Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting  "Assassinate Obama." Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars.
Incidents around the country referring to President-elect Barack Obama are dampening the postelection glow of racial progress and harmony, highlighting the stubborn racism that remains in America.
From California to Maine, police have documented a range of alleged crimes, from vandalism and vague threats to at least one physical attack. Insults and taunts have been delivered by adults, college students and second-graders.
There have been "hundreds" of incidents since the election, many more than usual, said Mark Potok, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate crimes ...

Top Republican senators said Sunday they will oppose a Democratic plan to bail out Detroit automakers, calling the U.S. industry a "dinosaur" whose "day of reckoning" is coming. Their opposition serious raises doubts about whether the plan will pass in this week's postelection session.
Democratic leaders want to use $25 billion of the $700 billion financial industry bailout to help General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC.
Sens. Richard Shelby of Alabama and Jon Kyl of Arizona said it would be a mistake to use any of the Wall Street rescue money to prop up the automakers. They said an auto bailout would only postpone the industry's demise ...

Five civil rights groups asked California's highest court Friday to annul the state's new same-sex marriage ban on the grounds that Proposition 8 threatens the legal standing of all minority groups, not just gays ...

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation today announced two Portland area nonprofits, Portland YouthBuilders and Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, Inc., as recipients of the prestigious Neighborhood Excellence Initiative (NEI) Neighborhood Builder awards. Five community leaders and five local high school students were also recognized for making a difference in the Portland community. Neighborhood Builder winners receive $200,000 in unrestricted grants ...

Listings of foreclosures for Multnomah County and other Oregon Counties ...

Do you have questions for Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels? Want to have them answered on live TV? On Wednesday, November 19, 7 p.m., be sure to watch Ask the Mayor on SEATTLE CHANNEL, Cable 21, streaming live at  ...

After 10 years of volunteer service as the NAACP National Board Chairman Julian Bond, 68, announced he would not seek reelection when his term ends in February 2009.  
"This is the time for renewal. We have dynamic new leadership. The country has a new President in Barack Obama; the organization has a new CEO in Benjamin Jealous, and we'll soon have a new Chairman of the NAACP Board. The NAACP and the country are in good hands," he added ...

Tennessee State Rep. Nathan Vaughn says campaign literature mailed by Republicans was meant to inflame racial hatred and contributed to his re-election defeat.
Vaughn, a Kingsport Democrat who became northeastern Tennessee's first black lawmaker when he was elected in 2002, lost to Republican Tony Shipley by 326 votes in the House's 2nd District race earlier this month.
Vaughn was the subject of heavy political attacks during the campaign, including a Tennessee Republican Party direct mail piece that pasted a picture of his head on a black bird....

After a fierce fight of two years to change the course of history, U. S. Senator Barack Obama has been elected the first African American president of the United States.
His win culminates an American history that expands from Black slavery to Jim Crow to a modern day civil rights movement still marked by institutional racism.
"America is in the process and has taken the first step of turning from darkness unto light, turning from war unto peace, turning from exploitation of the poor by the powerful to equal opportunity and economic justice," said civil rights icon the Rev. Joseph Lowery in an interview. "It's a great moment for America."
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, if you're still wondering if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, if you still question the power of our Democracy, tonight is your answer," Obama began his victory speech before a screaming Chicago crowd of more than 250,000...

On an election night that saw ebullient, multiracial crowds shooting off fireworks and dancing together in the streets, liberal voters swept an array of conservative ballot measures and local candidates.
Across the board, nearly every Democratic candidate won – with only two exceptions.
In the city of Portland, Amanda Fritz won a seat on the city commission. Judy Shiprack edged out Mike Delman for Multnomah County Commission, but candidates Diane McKeel and Carla Piluso were within .25 of a percentage point as The Skanner went to press.
For U.S. senate, the race was close between incumbent Gordon Smith, a Republican, who at presstime was inching past Democrat Jeff Merkley by less than one percent of the votes, even though Merkley posted a two-to-one win of voters in the Democratic Party stronghold of Multnomah County....