| 02/13/2005 |
| A few individuals capable of bigotry can taint a community |
| Our view , editor@pottstownmercury.com |
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The arrest of a suspect in
the attempted cross burning on the front
lawn of a black family’s home was welcome news in a week of allegations
and renewed charges of vandalism within the Boyertown area.
A 42-year-old Boyertown man was arrested Wednesday for the
October attempted cross burning, just one day after another incident
was reported, this time in one of two Boyertown area junior high
schools.School officials said Tuesday that police are investigating an incident involving racial slurs, swastikas and references to the Ku Klux Klan found written on a wall at Junior High West. Schools Superintendent Charles Amuso said the Colebrookdale Police Department was contacted immediately. District officials are also in the process of interviewing students to determine who committed the vandalism. Amuso said school district staff, school directors and administration are appalled and will see that whoever committed the act will face criminal charges, in addition to disciplinary action. Amuso’s reaction came just one day after the president of the Pottstown chapter of the NAACP issued a statement accusing the Boyertown school district administration with tolerating acts of racism in schools. According to Newstell Marable, parents and children have complained to him about racist comments made in school and a lack of response from teachers and administrators. Amuso denied the allegations that racism is prevalent in the district. The focus on racism in the Boyertown area, where the Ku Klux Klan has demonstrated a presence in the past, began anew last year with the attempted cross burning. After a three and a half month investigation and the posting of a $13,000 reward, police arrested Richard Daniel Rick Sr. of Boyertown on Wednesday in connection with the incident. The arrest was seen by many in the community as proof that the majority of people in the Boyertown area are appalled by bigotry and take seriously the role of ferreting out those who commit hate crimes. Jennifer Schlegel of the Boyertown Area Unity Coalition, an organization formed to help eliminate intolerance, said she hoped the arrest would bring some closure and calm an atmosphere that is becoming more charged with accusations of bigotry. The victims issued their own statement in regards to the arrest, thanking the community for support and the police for diligence in pursuing leads. "The arrest should signal to any person, young or old, that these crimes will be investigated and arrests will be made," Schlegel said. One arrest, however, does not solve the problem of a community grappling with acts of bigotry and vandalism. In addition to the vandalism at Junior High West, police investigated an incident several weeks ago involving someone stomping swastika symbols in the snow in a Douglass (Montgomery) neighborhood. There are positive reactions, as well. Residents of the community responded to the attempted cross burning with a unity march attended by about 100 people to show support for the victims and their neighbors.At the school board meeting Tuesday at which Marable spoke, school officials announced the formation of a diversity advisory committee. The committee will consist of between 15 and 20 members of the community and will work toward eliminating racial bias. These actions show the commitment of the majority of people to eliminate bigotry. Unfortunately, the act of just one person can wipe out those positive efforts and instead paint a picture of a community overrun with hatred. Even one act, even one individual perpetuating an atmosphere of intolerance is unacceptable. Police, school officials and the residents whose neighborhoods have been the scenes of vandalism need the support of the entire community to ferret out those who promote hatred.
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