While racism and prejudices against different cultures and lifestyles are mainly remembered and thought of as darker days in America's history, it is still not uncommon to hear of intolerance and hate crimes committed in contemporary society. But the incidents that have the greatest impact, and tend to be the most shocking, may be the ones that occur closest to home.
In December, a cross was found ablaze in a ditch outside the home of a black family in the nearby town of Springfield. Though authorities have yet to identify who was responsible for the act, the Dane County Board passed an undisputed resolution in response denouncing the practice of cross burning as \a historic terror tactic of the Ku Klux Klan.""
Instances of that magnitude are relatively rare in Wisconsin'a study by the FBI reported that in 1999 no more than 73 hate crimes had been counted in the state, but racial discrimination is not a concept of the past, according to Dane County Sup. Regina Rhyne, District 13.
""Figuratively speaking, crosses get burned all the time in Madison,"" Rhyne said. ""Look at the job opportunities for minorities in the community, the current state of the prison system and the lack of quality, affordable housing around the town.""
The city has attempted to accommodate the growing change, according to Madison Mayor Sue Bauman.
""Madison is a community whose demographic has certainly changed over the past 25 years,"" Bauman said. ""We are constantly working hard to celebrate diversity and multiculturalism, but racism still exists'that's reality.""
However, Rhyne highlighted a larger social goal.
""In order for things to improve, people's attitudes need to change,"" Rhyne said. ""Seventy-four percent of the homeless in the area are black, and it's a disturbing reminder of how people of color find themselves more often having not, than having.""
Bauman said that while there may be problems, racial discrimination is an issue that is on the decline, but is also something that needs to be openly discussed by the community to evaluate why things happen the way they do.
While racial prejudices may continue to plague daily life, hate crimes based on sexual orientation are on the rise. Earlier this month the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Ave., was vandalized with anti-gay messages because of the church's views.
""While vandalism on that scale is shocking when you encounter it, we often forget how the smaller day-to-day offenses create a general atmosphere of hostility,"" said Brian Juchems, director for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center.
Juchems said the extent of such intolerance is often difficult to assess because of its nature.
""It would be hard to gauge exactly how often anti-gay vandalism occurs largely because many people are uncomfortable reporting it,"" he said. ""I know that we see much subtler forms of this largely scratched into and scrawled across bathroom stalls and other high-traffic areas.""
Juchems said he saw room for improving acceptance in Madison.
""We get stuck thinking that Madison is this oasis of liberalism and that nothing more needs to be done,"" he said. ""We can be more intentional about recognizing the prejudices and privileges we bring with us, and then work within our own communities to foster a greater understanding of how those prejudices and privileges hurt ourselves as well as others.""
According to Juchems, the university needs to further itself toward creating an environment where all students feel safe and free from anti-gay bias, and make a lasting commitment.
Bauman said the role of the university is to be ""another player that needs to increase diversity both in its faculty and staff, as well as be an institution that keeps this sort of dialogue on the forefront.\
