Vandalism of any type violates a community's sense of security, but vandalism based on hatred for a group due to race or religion is an act of violence.
Such was the crime perpetrated in Howard County by whoever painted swastikas on a photography shop in the Harper's Choice Village Center this week.
Not only did the act harm the owners of the shop, two Russian Jewish immigrants. It also reverberated throughout Columbia and even beyond. Residents are stunned that their community, modeled to encourage diversity and tolerance, would be targeted in this way.
Those people who gathered at a village meeting this past Tuesday expressed outrage and called for demonstrations of protest against the vandalism. Columbia school children reacted immediately in the best way they knew how, sending letters of support to the shop owners and making "posters for peace" for display throughout their village.
But in the swirl of events, a sense of impotence is palpable. Police say they are investigating leads, but until someone is apprehended, many questions remain. Most troubling is that this cannot be dismissed as an aberration. Howard County police report that hate crimes in the ocunty are on the upswing, with 48 in 1992, 47 in 1993 and 65 last year.
There is no easy solution, but certain responses can and are being taken. The county's Office of Human Rights has written letters to churches and synagogues in areas where incidents occur, asking that they use "moral persuasion" to combat such crimes. Also, a group called the Network of Neighbors offers support to victims of hate crimes.
Education remains the best weapon, and county schools have been recognized for their efforts to eradicate this kind of behavior. But community response must extend beyond the efforts of school children. The community also needs to find ways to renew the spirit upon which Columbia was founded, a spirit that has become obscured as the city has grown.
Likewise, the Rouse Co. owes it to the community to revitalize the Harper's Choice Village Center, making it a safe and vibrant shopping area. Vandalism often occurs in an environment that is deteriorating, and village residents have expressed concern about the center's condition in recent years.
The situation is not hopeless. People of good will can still make a difference.