Hate crimes up in L.A. County
Blacks most targeted group
According to last week’s Hate Crime Report, issued by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations, crimes motivated by hate increased in 2007 by 28 percent.
The annual report cited 763 hate crimes in 2007, of which 310 were against blacks. Gays and lesbians were the second (102) ; followed by Jews (78); Mexicans (71); Latinos (50); Caucasians (31); and Asian-Pacific (18).
Of crimes committed against blacks, Latinos were identified as suspects 71 percent of the time. When the incidents involved hate against Latinos, blacks were identified as suspects 56 percent of the time.
Hate crimes against Muslims decreased from 11 in 2006 to 3 in 2007.
The state of California defines a hate crime as one where evidence shows “bias, hatred or prejudice based on the victim’s real or perceived race/ethnicity, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender or sexual orientation.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Reported hate crimes in Los Angeles County increased by 15 percent in 2011 from the previous year, but the total is the second lowest in 22 years, according to the county Commission on Human Relations’ annual report released today.
The commission defines a hate crime as one where hatred or prejudice toward a victim’s race or ethnicity, religion, disability, gender or sexual orientation was a substantial factor in the crime.
Civil rights activists and other community leaders called for hate crime charges on Monday against gang members suspected in attacks on an African American Compton family and threats against other Black residents.
The attacks sparked a rally at Compton City Hall after two men—reportedly from a Latino gang—were arrested for harassing and threatening a family to move out of the neighborhood because of their skin color.
According to a new report by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), in 2011 more than 37 million American households were either unbanked or under-banked. African American households represent 34 percent of all under-banked consumers, the highest percentage among demographics surveyed. When under-banked African American and Latino households are combined, these two communities of color comprise more than 60 percent of the nation’s under-banked households.
In a petition filed Monday with the California Public Utilities Commission, The Greenlining Institute asked the CPUC to hold a proceeding before the end of 2012 to consider policies regarding background checks for workers in CPUC-funded energy efficiency programs. Greenlining expressed concern that without CPUC guidance, utility companies could unilaterally implement policies that exclude qualified, responsible workers and discriminate against Latino and African American job-seekers.
As the presidential campaign approaches the home stretch, it’s time for President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney to play the race card.
I’m serious.
We need a healthy discussion of race in America, and we aren’t getting it.
