Let’s shed the bad reputation

The news last week that hate crime incidents are on the wane in

Huntington Beach is certainly a remarkable bit of progress.

It wasn’t that long ago that Huntington Beach was well known for

the dangerous and even deadly antics of white supremacists and

skinheads.

Downtown was considered a haven for those young purveyors of hate,

and authorities cited Huntington as being rife with racist gangs.

The hate-based activity hit a climax with the brutal shooting of

an African American man whose sin was walking down Beach Boulevard.

That was followed by the stabbing of an American Indian man enjoying

the sunset on the beach.

In response, former council members Ralph Bauer and Shirley

Dettloff nine years ago spearheaded the creation of the city’s Human

Relations Task Force. The task force has provided the leadership and

guidance needed to neutralize the neo-Nazi and white supremacist

groups and put them out of business.

While the activity has not ceased altogether, Huntington Beach

Police Chief Kenneth Small noted that the criminal activity of hate

groups has dropped dramatically.

We applaud those who have stepped up to combat the scourge of hate

that left Huntington Beach with a terrible reputation.

The city should be known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant

downtown dining and shopping, and of course world-class surfing --

not as a spawning ground for racist groups.

While the effects of racism can still be seen today in some of the

language and vitriol directed toward the growing Latino community, we

are heartened when we read of Ocean View High School senior Lindsey

Mitchell, who sees the importance of breaking down stereotypes and of

celebrating the diversity of cultures and races that has made our

country the greatest nation on earth.

“All these students are coming together and noticing how they

classify people,” Lindsey told our reporter. “It might seem natural,

but why should we stereotype people by their clothes or music or

friends?”

The answer is: we shouldn’t. It’s as simple as that.