Yes, Bigotry IS a Big Deal

Television reporters are a rare sight in the Touchet Valley. We don't have local TV stations, and the ones closest to us aren't all that interested in us most of the time. And unfortunately, when they do show up, they're often digging into something negative.

That was the case on November 13, when a reporter and cameraman from KEPR TV in Tri-Cities came to Dayton to look into two reports of racist activities involving Dayton schools, and/or their students.

As reported on this week's front page, a swastika was burned into the lawn near Dayton Elementary School on the night of November 6. A week earlier, on Halloween night, three teen- agers were reported to have dressed in white robes and hats, resembling those once worn by members of the Ku Klux Klan. They went trick-or-treating in them. Neither of these incidents were immediately reported by the media. (At The Times, we learned of them after our news deadline last week.) But when the story showed up on the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin's web site on November 13, KEPR jumped on the story and their reporter was there within hours.

Setting fire on a school ground is a crime, of course. But dressing up as a Klansman is not. And neither, for that matter, is displaying a swastika.

But our country has a very painful history of racism, and one of its most potent symbols is the Ku Klux Klan. This group was active early in the 20th century, up through the 1960s. (A few years back, going through some historic Dayton photos, we even saw a photograph showing Klan members in their robes marching in the Dayton Days parade in the 1940s.)

The Swastika was the most prominent symbol of the Ger- man Nazi Party during World War II. The Nazis are well known for their efforts to exterminate the Jewish population from Eu- rope during the war. The swastika is also sometimes used as a symbol by white supremacist groups in this country.

Both symbols represent the huge amount of pain that has been felt by members of racial and ethnic minorities in this country.

Symbolic acts of racism, like displaying swastikas or wear- ing white robes with pointy hats, are not crimes, but they are great attention-getters. It's no surprise that reporters from out- side our area jumped on these stories.

But they shine a light on Dayton that Dayton doesn't need. Business, community and government leaders here have made great strides in showcasing the town's history and its many opportunities for visitors and potential new residents. A few thoughtless acts by a few thoughtless kids can put a big dent in those great efforts.

It's likely that the parents of the kids who engaged in these activities know what they did. We encourage them, and all parents in Dayton and the Touchet Valley, to talk to their kids and help them understand the pain these symbols represent. Dayton doesn't deserve the attention these acts bring, and the victims of bigotry and racism certainly don't need to see these anymore.