[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 4] [Senate] [Page 5547] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS ______ 25 YEARS DEFENDING DIGNITY AND WORTH Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, 25 years ago, a community in my State found itself with some new unwelcome neighbors. North Idaho made dismaying national headlines as ``Hate's New Home.'' These headlines were a terrible distortion of the truth; the neo-Nazi organization that moved its headquarters to Hayden represented only a tiny fraction of the people who called Idaho home. Still, the damage was done, and people were left with the dreadful and mistaken impression that Idahoans were intolerant, prejudiced and hateful. And to make matters worse, like a malignant growth, some who did embrace doctrines of intolerance and bigotry were drawn to the area. It is at crisis points that we define ourselves as either cowards or people of honor. The citizens of Kootenai County had a choice to make, and they chose to be people of honor. The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations was founded, giving that region a chance to speak out against human rights violations and prejudice. When the Aryan Nation decided to march down Main Street in Coeur d'Alene, rather than return hatred for hatred, businesses simply closed, giving the marchers no audience for their message of intolerance. Last year, the residents of Hayden exercised perhaps the most powerful right granted us as American citizens--our vote--sending a clear message that a leadership of hatred was absolutely unacceptable. And what didn't make the national press in recent years is the fact that according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, as of 2000, Idaho had 70 human rights groups, or one for every 18,500 people. To put this in perspective, at that time, California had one for every 358,000 people and New York had one for every 167,000 people. Now that is worthy of headlines, as far as I am concerned. In cooperation with the task force and with a vision of established, ongoing education and leadership in human rights, the generous support of the Greg C. Carr Foundation, and dedicated leadership of Human Rights Education Institute board of directors, the Human Rights Education Institute was established, opening its doors in December 2005. North Idaho was unexpectedly presented with a choice 25 years ago. Its citizens have not only responded with honor and justice, they, in the words of a former task force leader, ``made lemonade out of lemons.'' I commend my fellow Idahoans on their vision for dignity and worth for all people. I applaud their staunch commitment to uphold our Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and our Bill of Rights which ensure equality for all under the law. ____________________