Get moving on staffing hate crime panel

Sometimes hate doesn't stay harbored in the heart. It is released by bigots who strike out cruelly and violently against those different from them in color, culture, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.

We have seen incidents of such hateful rage in the suburbs, few in number, thankfully, but not insignificant in the level of pain and fear they have brought to victims. "Skinheads" who attacked four black teenagers. A vandalized mosque. Racial epithets and swastikas spray-painted on homes.

An increased number of such incidents in recent years throughout the country warranted the creation of a new category in criminal law -- hate crime.

To its credit, the state of Illinois in 1999 took a leadership role in finding ways to fight hate crime and promote tolerance by creating the Governor's Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.

But of late, the commission has been nothing but a bunch of empty chairs.

A former standing commission was abolished after irreconcilable religious differences between members brought its work to a standstill. A new version of the panel was then created by the legislature.

But seven months later, not one person has been appointed to the revamped commission by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to the Associated Press.

It is inexcusable for a group with such an important mission to be allowed to languish. It was supposed to have presented a report on hate crimes by the end of this month, a major initiative. That's clearly not going to happen. Nor can victims of hate crimes, or those pushing for policies to prevent hate crimes and punish those who commit them, expect any help and guidance from a group that is set up to be their staunchest state advocates.

Someone, though, is getting something from this idle commission. Its executive director, Kimberly M. White, continues to draw her $96,000 annual salary even though she doesn't have a board to answer to. We just hope her "things-to-do" list isn't as empty as the hate crime commission's meeting agenda.

Blagojevich said he is actively seeking appointees but wants to be sure he makes the right choices. We wouldn't think that would be difficult. It's not as if this is a panel that needs to have people with highly specialized technical skills that are hard to find. It just needs people of various backgrounds with a singular purpose -- passionately committed to justice and tolerance in the cause of fighting hate crime and being a voice for its victims. We are sure there a lot of people in Illinois who are willing and able do this job well.

But first Blagojevich has to do his job and take down the help-wanted sign on the door to the Governor's Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes. Too many people are counting on the work of this panel to have it sit idle as just another example of state inaction.