BOISE, Idaho — Northern Idaho’s reputation as a haven for white supremacists, deserved or not, likely won’t be an impediment for a big doctors group booking a conference here in 2015.
The Coeur d’Alene Press reported that the Western Orthopaedic Association has recommended selecting Coeur d’Alene for its summer conference in two years.
Its president, Dr. Ellen Raney, drew attention with an April 5 letter to Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem asking about local efforts to promote diversity amid concerns Coeur d’Alene wouldn’t be tolerant enough.
Behind Raney’s concerns, among other things, was the region’s status as the longtime home of the Aryan Nations white supremacist group, which has since moved from Hayden Lake.
Raney said subsequent conversations with groups including the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations have allayed her fears.
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