Opinion

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Editorial

Battling Bias

I

is a question of the most basic of
human rights, specifically safety
"This human right is not reality
for those in our state who are victims of
crime because of their race, religion, dis-
ability or sexual orientation;' says Thomas
Costello, president and CEO of the Detroit-
based Michigan Roundtable for Diversity
and Inclusion.
MRDI supports the Michigan Anti-Bias
Crime Statute, introduced this summer in
the Michigan House and Senate.
We support it, too.
The statute promotes diversity and
inclusion. And it updates the language
of state law from "ethnic intimidation" to
"bias-motivated crime'
The proposal seeks to expand the state's
definition of hate crimes to include intim-
idation of gays, lesbians and people with
disabilities as well as use of demeaning
symbols, like hanging a noose or burn-
ing a cross, with the intent to harass. Law
enforcement officers could seek charges
based on such "evil intent." Further, the
statute extends to victims selected because
of their association with a targeted group.
It's important that the Jewish com-
munity understands the statute's desired
impact: to punish more expressions of
hate. We've always been at the forefront of

Greenberg's View

civil liberties.
The statute is known legislatively
as House Bill 6341, sponsored by
Rep. Paul Condino, D-Southfield,
and currently in the House Judiciary
Committee, and Senate Bill 610,
sponsored by Sen. Hansen Clarke,
D-Detroit, and currently in the
Senate Judiciary Committee.
Condino said law enforce-
ment officers and civil rights
advocates sought the new law to
clarify boundaries for what types
of offenses fall under the hate-
crime umbrella. Concern escalated
after four nooses were hung from
a classroom ceiling last November
at Central Michigan University in
Mount Pleasant. A student admitted
to hanging the nooses as a prank. A
statewide rise in bias-motivated harass-
ment reinforces the need for a tougher law.
Shockingly, the FBI reports that
Michigan has the third-highest number
of hate crimes recorded nationally, trail-
ing only New Jersey and California. U.S.
Census Bureau data brand Michigan as the
most racially segregated state. Clearly, the
impact of hate crimes affects people con-
sidering a move to the Great Lakes State
and those who may leave it. Anti-Semitic
incidents have declined in the United

States for the third consecutive year.
Michigan incidents also are down slightly,
according to newly issued statistics from
the Anti-Defamation League. Meanwhile,
the swastika continues to be the symbol of
choice for anti-Semites.
In Michigan, anti-Semitic incidents
were down from 14 in 2006 to 11 in 2007.
The number of incidents in a school or
campus setting remained high — seven of
thel4 in 2006 and eight of the 11 in 2007.
The Michigan economy is dour; at the

same time, we can't afford the brain drain
infesting our professional ranks. We, as
a state, must step up and fight harder to
attract and keep young professionals. They
represent our future and shouldn't have to
fear the state's reputation as a crucible of
hate crimes.
We urge the Michigan Legislature to
adopt the Michigan Anti-Bias Crime
Statute. Passage would put Michigan on
par with how 31 other states define hate
crimes.

an influential bloc of candi-
life ("I believe I am on a
dates for decades. Only when
mission from God:' said
the Baptist ministers told
Kwame) is troubling.
Kwame it was time to go did
Deeply Protestant in
he understand the goose was
composition, it excludes
almost cooked.
the city's growing Catholic-
And where did he repair to
Hispanic population, as
make his initial televised apol-
well as the other new ethnic
ogy? To his church.
groups Detroit so desper-
Georg e Cantor
I have attended public school
ately needs to prosper.
Col umnist
graduations in the city at
It is certainly more
which gospel music is played
significant than a creche
and students are urged to "Take a step
placed on the lawn of some suburban
for Jesus." No one but me seemed to find city hall.
this peculiar.
Yet it is regarded as merely a given
I am convinced that Kilpatrick won
within the political and cultural struc-
re-election, against the odds, when vot-
ture of the city, and no one wants to talk
ers saw him inside the church at Rosa
about its implications.
Parks' funeral. The solemnity of the
Of course, the black churches histori-
occasion and his presence at its reli-
cally played an important role in the
gious core swung thousands of votes his struggle for civil rights. But that was on
way.
behalf of a cause, not a candidate.
The ministers can be a force for
The former mayor's churlish farewell
good in this troubled city. But the thick
address in which he took a shot at Gov.
religious overlay to Detroit's political
Jennifer Granholm for doing her job

does not bode well for a future religious
calling. After all, repentance is supposed
to be sincere in order to count, and he
looked anything but contrite.
But some interesting episodes could
result if this is the route Kwame choos-
es.
I can see it now. There he is in the
pulpit, hand upraised, looking out over
the congregation and saying, "If that
isn't the truth, may the Lord strike me
down where I stand."
Suddenly the skies darken and a dis-
tant rumble of thunder is heard. People
start running for the exits as fast as
they can. Even the choir hauls it out of
there.
Maybe he better see about getting his
law license back, instead. I think the
allotment of heavenly thunderbolts for
lawyers was exhausted long ago.

❑

Reality Check

Eyes On The Skies

H

ere's the scenario I've heard
repeated many times in the
last few weeks.
Kwame Kilpatrick emerges from jail,
declares that he has found God, opens
a church, attracts thousands of parish-
ioners with his charismatic personality
and oratorical gifts and rides it into a
run for his mother's seat in Congress in
2014.
One would have to be utterly cynical,
of course, to believe such a thing could
happen.
Wanna bet?
Because one of the things that defines
Detroit is the political strength of its
clergy. I don't know of another city in
America where religion and politics are
so closely intertwined. One area con-
stantly spills over into the other. Any
candidate for major office must routine-
ly visit churches during Sunday services,
hoping for an endorsement.
A black liberationist church, the
Shrine of the Black Madonna, has slated

George Cantor's e-mail address is
gcantor614@ao1.com .

jr4

September 18 • 2008

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