Task force supports North Dakota town

Local human rights leaders have joined other national advocacy groups to support the residents of a tiny North Dakota town as its citizens struggle to keep neo-Nazis from taking over. According to national news reports, members of a white supremacy group have been buying up properties in an effort to turn the 22-resident town into an Aryan enclave.

Tony Stewart and Norm Gissel represented the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations on a recent conference call with two members of the Leith, N.D. City Council.

The task force also sent the following message to the residents of Leith:

“The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations Board of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho stands in solidarity with the good residents of Leith. We praise you for your courageous determination to oppose the message of hate and those who promote white supremacy. You are doing exactly what all communities should do and that is never remain silent in the face of hate.

We have spent 32 years opposing the doctrines and activities of the neo-Nazis and other extremists’ movements and thus we stand shoulder to shoulder with you and ask all the good people of North Dakota to do the same.”

A blog has been established for people to send messages of support. The blog, monitored by The Working Group, another human rights organization, is:

http://www.niot.org/blog/leith-nd-you-are-not-alone