ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 28, 1990                   TAG: 9006290684
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

RACISM BIG PROBLEM IN NATION AND LOCALLY

WHY DO so many people think that racism is not a big problem? This is not true. There are 230 hate groups in America, including skinheads, Klansmen and neo-Nazis. There were 100 documented shootings and assaults, 11 murders and 60 cross-burnings during the 1980s.

Why do others feel that racism is a problem that exists nationally, but not in Roanoke? This also is false. Consider the case of Sterling Hevener, who painted a swastika on Temple Emanuel synagogue in Roanoke, was involved in racial arguments with blacks, and passed out information about the Aryan Christian Knights, a white-supremacist group, at shopping centers in the Roanoke Valley.

Secondly, there have recently been complaints that mall guards at Valley View Mall were picking on black youths and adults when dispersing crowds. Thirdly, there are growing numbers of incidents of racial hatred on college campuses. For example, in February, a white-supremacist group sent mail to college campuses such as George Mason University to seek support and new members.

How can we stop this trend? Edmund Burke said: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." KATIE SCHAUER ROANOKE 


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