HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP APPLIES TO JOIN COALITION

AP

     BURLEY--An official of Burley-area human rights group Earth
Tribe says is is networking the Northwest Coalition Against
Malicious harassment and has submitted a membership application to
join the coalition.
     In addition, the group is striving to create a support group
for victims of hate crimes or malicious harassment.
     Earth Tribe Ambassador Steve Thompson said Northwest Coalition
is a nonprofit umbrella organization encompassing a broad mosaic of
organizations in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
     Its purpose is to address the problem and threat of malicious
harassment and violence based on race, religion, gender and sexual
orientation.
     In addition to networking, the Burley-based Earth Tribe will
be organizing a victims' support group for the Magic Valley.
     It will include an Earth Tribe committee to support any
victims of hate crimes or malicious harassment and will develop a
reward program to help facilitate the arrest and conviction of
offenders of such crimes.
     Thompson said he has heard of a few small cases of what can be
called "malicious harassment" and the group will help in
emergencies.
     "That would allow us to have quick response instead of trying
to put something together as an afterthought," he said.