles me about callin Butler evil is this: Butler represents the extreme form of racism in society, but he doesn't represent the most dangerous form."

People of color and other minority groups are still targets of racism and discrimination, McCormick said. That bias is reflected in economics, in the fact that African American families continue to earn less than whites, in the justice system and in other facets of socie All this bas nothing to do with Butler and his hate speech, McCormick emphasized.

"When we just pick on the Butlers and the Hitlers, we don't see how pervasive injustice is and how we are all participating in it," he said!

"You can get rid of all the Christian Identity people tomorrow, but racism wouldn't be gon People of color would remain disenfranchise By defining what is evil, we draw lines in th sand and polarize ourselves, McCormick said.

Some have done this by distinguishing the "freedom-loving people" from the terrorists who commit evil, he said.

And by labeling someone as "evil" and as "the enemy," we not only lose our capacity fo self-reflection, we also treat the enemy - the "other" - as less than human. That's scapegoating - "to believe that the enemy or the stranger or foreigner is the carrier of all evil." That's what Hitler did to the Jews in N Germany, McCormick pointed out. It's also reflected in Butler's racism and his distortion the Gospel to fit his Christian Identity beliefs.

When we ascribe all the evil in the community to one person, we fail to acknowledge "our own contribution to the injustice in the world," McCormick said. " I believe that's the most dangerous form of evil the failure to recognize the evil in ourselves."

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Ale{l1le SPOkesman-Review

KKK members and neo-Nazfs attend a cross burning at the Aryan Nations compound In Hayden Lake durfng a 1983 summer conference.