I am writing in regard to the recent bias crimes that have occurred in the community of Rochester. One of these involved an assault of a man on Feb. 21 because the assailant didn’t like that man’s sexual orientation. The other, which occurred on March 22, involved a man being stabbed in the parking lot of a Rochester bar because the man was of another race.
It was with sadness that I read that these incidents happened in our city, as I don’t want the community to be viewed as one that tolerates acts of violence towards another person, especially based on that person being different in some way from someone else. These acts are also violations of a person’s human rights and protection from this standpoint must also be ensured.
I cannot imagine the pain that these incidents must have caused for each of these victims, but I think as community members, it is important to reach out to others and let them know there are many who care for their safety and respect. I think it is also important that victims of these crimes know that there is work being done to discourage things such as this from happening in the future.
Lynn Johnson
Chair
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Olmsted County Human Rights Commission
