Santa Clara County Forums to ease racial tensions

To all of the local Bay Area Sikhs out there, please participate in these forums and voice your opinion:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/04/BABADIGEST22.DTL&hw=sikh&sn=004&sc=374

SAN JOSE County holds forums to ease racial tension
Marisa Lagos
Friday, August 4, 2006

Santa Clara County officials announced on Thursday a series of community forums meant to ease racial tensions after two alleged hate crimes.
On Saturday, two young men allegedly beat an African American man in Mountain View while yelling racial epithets, authorities said.
On Sunday in Santa Clara, a 66-year-old Sikh man was allegedly stabbed by a 20-year-old neighbor who later told police he thought the victim was a member of the Taliban, officials said.
Delorme McKee-Stovall of the Network for a Hate-Free Community said authorities hope the forums will help ease tension in the county, where 81 hate crimes were reported in 2005. Another 42 have been reported in 2006.
The forums will be held Aug. 16 at the Mountain View Performing Arts Center, 500 Castro St.; Aug. 23 at the City of Santa Clara Council Chambers, 1500 Warburton Ave.; Aug. 24 at the Santa Clara County Isaac Newton Senter Auditorium, 70 W. Hedding St., San Jose; and Aug. 31 at the Milpitas Community Center, 457 E. Calaveras Blvd. All of the forums are to begin at 6:30 p.m.
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