Immediately following the events of September 11th, hate crimes against Muslims, Sikhs, and Arab- Americans spiked significantly. Occasionally, these attacks took a deadly turn.

On September 15, 2001, a Sikh and former San Francisco cab driver who at the time owned and operated a gas station in Arizona, was shot and killed by an assailant who declared, "I stand for America all the way."

Equally egregious atrocities continue in the Bay area today. The Council on American-Islamic Relations reports 246 incidents of civil rights complaints in 2006, which is double the amount from the year before. Hate crimes and civil rights offenses can take many forms, including: verbal and physical harassment; perceived discrimination; subjection to lengthy delays in the immigration and naturalization process due to religious and/or ethnic identity; and being singled out for questioning.

Federal agencies, like the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, have been working with local police and community advocacy groups to create a positive relationship.

Sometimes law enforcement exercises judgment that teeters on racial profiling. To root out potential terrorist threats while not crossing the line of an individual's civil rights is challenging.

How frequently are hate crimes occurring today? Have things gotten better or worse over the years? What's being done to build understanding between the affected groups and the broader community? Have lawmakers and law enforcement been able to strike a balance between serving the public and respecting civil rights?

With the six year anniversary of that fateful day upon us, host Joseph Pace will talk to community leaders and law enforcement officials about 9/11 backlash. Our panelists will be:

-Asma Nemati, communications coordinator, Council on American-Islamic Relations, CAIR- California

-Prabhjot Singh, chairman of the board, Sikh Coalition, Sikh Coalition

-Ron Twersky, supervisory special agent, FBI, FBI

Call in during the show at 415/841-4134 or e-mail your comments at comments@cityvisionradio.com. For more information, please visit City Visions Radio.

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