Stand up for the human rights of all people

It's high time — we've been told — that the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force made a statement about the highly publicized incident in Boundary County in which a young woman suffered burns from a campfire after being picked up by a young man who had stated, "Jews burn." The task force has been urged to take a stand and make a public statement regarding this incident. We agree that this is appropriate — and we would like to address the reasons it has taken us so long to do so.

First, the incident happened in Boundary County, and the Boundary County Task Force is very involved in dealing with the victim, her family and the community regarding the issue. We felt it was appropriate that they take the lead. Secondly, it has taken some time to sort out the details of this case, which was tried in court and re-tried in the press. Since it was difficult to determine the facts from the conflicting accounts, we felt that we needed information from sources other than the media. We have now had an opportunity to read the transcripts released by the prosecutor; we have also met with the victim, her family, and representatives of both the Boundary County and Kootenai County Task Forces.

After extensive investigation and consideration, we have come to the same conclusion that was reached by the court: this is a very complex situation of which the exact facts are impossible to ascertain. This is due, in part, to conflicting stories that were given, sometimes by the same witnesses, and the amount of time that elapsed between the incident and the formal reports filed regarding it.

Was there a reluctance to investigate, or to prosecute this case due to its nature and its potential to create controversy? Certainly we are not in a position to make that determination, but if there turns out to be evidence of that, we feel a formal investigation should take place.

However, we are in the position now of attempting to determine what can be learned from this incident. It is very important in drawing a conclusion that we refrain from creating any more victims from this tragedy. We are in complete agreement with those who have pointed out that when hateful words are spoken, silence is interpreted as assent.

Recalling the comments this task force issued when we were exposed to a deluge of mailings promoting hate, prejudice, and personally attacking individuals in our community, we said:

Hate lives in dark places. Hate destroys human lives and human dignity. And, hate grows when surrounded by silence.

The remarks made in this case, according to the transcripts, were posed as humor. Bigoted and hateful statements are not funny. Humor has been used, historically, to perpetuate racial, religious, ethnic and sexual stereotypes. This does not make it acceptable. The fact that this type of humor continues is evidence that it is not being frequently countered with a response like, "I have to say that I find that offensive, and not in the least bit funny."

It is particularly disturbing that anyone would consider that saying, "Jews burn" was a joke. Anyone who knows anything about Holocaust history would never consider making such a cruel and ignorant remark.

Therefore, another conclusion that must be drawn is that there remains a great need for continued education to provide accurate knowledge and to promote understanding about different cultures as well as to drive home the point that bigotry unchecked can lead to devastating consequences as happened during World War II and is happening in Darfur today. We long for the day when we are no longer looking for "tolerance" but respect and appreciation, and a determination not to repeat the atrocities of the past.

There are implications in this case regarding under-aged drinking, the culture of apathy, and the power of intimidation that exists among groups involved in breaking the law. These are outside of the purview of the Human Rights Task Force, but are important issues nonetheless. We encourage all communities, not just Boundary County, to consider the horrible consequences that could occur if we look the other way at situations that have the potential to victimize and endanger our young people.

Even though we are not able to state positively that justice was or was not done, in no way are we attempting to make light of what the young victim in this case has been made to suffer. It is important for her to know that the community stands together in declaring that the acts that led to it are not acceptable — even if it turns out that they were not tied to any kind of ethnic discrimination.

Respect and appreciation for the humanity and dignity of each and every individual, and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family are the foundations of freedom, justice and peace in the world — as stated in the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Dec. 10, 1948.

The distance between that goal and where we are now is a challenge to each of us. One of the very last articles in the Declaration makes a statement quoted less frequently than some of the others. It says, "Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible."

This statement may provide food for thought as we approach the 58th anniversary of its adoption. We would like to commend and to celebrate all those who have exercised their duty to their community by standing up for the rights of others, and encourage them to continue to work toward the fulfillment of the vision outlined in this document.

BRENDA HAMMOND

Bonner County Human Rights Task Force

President

GARY PAYTON

Bonner County Human Rights Task Force

Vice president