Briefly in the news

Huntington Beach has not and will not tolerate hate crimes. That was

Councilman Ralph Bauer’s message to the Orange County Human Relations

Commission.

The Huntington Beach councilman sat down with Executive Director of

the Commission Rusty Kennedy to discuss Huntington Beach’s stance on hate

crimes and come up with ways of handling them.

“It’s important to let people know that hate crimes are illegal,”

Bauer said.

Bauer set up a task force that puts on such events as the Cultural

Diversity Fair held last month in Huntington Central Park.

He is working to set up a program in the spring to discuss hate crimes

with the Orange County League of Cities, which is still in the planning

stages.

Bauer emphasized that hate crimes do concern Huntington Beach, with

the city’s police department and elected officials being on the “same

side in dealing with the issue.”

About four years ago Bauer and Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff formed

the Community Relations Task Force in Huntington Beach in hopes of

educating people to be sensitive to others of diverse backgrounds.

“We try to include kids from the high schools so young people are

educated that certain behavior involving hate is inappropriate,” Bauer

said.

Kennedy was pleased Bauer let the commission know of his desire to

improve communication between diverse ethnic groups.

“I’m honored that the president of the League of Cities for Orange

County holds our commission in high regard in the aftermath of Sept. 11

to take an increased profile to promote intergroup relations,” Kennedy

said. “Between our effort and that of law enforcement, it’s an

improvement for the community as a whole.”

Bauer was named president of the Orange County Division of the League

of California Cities in September.

He chairs the division’s monthly meetings, attended by city council

members from all 34 Orange County cities, to discuss current county

issues and trends.

Both Bauer and Kennedy said the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist

attacks in the United States has created an increased awareness to focus

on hate crimes.

“Since Sept. 11, some people of Middle Eastern origin have been looked

down upon, and we have to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Bauer said.

Forming a positive human relations response following the events of

Sept. 11 is one of the commission’s goals, Kennedy said.

The commission is currently seeking facilitators, hosts and sponsors

to participate in its Living Room Dialogues campaign. “[The campaign] is

designed to build understanding among Orange County’s diverse residents

in a safe and friendly environment,” Kennedy said. “It brings people

together from various backgrounds in one setting so they can discuss

their differences and learn how much they have in common.”

Anyone interested in participating in the campaign can call (714)

567-7513.