SOME BIGOTS LONE NUTS, NOT ZEALOTS, NEW GROUP SAYS.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

As city officials look at a series of fires at Encino religious institutions as hate crimes, an organization founded late last year hopes to change how such crimes are viewed and how the city deals with them.

``We are trying to redefine what 'hate crimes' are and what 'civil rights' and 'human relations' means in Los Angeles,'' David Lehrer, president of Community Advocates Inc., said Thursday.

``What we see is, too often, people are saying the sky is falling, the sky is falling - and it isn't. It's the work of one nut and not necessarily a hate crime.''

Community Advocates Inc. was founded last October by Lehrer, former regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, and Joe Hicks, former director of the Los Angeles City Human Relations Commission.

Former Mayor Richard Riordan serves as its chairman, although Lehrer said funding comes from a variety of grants.

The board of directors includes former U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Justice Harry Pregerson of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of The board of directors includes former U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Justice Harry Pregerson of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Dr. Jane Pisano of the Museum of Natural History, civil-rights attorney Constance Rice, public relations executive Ron Rogers, attorney Dean Hansell, political activist Hope Warschaw and Casey Wasserman, owner of the Los Angeles Avengers and grandson of MCA mogul Lew Wasserman.

Lehrer acknowledges that Community Advocates is going against the mainstream and traditional thinking of those dealing with hate crimes.

``We are not Pollyannas,'' Lehrer said. ``I was among the most avid of people against hate crimes when I was at the ADL. But, over the years, I began to have an epiphany of what was going on and what I was seeing.

``Clearly, hate crimes have to be condemned, but we have to recognize it is not necessarily terrorism. Look at what happened here after Sept. 11. There wasn't a real backlash because of that or the war in Iraq. Americans have learned if they are upset with Iraqis, they don't take it out on a local mosque or a store owner in their neighborhood.

``And, while it's clear there are extremists out there, they don't have any real traction. But the fact is, particularly in Los Angeles, people don't cross lines or have that much contact with each other. In fact, the problem is people don't interact that much.''

Lehrer said Community Advocates is engaged in a series of programs to try both to debunk some claims and promote greater understanding.

``Our concern is that a lot of the civil-rights groups out there are stuck in the 1970s and looking to be victims,'' Lehrer said. ``We want people to realize how far we've come and how good things can be, to celebrate our diversity.''

Rabbi Allen Freehling, executive director of the city's Human Relations Commission, partly agrees, but also notes that hate crimes are an ongoing problem.

``While we all want to look at the glass as half full, there are problems out there. Otherwise there wouldn't have been an increase in hate crimes,'' Freehling said.

``We are not about promoting anyone as a victim, but to recognize there needs to be greater understanding. The fact there weren't more hate crimes (after Sept. 11 and when the Iraq war began) is because of all of us saying there is not tolerance for hate. That is something we can count on.''

The Human Relations Commission this week began a series of forums at high schools around the city to discuss hate crimes.

``It has been amazing,'' Freehling said. ``The first night we didn't draw that many people, but on Wednesday night, we had more than 200 students from Grant (High School).

``It was a night the Lakers were on TV or they could have been home doing homework, but instead they came out to learn. What was really rewarding was they thanked us for being there.

``I think the lesson there is there can't be too much of people working to promote understanding,'' Freehling said.