Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 13, 1994 Page: 2 of 24
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Feature
2
TEXAS JEWISH POST, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1994-IN OUR 48TH YEARI
ENVER - More than 50 years ago, the
Danish people sewed yellow Stars of
, David on their coats, a collective act of
compassion and support for Danish
Jews struggling under Nazi tyranny.
Now come forward a half-century to
December 1993 in Billings, Mont.
The symbols have changed, from Jewish
stars to paper menorahs, but a similar, no less
compassionate act is taking place this very
moment throughout the entire city.
Responding to repeated threats and vandal-
ism directed at Jewish residents during
Chanukah, the local newspaper, churches and
other groups in Billings encouraged Christian
residents there to display menorahs in their
windows.
And that is exactly what most Christians in
that town of 100,000 have done. And they will
continue displaying menorahs even though
Chanukah is over — because a season of hate
is still in full swing there. As a result of their
Menorah displays, Christian residents of Bill-
ings are receiving anonymous phone threats
such as “You’re next, Jew-lover."
A glass billboard at BilUngs Central Catho-
lic High School bearing the message, “Happy
Chanukah to Our Jewish Friends,” has been
shattered by both bricks and bullets. Windows
at First United Methodist Church and Evan-
gelical United Methodist Church, both proudly
displaying menorahs, were smashed recently.
But nonetheless, the display of menorahs
continues.
The Ku Klux Klan’s Realm ofMontana Quest,
a small contingent of skinheads and other
fringe groups, surfaced in Billings this past
January.
At that time, the group launched an all-out
hate-literature campaign, targeting the city’s
small Jewish population and other minorities.
The community, led by Police Chief Wayne
Inman, snapped to attention.
Rallies, workshops and related anti-hate
activities slowed the deluge of Klan literature.
But in September, when the high holidays
were approaching, 19 headstones were over-
turned in the Jewish section of the Billings
cemetery, and Congregation Beth Aaron re-
ceived a bomb threat a few hours before a
children’s holiday service.
And just a few weeks ago, someone hurled a
brick through a window decorated with a
menorah. As a result, once again the commu-
nity of Billings rallied against hate.
On Dec. 11, the Billings Gazette carried a
full-page public service message sponsored by
By Andrea Jacobs
the newspaper. Flanking a large illustrated
menorah encircled by bright yellow light was
a message:
“On Dec. 2, 1993, someone twisted by hate
threw a brick through the window of the home
of one our of Jewish neighbors, a Jewish family
who chose to celebrate the holiday season by
displaying a symbol of faith — a menorah —
for all to see.
“We urge all citizens to share in this message
by displaying this menorah from now until
Christmas.
“Let all the world know that the irrational
hatred of a few cannot destroy what all of us in
Billings, and in America, have worked to-
gether so long to build,” the ad read.
Now, various businesses in Billings rou-
tinely distribute paper menorahs to their cli-
ents. Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.) recently spent a
half hour comforting one of the Jewish fami-
lies whose home was attacked. Anti-hate ral-
lies packed with Native American Indians,
His panics, Irish Catholics and German Prot-
estants were held regularly in the chilling
Montana cold. The meetings did much to warm
the hearts of Billings’ estimated 48 Jewish
families.
Several groups, including the Billings Ga-
zette, Crime Stoppers and the Montana Hu-
man Rights Network, are offering reward
money for information leading to the arrests of
those responsible for the recent hate crimes.
Organized hate is nothing new for Police
Chief Inman. Inman received his initiation
into hate groups as assistant police chief in
Portland, Ore., during the 1980s, “when the
white supremacist movement emerged in full
force," he said during a recent interview.
Nobody paid much attention when skinheads
started amassing in the area, Inman said,
adding, “What the police essentially found
was a community in denial."
That denial continued for a couple of years,
despite the fact that skinheads were growing
more visible, more threatening and more vio-
lent. It took the violent beating and death of
Mulegatis Seraw, a black man who was sav-
agely attacked by skinheads wielding baseball
bats in 1990, to shake Portland from its ethical
slumber, Inman said.
*That incident was Portland’s wake-up call,"
he noted. “From that time forth, the skinhead
influence diminished, because residents cried,
*Not in our city!”
“Let all
When hate literature surfaced in Billings
last January, Inman called for immediate ac-
tion. “Billings could not afford to be in denial,”
he said. “Unless our community —the entire
community — said no, these groups will feel
they’ve received
a free license to
do their dirty
deeds.” . . > >
The Klan’s the WOrlCl
agenda is all too
predictable,
Inman ex-
plained. First
there is hate lit-
erature, followed
by intimidation,
des troy
know that
the
irrational
then vandalism,
u“r3*n: hatred of a
nally, perhaps in- r ±.
evitably, a fatal fCW CcUinOt
assault. But be-
cause of the col-
lective efforts of
ZZ what all of
Americans and
others, Inman
believed that
Billings is well on
its way to stop-
ping the Klan in
its tracks. “I
think the Klan is
listening to our
message,” he
said. “When you
attack one mem-
ber of this com-
munity you at-
tack all members
us in
Billings,
and in
America,
have
worked
long to
build, ”
“nU^NTone tOgC^ SO
stands alone. No
one is isolated.
You won’t find
fertile ground to
plant your seeds
of hate here.”
The Klan wanted Billings to remain silent,
“but that didn’t happen,” Inman said with
quiet pride. “We spoke out, with one very loud
voice."
Andrea Jacobs is a writer for the Inter-
mountain Jewish News.
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Wisch, J. A. & Wisch, Rene. Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 13, 1994, newspaper, January 13, 1994; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth753589/m1/2/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .