JC
It’s good to see that there is some movement to address all of the recent hate crimes in Michigan. We reported on a couple of cross burnings that happened there in early July. This past Wednesday, there was a symposium to discuss the recent wave of race-motivated crimes. It was good to see that a hate crime against a mixed couple was highlighted as one of the examples of the types of crimes that demand attention….and just after Carmen shed some light on the fact that civil rights organizations have largely ignored crimes against interracial couples! Maybe they heeded your words, Carmen? The Macomb Daily reports.

“In the history of the civil rights movement, there has never been an ‘official’ public outcry about anything until the grass-roots movement began to express its dissatisfaction,” said the Rev. D.L. Bradley of Clinton Township, president of the Macomb County Ministerial Alliance. “There’s got to be a point where we say, ‘Never again.’”

At the second annual diversity symposium hosted by the Ministerial Alliance, Linda Parker, director of the Michigan Civil Rights Department, said the outrage should extend to the white community. “The call needs to be put out to all the people of Macomb County. This is not an issue only for African-Americans. If … you care anything at all about your county, you have to speak out,” Parker said.

Wednesday’s spirited discussions focused repeatedly on a series of hate crimes and racial incidents that participants said cast a cloud on the county.

The examples offered were:
*The burning of a cross on the lawn of a biracial couple last year in Chesterfield Township.
*The extensive vandalism and racist graffiti at a black couple’s home in Warren earlier this year.
*Attempts to fire the Chesterfield Township police chief after he called for diversifying the all-white police department following the cross-burning incident…[the list continues unfortunately]