October 1, 2009 in City

NAACP leader urges action against racism

She decries city’s response to incidents as inadequate

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Spokane Mayor Mary Verner quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and spoke of the city’s “long history” of standing against crimes based on race at a news conference Wednesday.

City Council President Joe Shogan talked about his father fighting Nazis in World War II and urged the community to carry on the Greatest Generation’s legacy.

But the president of the Spokane branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was less circumspect, telling city officials and others that combating racism takes more than a public denouncement of skinheads and suggesting institutional racism is still tolerated by community leaders.

Racism “is much more complex” than the elite and the bigots think, said V. Anne Smith.

“So the struggle to stop this is more difficult, not because racism is more entrenched and complicated, but because of the denial this city and other cities have experienced throughout the years,” Smith said. “It’s not always the good ol’ boys or the rednecks. They are the three-piece-suit-wearing people. They look like young preppies.”

The news conference at City Hall was in response to a human rights activist discovering a noose on her doorstep in north Spokane Sept. 20.

Leaders from cities across the Inland Northwest held a similar news conference last month when Aryan Nations literature was found in several neighborhoods. But eradicating racism takes much more and seeps into the economic and structural system of society, Smith said, pointing to the small number of black people working in Spokane.

“Just don’t react when an incident happens. Have it year-round,” Smith said. “… For those who quote Dr. King, I feel if Dr. King was here today I believe he would wake up and realize that God’s children are not free of racism and hate.”

She called for a “strong and visible work force” to help fight the area’s reputation as a haven for hate or “Spokane and Coeur d’Alene one day will become a mecca for those who would use ropes to make nooses and spread hate literature.”

Verner, whose face reddened during Smith’s speech, thanked her afterward and asked if any of the dozens of community leaders gathered in the Chase Gallery wished to speak. None did.

“Your presence today speaks volumes,” Verner said. “As Ms. Smith has challenged us to do, we stand ready.”

10 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

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  JFRENCH on October 01 at 1:29 a.m.

  “Racism “is much more complex” than the elite and the bigots think, said V. Anne Smith”….. And so why not change the name from the National Association fot the Advancement of COLORED PEOPLE? Sounds racist…. Get real. I see a lot more “reverse racism” than racism against minorities. Keep whining and cashing in to your affirmative action. People are people, and we are all equal. The sooner people stop whining about what color they are, the sooner we will be come a society without racism.

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  Erik_T on October 01 at 1:35 a.m.

  I wonder what would happen if:

  Affirmative action was removed from employment principle, higher education qualifications, and subsequent granting.

  People would begin to see that we are all just that, People.

  Ethnic and religious classification would end.

  We would all give unto each other in a manner that would help those that cannot help themselves, or are not as capable of life as others.

  ….
  My point is: The message of hate that those whom have the ability to express, are angered by these things. While those that face injustice because of the color of their skin, ethnic background, or religious beliefs, rely on these in order to combat those that oppose (balance).
  It is unjust to think that in this day in age, we do not yet perceive each other for who we all are; blood, skin, and bones, with beautiful minds, and souls…. all human.
  Unfortunately that is why those aforementioned programs, and thought processes are in place. It is also the reason why there are extreme right and left reoccurring beliefs in our country.
  (and worldwide)
  Oh how I wonder in amazement what could be.

• 

  leekinny on October 01 at 7:29 a.m.

  The above comments show a lack of understanding or serious thought concerning issues of race. The programs listed above exist because of our collective bad behavior as the majority race. It would be a welcome advance if the above ridiculed programs were no longer necessary. But, it doesn’t take much attention to events in our nation to know that, although there have been positive strides among many of our nations citizens, there’s still a long way to go before such positive programs are eliminated.

  Regarding recent overt examples of hate demonstrated in the midst of the teabaggers;
  
  For the right wing conservatives to say it’s not about race and that it’s only a few extremists isn’t true. To silently tolerate prejudice or racists speech and actions within your midst is the same as participating in that hatred.

• 

  JNJLilly on October 01 at 8:42 a.m.

  I understand that as a white male, I have no credibility but, I think Ms. Smith would do well to remember that this is a community that elected a person of color to the Mayor’s office. I, for one, also think it needs to be stated that much of what is labeled bigotry is really reaction to offensive behavior. When our community is set on it’s ear over drive by shootings, and other threatening behavior perpetrated by young minorities who have flocked here from southern climes, are we to embrace them? Are we to somehow twist their actions so that they become the fault of the white race? Sure I am a bigot, a bigot against behavior that degrades my community! I don’t care what color your skin is, I care that you behave in a manner consistant with civilized society. If that makes me ignorant or somehow insensitive then so be it and good luck resolving mislabled bigotry that is really just normal people reacting to criminal behavior.

• 

  ChefGus/ John Olsen on October 01 at 9:01 a.m.

  I would point out that Hate Crimes.. which is what this is supposedly about also include other people than persons of color… The GLBT community, The Low income, the Homeless, and the Mentally ill are ALSO subject to hate crime and “isms” every day… try wallking down the street near the plaza with blue jeans and a back pack and see what happens… the “assumptions” about the “funny way kids dress” or cut their hair, or travel on Skate Boards are mostly incorrect and our “community of other” which is much larger than the NAACP’s cachement is put upon every day by our police and the middle class and upper class and business community EVERY day… John Olsen Shalom Ministires

• 

  liarsinnews on October 01 at 6:35 p.m.

  I`ll try to post my comment one more time. I have pointed out to several city councils the restrictions on High Drive (not worth the paper they are written on) because of some stuff contained therein, regarding, “blacks will only work as servants and will exist the area by 5pm daily in the 1950 C&Rs”. There are other terrible rotten remarks. No one to my knowledge has tried to change the distasteful racsim comments contained therein. Verner included.

• 

  JNJLilly on October 01 at 7:57 p.m.

  Mr. Adams,

  These cannot still be active laws and must only remain as remnants of past regulations. Since they are part of our history, changing the language would only serve to eliminate documentation related to a shameful time in our past. The language, no matter how offensive provides a reference point from which to measure progress. Rewriting history is never a good idea, even when that history is reprehensible. If we eliminate the reminders, we risk losing the lessons. If world leaders can boldly state that the holocaust never occurred, it is not a stretch to think that someday someone could make the same claim about slavery, especially if all traces of those years are wiped from official records. The language you refer to is highly offensive and shameful so I sympathize, but it must remain or become a lie by omission.

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  Erik_T on October 01 at 11:00 p.m.

  kinny, read what I posted once more… you basically just reiterated the point I made in closing… yet you say it is missing serious thought, or lack of understanding….
  And to say that those whom silently tolerate are also those that may just as well participate is outlandish. That is like saying gun owners that do not use their firearms might as well go shoot something or someone.

• 

  0U812 on October 02 at 3:28 p.m.

  The ignorance of the majority (not all) of these comments is appalling. Only in Spokane would you get these type of comments on a story where, “The news conference at City Hall was in response to a human rights activist discovering a NOOSE on her doorstep in north Spokane Sept. 20” is the main issue. Again, wake up Spokane!! These comments about Affirmative Action, reverse racism, etc. just prove the apathetic condition of our community when it comes to race. This is 2009 and we still have barely a few minorities in this area — I wonder why?? It’s the prevailing ignorant attitude of this community and the rest of the world knows it. Why not try to even address the plight of the victim in this case?? Doesn’t anyone care about what happened to her????

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  ChefGus/ John Olsen on October 04 at 6:55 p.m.

  I’d point out that the “apathy” is not just about Race… but the other folks of the Community of “other” that is so vilified and treated so very very poorly here in our city…. Press Conferences do not do a darn thing… more effective policing and prosecution do make a difference… when some of the folks committing the “hate crimes” as with our homeless vets being rousted about by our police.. you cannot expect a sea change with the community response to a noose on a porch.. john