Yes, you read that right. Equality California is a group that's not only working on Equality issues but doing a great deal of campaigning for local Democratic candidates and non-partisan candidates in Orange County.
I ready about this at a local blog and had to share even though I have been keeping a low profile, this is one of those times that I think it is important to share this event.
I have been vocal for equality for all, especially during the 2008 election while California faced the possibility of Proposition 8, which is now a reality.
Ultimately, it's about the fact that we have a crisis in our Country that has much to do with GLBT youth taking their own lives. This is a crisis that has brought on important conversations about bullying, equality and most of all, about what we can do as allies, family members and members of communities that care about the wellbeing of kids, all of them.
But when someone tells you that you might just have to live with being a victim, I wonder what is wrong with all of us? What have we done to make this okay? When is it okay for anyone to live with being a victim? Ever?
Here is the post by staffer who found the noose hanging from the door knob from the office door and the reaction from the local Police regarding his report of the incident.
I'm still shaking as I write this. I feel confused.
Tonight I arrived to unlock the office while Daniel was picking up scripts at Kinkos. There was a small noose hanging from the door handle. Being that we are an organization advocating for gay rights, I felt the message like a chill through my spine. This was intentional. At the encouragement of fellow activists, I called the Santa Ana Police Department and officers were sent out to our office.
I couldn't get the image out of my head. I smoked a cigarette outside the office and my thoughts were spinning. I felt jumpy, and was startled when any person or car crossed my line of vision. This was a message of hate, and I felt unsafe. Inside the office, our phone bankers were shocked and hurting. They continued on with their phone bank calls (vote for Melissa Fox) and worked to stay focussed on the task at hand.
I could not focus. I could barely make calls. I waited for the police to arrive, believing that when they did I would feel safe and affirmed.
When the police arrived, two officers spoke to Daniel and myself outside. The male officer dominated the conversation. There was nothing they could do, of course, there was no suspect and no crime had been committed. The officer said "what it is, is a string on a door." My vision got blurry, I was embarrased and felt stupid for making the call. I took a deep breath and said "Do you see any correlation between the fact that this is a gay office and there was a noose left on our door in the wake of all of these teen suicides?" The officer said, "Sometimes you just have to live with being a victim," and proceeded to mention that his car had been broken into before. As if that's the same. As if having your stereo stolen is anything like the message "You should kill yourself." As if random theft is anything like an act meant to convey hate and stir up fear in the heart of a minority group.
I want to thank Karla for having a long discussion with the sargeant about the situation. No, it was not legally a hate crime, because there was no crime (just hate). And the officer likely did not intend to come off the way he did.
But I'm still in shock. I pray that no officer ever tells a bullied teen that, "sometimes you just have to live with being a victim." The officer made me feel foolish for being shocked and afraid. I feel stupid and unjustified. Our volunteers felt hurt, angered and confused.
I am so grateful for the excellent family of volunteers who came together tonight, supported eachother, worked through their emotions, and even made an astonishing number of phone bank calls.
I am sorry for anyone who has experienced hate or intimidation, and my heart goes out to anyone who has reported it and been made to feel stupid for reaching out for help.
Stay strong, Orange County, the fight for tolerance has not yet been won.
Yours,
Mel Distel
Emphasis mine
No one should have to live with being a victim. And as this amazing group attempts to work towards not just tolerance, but acceptance, I will not let this go without being heard by more.
I'm sorry Mel, I'm sorry that was said to you and I'm sorry that this was done to the office. I'm sorry that anyone told you that you would have to just live with being a victim.
I'm sorry that there are people who think it's okay to express their hate in cowardly and spineless ways such as this. It is not okay, it is never okay. I'm also glad that no one was hurt and pray that this remains to be the case.
Thank you for the EQCA for getting out the vote, for calling and working so hard for all our candidates in Orange County, it's important work and admirable. Working for equality for all is also important, it's vital to what makes a society just and right.
This is not just and this is not right.
Melissa Fox, who is running for the 71th assembly district and is a friend of mine wrote this regarding the incident on her facebook page.
The noose that was left last night at the Equality California office in Santa Ana is a despicable and hateful act, clearly intended to threaten and intimidate Equality California and other supporters of marriage equality from exercising our Constitutional rights to free speech and free association. A noose is an historic symbol of lynching. It is no coincidence that it was left at the Equality California office just days before Election Day. I condemn this act of hatred and threat of violence in the strongest terms, and I call on the Santa Ana police department and the Orange County District Attorney to conduct a complete and thorough investigation. I also call on every elected official in Orange County, and all candidates for elected office, to publicly and unequivocally condemn this reprehensible act of domestic terrorism.
Thank you Melissa for coming out so strongly against this.
Important UPDATE - I contacted Mel about this story and was informed the following:
The SAPD visited us at the office and extended sincere apologies. They are now investigating the incident as an act of terror and taking the process very seriously. So today was certainly a victory.
Our local paper, The OC Register has covered the story. The comments are depressing and show why this is a problem.
UPDATE: H/T to Flying Goat
New California law bans displaying nooses after Sarah Palin, Barack Obama effigies
California law already bans threatening displays of swastikas and burning crosses. Now add nooses to the list.
On Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation making such displays punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
And why did the police change their mind? Melissa Fox, a candidate for CA Assembly, condemned their inaction pretty quickly since the volunteers were there to do phone banking on behalf of her campaign.
And a statement made by Geof Korrs, who heads up EQ, EQCA DENoUNCES SANTA ANA POLICE FOR MISHANDLING POSSIBLE HATE CRIME
October 29, 2010
A noose was left at Equality California’s Santa Ana office
LOS ANGELES – A volunteer for Equality California, the state’s largest statewide advocacy organization for LGBT Californians, found a noose hanging from the doorknob of the organization’s Orange County office in Santa Ana.
According to the volunteer, when the matter was reported to the Santa Ana Police Department, the officer at the scene refused to file a criminal complaint saying, “What is it, a string on a door?” in reference to the noose. He also said, “Sometimes you just have to live with being a victim.”
In response, Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors issued the following statement:
“This is an outrageous, despicable attempt to intimidate the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community just a few days before the election, but we will not be silenced. We will strengthen our fight to elect pro-equality candidates who champion full equality for our entire community and who shun anti-LGBT initiatives that foster discrimination and prejudice.
“In addition, the dismissive and deeply offensive conduct of the police officer who responded to this incident is nothing short of appalling and sends the message that LGBT community members cannot rely on the police for protection against the kind of hatred and prejudice that can lead to violence.
“We urge all Orange County residents to join us in demanding that Santa Ana Chief of Police Paul Walters conduct a thorough investigation into what appears to be an atrocious hate crime, to investigate and discipline the officer in question and to ensure that all officers are properly trained on how to appropriately handle all bias-motivated crimes against LGBT community members moving forward.”
Equality California will file an official complaint with the police division for its handling of this matter.
To contact Police Chief Walters and demand a thorough investigation, please call 714-245-8002 714-245-8002 .