[Vision2020] Trail Pushes Senate on Human Rights

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (March 10, 2007) Lewiston Tribune with special thanks to Dean
Ferguson of the Lewiston Tribune and Representative Tom Trail -

House Concurrent Resolution No. 8
http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/HCR008.html

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Trail pushes Senate on human rights; Moscow Republican points to resurgence
in Aryan Nations-type groups as proof of need 

By DEAN A. FERGUSON of the Tribune

BOISE -- Even if the Aryan Nations is gone, racism and hate groups still
plague Idaho, Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, told the Senate State Affairs
Committee Friday. 

Trail persuaded the committee to pass a resolution affirming Idaho's
commitment to "the principles of human rights." 

The legislation mentions Idaho's "unwarranted" yet tarnished image for
having been home to a white supremacist group, the Aryan Nations, which drew
racists to Hayden Lake for more than 20 years. After losing their property
headquarters in 2000 to pay off a $6.3 million civil lawsuit, the group
moved to Pennsylvania. 

Unlike the House, where some northern Idaho lawmakers accused Trail of
dredging up hard feelings over long-gone racists, the Senate committee
approved the resolution without debate. 

Trail and Idaho human rights leaders told the senators hatred is marching
through the state. 

"We are seeing some increased activity," Trail said. "Maybe it's the spawn
of the Aryan Nations" 

And, a spokeswoman for a group of Idaho religious organizations that oppose
religious extremism backed Trail's claim. 

"There has been a 600 percent increase in hate crime since the immigration
debate began," said Pam Baldwin, executive director of the Interfaith
Alliance of Idaho. 

A white supremacist recruiter spoke to religious leaders in 2003 on the
topic of recruiting supporters to racist causes, she said. 

"In Idaho, the easiest way to do it (recruit) is with the Bible," Baldwin
said. 

High school students involved with Interfaith said white supremacists are
approaching students in Meridian and Boise high schools, she added. 

Baldwin also noted police are investigating an attack on a Boise mosque last
Saturday. Worshippers at the Islamic Center of Boise found the mosque pasted
with stickers bearing the name, Combat 81, a neo-Nazi group formed in
Britain in the 1990s. The number 18 comes from Adolf Hitler's name, with the
A and H being the first and eighth letters in the alphabet, according to a
BBC News report. 

Closer to home, Trail noted a $125,000 lawsuit awarded in February to Travis
Woods, a former worker at Lewiston's Wal-Mart store. 

Woods, who is black, allegedly endured racial harassment and was fired when
he complained, according to an Associated Press report. Despite settling the
claim after a lawsuit by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
Wal-Mart continues to deny Woods' allegations. 

Trail found recent examples to human rights violations after some House
lawmakers suggested the state has put its problems with hate groups behind
it. 

"Their position was, 'Well, the Aryan Nations is gone,' " Trail told the
Lewiston Tribune. That group may be gone, but others are rising. "Now, hey,
the Aryan Nations spawn is coming back again." 

The resolution passed the House 59-9. Among the northern Idaho
representatives who opposed the resolution were Rep. Paul Shepherd,
R-Riggins, Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene
and Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol. 

The resolution now goes to the full Senate for debate.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown