It's Friday, March 20th in Albany, NY. The New York State United Teachers Committee on Civil and Human Rights has just had dinner and we are now listening to the Galen Kirkland, Commission of the New York State Department of Human Rights.
Kirkland is a gentle, eloquent and passionate man, who ran against David Paterson for the State Senate. They became friends and Paterson appointed him to this position. I am incredibly impressed.
The first human rights legislation in the US was enacted in NYS in 1945. It then included only Race, Creed and National Origin. It has since been expanded to include many protected class, including Sexual Orientation.
His passion for the cause is strengthening as he is called to reviewing the worst side of human nature, bigotry. Hate Crimes are the worst of the worst. He told of a Patchogue case where a gang that "regularly hunted" Latinos, murdered a man. He talked of Latitia Green, murdered because she was transgendered.
"Hate Crimes go beyond an assault on an individual. They are an assault on an identity. If the members of that community do not come back and stand up against them, the behavior is condoned."
On Staten Island, the night of the election of President Obama, 7 teenagers beat up a black man and ran over a white man wearing a hood because they thought he was black. In Bushwick, an Ecuadorian, was beaten. When the attackers started to leave, they saw him move and came back and beat him again. This time, they beat him to death.
The department works with the community, helping to build locally based response teams when horrors like this occur.
On Long Island the department to a complaint about the "Discourse of Public Officials" responding to hateful language from a mayor, delivered in a public forum. A statement of principals from community to denounce offensive language and to encourage civil public discourse.
A Sub-committee on Educating Policy Makers is a part of the department, as is a Sub-committee on Educating Young People. "When you give young people the opportunity to analyze a situation... they rise to the occasion." The Dept of Human Rights is developing regional groups for young people. Called "Teach the Teacher," these student driven projects are meant to develop policies and documents on Civil and Human Rights and harassment in the school. "Students will given the responsibility and respect needed to accomplish this. The vast majority of perpetratorss of Hate Crimes are young people."
Coordinated response with law enforcement, public official, community groups.If wedon't do 100%, we bretray everone who fought or died... they fought for laws that mean nothing if they are not enforced.
The department's goal is to make it possible for each individual to come with a complaint.
We passed a resolution asking NYSUT to investigate partner.
"To realize Dr. King's dream we must all become civil rights activists. If we retreat, the social structure begins to collapse on itself."
When asked, "What can we do in schools?" he responded, "Right away? Make sure that LGBT students are included in all anti-bias efforts in the schools."
All human rights are interwoven. Justice for some is not justice.
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