Make your voice count on human rights

Monday, Dec. 10, is Human Rights Day. This year the theme is “My Voice Counts” and the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force invites you to voice your opinion, without shame, threat or fear.

This year, we have experienced the announcement of the intent to establish a stronghold of hate in our county. Shaun Winkler, a former follower of Aryan Nations leader Richard Butler, put in his bid to become the Bonner County sheriff. At the same time he hosted a cross-burning, announced his affiliation with the Ku Klux Klan and his intention to build a “compound” where those who share his belief in the evil and non-human status of all but the white race could assemble.

Shaun Winkler has the right to declare his beliefs. We cannot secure for ourselves any right which we would deny to others. Indeed, the BCHRTF is glad that he was clear about what he represents. That way all who opposed him could make their views known as well. This occurred when 97 percent of the citizens of Bonner County did NOT vote for him.

But this is not enough. Winkler is quoted in a recent article in the Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Report as stating, “The bad, evil, rotten Jew is behind a lot of things … We need to look at the perspective of the Jews and look at what they’ve done to us to fire back.” The Christian Identity beliefs that Winkler learned from Richard Butler teach not only that the Jews are the “seed of Satan,” but that non-whites are non-human “mud people” and that homosexuals should be put to death.

Words lead to action. Hate speech leads to hateful deeds. Butler lost his compound in a lawsuit brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center after his security guards opened fire on a woman and her son who were driving by.

The BCHRTF has, from its inception, created opportunities for our area’s citizens to take a stand and speak out against hate. We believe that our words of respect for the dignity of each individual will also lead to action — and inevitably to a community in which everyone’s strength and contribution is valued and encouraged

In 2000, when another Christian Identity believer, Vincent Bertollini, littered our area with his hate mailings, and specifically named and threatened some of our citizens, the BCHRTF took out a full-page ad with 700 signatures of those who stated: “The sound of hate in our community is unwelcome; we stand together as neighbors against intolerance.” It went on to state “Hate lives in dark places. Hate destroys human lives and human dignity. And hate grows when surrounded by silence.” Several days later we took out another ad, as 300 more citizens contacted us and wanted their names included.

Now we are called upon to once again speak up. Those who wish to live in a community where all can be free of fear and intimidation, where inclusion, diversity and respect are valued, have not only the right, but the responsibility to make our voices heard.

Brenda Hammond

Sandpoint

President

Bonner County Human Rights Task Force