LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County supervisors called Tuesday on residents and county departments to speak out against hate crimes in the wake of the presidential election and asked the Sheriff’s Department to reach out to vulnerable communities.
Supervisor Hilda Solis recommended that the county take a stand, citing a series of verbal and physical assaults on residents.
“People in the county are being targeted because of their ethnicity, gender, race, religion, and we need to act now. This motion calls our communities to stand in unison and speak out against these acts of bullying, discrimination and hate violence,” Solis said.
“We are calling on our Sheriff’s Department, law enforcement agencies and County Office of Education to help us maintain a safe environment for everyone to work, learn and live in.”
The board’s vote in support was unanimous.
Supervisor Sheila Kuehl spoke about her family’s history of fleeing the slaughter of Jews in Russia and persecution by Nazis, as well as her election as the first openly gay member of the California legislature.
Danger is multiplied “when a government gets involved in hatred and discrimination,” Kuehl said. “We need to fight back.”
Solis, the first Latina to serve in the U.S. cabinet, said grassroots, local efforts would be needed to combat the threat of discriminatory federal policies.
“It seems that standing up for our people’s constitutional rights is going to fall on the hands of state and local governments,” Solis said.
Earlier, during Tuesday’s board meeting, Solis previewed a separate motion to protect immigrants from any federal mass deportation.
Kuehl said pushing back might put federal funding at risk, but said she was ready to work with others to “throw a monkey wrench in this administration’s plan.”
According to Solis’ motion, a woman in Azusa was pushing a stroller along a sidewalk the day after the election when a gray-haired man in a red pickup truck pulled alongside, got out of the vehicle and said, “Get out of my country you … You Mexicans infest this country and are all freeloaders,” before throwing a cup of soda on the woman,
Before driving away, the man added, “You’re lucky. If I would have had my gun, it would have gone worse for you,” according to Solis, who said the report came from the Sheriff’s Department.
According to her motion, other reported incidents include “a Muslim-American high school student in the San Fernando Valley who had her head scarf yanked off before being called a `terrorist’ and being told, `You shouldn’t be wearing that, you towel-head. You’re not American. This isn’t what America stands for.’
Another incident involved an African-American man who found a note slipped under his door telling him to `go back to the plantation,’ and a physical education teacher at a South Los Angeles middle school who told his Latino students that their parents would be deported, leaving them to be placed in foster care,” Solis’ motion states.
Read the motion here.
callingitasitis says
ALL hate crime should be investigated and all people need to be admonished that a filing a false complaint is a crime. ALL people who file false reports should be prosecuted. All this information of convictions for hate crimes and false reporting should be post on line. We the people deserve justice at all levels and what we need is only the FACTS. In California the hate crime laws are 422.55. 422.6, 422.7 and 422.75 penal code. These charges should not be plea bargains down to a lower charge if the facts show the charge(s) are legally a true hate crime. Just remember the sword of Justice is a two edge blade it can cut both ways when applied fairly under the law.
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes.xhtml
Ron says
It should be a hate crime to send out racist hit mailers that call an African American veteran a gang candidate when he was in no way, shape, or form connected to ANY gang ANYWHERE.
That hit mailer was sent out by Mayor R. Rex Parris to slander an African American veteran who ran for Lancaster city council.
Trump Won says
White people are being assaulted daily but that is not considered a hate crime by definition a hate crime is “any assault committed against a minority race or group” by definition this law is unconstitutional i remember an incident in Palmdale several years ago where a large group of black youths attacked and beat a white youth … not a hate crime … all of you who support this legislation are truly racist and when this is all said and done the true racists will be deported and or living in real slums when you lose your welfare benefits… AMERICA HAS SPOKEN get over it you whiney little pansy asses
Tim Scott says
LOL…care to source that “definition” since that is not what the law says? Since it is not even close to what the law says. Why don’t you quit being a whiner, especially about things that you yourself just made up.
sjgranai says
Ninjas…. because not a one of those idiots doing horrible things get caught. It is just stories of people doing bad stuff.
Most rednecks aren’t that smart and usually get caught when doing stupid stuff.
Concerned says
People wearing red hats are being assaulted on daily basis.
That’s what called a “Hate crime”.
Tim Scott says
LOL…please point out where fashion choices define a protected population in the hate crime laws.
Jimm says
You know he was talking about trump supporters. Please do not pretend to be stupid. Or maybe you are?
Tim Scott says
LOL…and another fish takes the bait…
Okay, so please point out where choice of politician supported defines a protected population in the hate crime laws.
I was neither pretending to be stupid, nor am I. What’s your position?
So Sad says
He always does that. Pretends not to get what people mean or that he’s unaware of world events and then he comes back with some other event cherry picked for his argument. When Jon Stewart told Tucker Carlson to stop hurting America, he could have said the same to Tim Scott and his partisan hate-mongering and divisive arguing. He doesn’t care about any of the stuff he talks about, he just wants to win the game of cross fire. Yay. He’s pathetic.
Bob says
Nothing was said when Trump supporters were being attacked.
The haters will thin out once the deportations start on January 21st.
Blue eyes says
Don’t get to exited
Trump voter says
Many of Trump supporters were assaulted lately. We gotta watch these hate crimes.
Concealed Carry can fix this problem.
Laughing says
Open Carry fixes it better than concealment. No need to hide.
Jimm says
I see a lot of hate pouring out of Hillary supporters.
Nothing else.
Laughing says
Sorry I am not in your daily view. Guess my being busy living life, feeding the animals, working, spending time with family and supporting the economy is keeping me hidden.
John says
The only event I can find is the physical education teacher substitute teacher who told his Latino students that their parents would be deported. A student actually recorded him saying it.
The other events are all passed from website to website. I was unable to find any reputable news agencies reporting on all the other alleged hate crimes.
George Jefferson says
Is there actually any proof that most, or even some of these alleged hate crimes even occurred?
Tim Scott says
Is there any particular reason that you doubt first hand accounts? I get that you would rather not believe that such hateful people exist. I’d rather not believe it either. But I’m pretty sure they do.
Patriot says
Hillary clinton said she had to dodge sniper fire.obama said there were shoval ready jobs,both 1st hand accounts.both not true.
Jason says
People doubt them because a few have already been proven to be false and some not committed by Trump supporters. Main stream media has no problem putting the stories out there but keep quiet when they are proven false or not linked to Trump in any way
Happy Gilmore says
So a Mexican and Black are the only ones mentioned but I’m sure when a white Trump voter is assaulted they will say it’s our own fault.
Bruce Purdum says
Agreed! Also any type of assault against a law enforcement professional should be legally classified as a hate crime…
Bruce Purdum says
Agreed! For example anyvtype if assault on a law enforcement professional should be classified as a hate crime…
Tim Scott says
Choice of employment does not constitute a protected class under any federal equal opportunity code, nor does it enter into the definition of a hate crime in any way. Assault on a law enforcement officer is specifically separated from any other victim in the law already, so your ill thought out demand is a totally moot point.