Hate assailed at summit

There was no mistaking the fundamental differences between Bishop Nikolay Gelis and most of his audience Saturday at the first West Coast Diversity Summit.

His Russian words reverberating throughout Trinity Cathedral Hall in midtown Sacramento, Gelis preached with the help of a translator that he believes "normal families" are men and women who produce children, building strong communities for the betterment of a nation.

In the audience sat about 50 gay and lesbian activists and allies, undoubtedly with different definitions of family and societal betterment.

But in the end came common ground.

"We do not support any form of hate or persecution," boomed Gelis, a leader at a local Pentecostal Slavic church.

Advocating that everyone "love each other and have peace," Gelis received thunderous applause and the only standing ovation of the afternoon summit.

The moment provided a glimpse of what many in the Slavic and gay communities hope can come out of the tragic death of Satender Singh, a 26-year-old Fijian immigrant who died last month after a fight that some speculate grew out of homophobic and racist rage.

At Saturday's summit -- dedicated to Singh's memory -- leaders from both communities spoke of peace, love and tolerance. And they warned of passing judgment on entire groups that could lead to dissidence and hate.

"It works both ways," said Nathan Feldman, a forum organizer who also works on the cable access show Being Gay Today. "We have our stereotypes of them, they have their stereotypes of us. That's what we have to break down."

On July 1, Singh was picnicking at Lake Natoma with Fijian and Indian friends when they started being harassed by some Russian-speaking people, according to witness and police accounts. Homophobic and racist slurs reportedly were used against Singh and his friends.

Later that day, they tried to leave the park, but were again confronted by the Slavic group, authorities said. A fight erupted, and Singh was punched once. He fell and hit his head, a blow that proved fatal four days later.

No arrests have yet been made in the case.

Some gay activists and members of the community at large have painted Singh's death as the tragic climax of escalating tension between their community and that of Slavic envangelical Christians, who have been notably public in their disapproval of gays and and lesbians. But Saturday, a bridge was being built. Several ministers and representatives of the Slavic community attended the diversity summit, as well as a young man who regularly protests against homosexuality.

They expressed hope that the communities can come to an understanding -- not about their clashing values, but their human similarities.

"Different sides, different beliefs," said Roman Romaso, executive director of the Slavic Assistance Center. "But we can live together."

Many of the gay and lesbian activists and allies in the audience encouraged their peers to take action against perceived hatred and violence toward their community. But in the same breath, they cautioned against discriminating against all of the Sacramento area's 100,000-plus Slavic immigrants.

"We cannot indict the whole Slavic community," said George Raya, a member of the gay and lesbian caucus of Sacramento County employees.

One speaker, Preston Reese, noted that homophobia exists across the country, not just in Slavic circles. The rhetoric he hears from Slavic religious extremists, Reese said, is not that different from what he hears from people in his east Texas hometown.

Romaso said he was glad to hear such discussion. He worries that broad generalizations are being made about his entire community, which he says denounces sodomy but also hate, discrimination and persecution.

"It's a very dangerous game" to make assumptions about entire groups, he said. "Any nation, any race -- everyone has extremists. Why underline the Slavic community at this point? For what reason?"

Feldman said he was encouraged by the discussion that took place. He also applauded the Slavic representatives for reaching out, saying it was probably the most constructive interaction between the two groups he's ever seen.

"We all need to have more transparency and learn about each other," he said. "People just tend to focus on what's different. ... If you look at the underlying wants and needs, they're all the same."

To do his fair share of outreach, Feldman said he plans to accept several invitations to local Slavic churches that he's received since the outcry about Singh's death began.

About the writer:

• The Bee's Kim Minugh can be reached at (916) 321-1038 or kminugh@sacbee.com.