>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Somebody in Wallowa County wants to send the county back into the dark ages.

Last week someone marked a swastika in the lawn of Joseph residents Don and Evelyn Swart. The perpetrator(s) also left a note that said, “House next.’’

Why?

Chances are that this hate crime is related to the fact that Evelyn Swart had suggested to the Joseph City Council in May that it consider an ordinance regulating special events.

The suggestion was nothing more than fodder for discussion. The council passed a first reading, but no law was inacted and no public hearing was held. Yet the suggestion stirred controversy.

The proposal divided the community. Things got hot — so hot and controversial, in fact, that on June 27 Swart sent a letter to the council asking that the proposal be withdrawn. On June 30 the council held a special meeting and took action to do just that.

But sometime between those dates, Evelyn Swart became the target of a hate crime. A warning, in effect.

Regardless of what Swart suggested the council consider, there is no absolutely no reason for anyone to do such a despicable act, one that threatens even more violence.

This one act has the potential to set Wallowa County back years in its efforts to draw more jobs, more people, more investment to the county.

Wallowa County is better than that. Such an act is not representative of the fine people who live in Wallowa County. Undersheriff Steve Rogers is looking for leads in the case, which could — and should — be prosecuted as a hate crime.

People in Wallowa County have begun speaking out against the crime. They need to continue to do so. Let the perpetrator(s) know that such a reaction to a proposal is unacceptable. Public discourse, not violent acts, should dictate what laws will be made.

The sheriff’s office needs to pursue this case and bring the offender (s) to justice. Wallowa County needs to show it has no tolerance for such acts.