Jabari Asim isn't an activist, he says. He's a writer -- and his words are being heard, from national radio to national TV, in magazines and books. His book, "The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn't, And Why," has been praised for its nuance and scholarship. His novel, "A Taste of Honey," recreates a neighborhood  in north St. Louis in the '60s. 

Suntan oil is typically on the minds of most St. Louis area residentswho make the Florida panhandle a regular vacation destination. But thisyear, BP oil is shaping their plans as well. Tourism boards, resorts and rental property owners are working to put thebest possible face on the crisis. But for some loyal vacationers, this is the year to head somewhere else. 

If you talk to professionals on the front lines in the fight against hate, three things become clear: Success is vitally important, endlessly rewarding -- and largely impossible to measure. While it may not be quantifiable, anti-bias advocates know their job must be done. While programs abound to fight hate, the best methods are not always clear. Instead, most "hate busters" seem to coalesce around one theme: education. Last in a series about hate crimes being published in conjunction with the Jewish Light. (Photo from sxc.hu)

All is not quiet on the Pretzel War front as the city and ousted vendors continue to throw stones over "sticks." Reuben Galvin says he and his brother haven't sold a Gus' pretzel stick on Jamieson Avenue in weeks but remain under siege by city officials, including Mayor Francis Slay. "Why is he continuing to kick us while we're down?" asked Galvin. (Photo of Mayor Slay's preferred pretzel seller by Mary Delach Leonard)

Thanks to its anonymity, the Internet has opened up a new world of prejudice to those who normally might have felt too embarrassed or frightened to search for others with similar views. But white supremacist websites have not had quite the impact or reach that hate groups may have originally imagined. Instead, individuals and groups are more likely to turn to mainstream sites, such as Facebook, to promote their messages.

When hate crimes laws first started making their way onto the books 30 to 40 years ago, they generated dire predictions of log-jammed legal dockets, with hundreds and hundreds of cases. But the reality has hardly matched the prophesy. Very few are prosecuted. (Photo from sxc.hu)

Death in S. Carolina of black man who is shot, then dragged is investigated as hate crime. | AP

Mayor Francis Slay weighed in again today on the Pretzel War onJamieson Avenue, telling city residents to let the marketplace rule,not the city.Slay reiterated that the inspectors have too muchto do to be cracking down on vendors violating the city's minornuisance ordinances. (Photo by Mary Delach Leonard | Beacon staff)

Six months after they were attacked coming out of a St. Louis gay nightclub, Jacob Piwowarczyk and Mitch Perry have healed nicely from injuries that included Piwowarczyk's bloodied eye and dislocated ribs, and Perry's broken nose. But inside, they're still hurting. No charges have been filed -- which is typical for bias crimes against gays. Not one official interviewed for this article could think of a single crime against a lesbian or gay in Missouri that has been successfully prosecuted. (Photo from sxc.hu)

It's a frustration that's familiar to leaders of groups that represent minorities across St. Louis. They hear about cases of violence or vandalism that appear to be fueled by hate, but the victims won't come forward to police. For this reason, the annual hate crime data compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation is a starting point for discussion about why certain groups tend to be targets rather than an accurate snapshot of the problem. (Photo from sxc.hu)