Hate crime survivor writes about Arizona mail bomb

PHOENIX - It has been eight years since Don Logan opened a package that exploded, severely injuring him and two other city employees in Scottsdale.

The mailed pipe bomb shattered the nerves in Logan's forearm and resulted in numerous surgeries. It also created the need for more than $1 million in security measures.

Logan was director of Scottsdale's Office of Diversity and Dialogue at the time. Authorities said the mail bomb was the work of hate-group sympathizers and resulted in a 40-year prison sentence for the man convicted in the case.

Logan, 61, retired in 2007 from Scottsdale and now works part time as Glendale's diversity director. He lives in Chandler with his wife and two children. But the bomb incident in Scottsdale is never far from his mind.

"Every single day since the bombing, I'm reminded in some way about the bombing," Logan wrote in his recently completed book entitled "Targeted Delivery."

Logan has refused to let what he describes as a hate crime cloud his optimism or change his "glass-half-full" view of life and said won't be intimidated by the cowardly act.

"Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it," Logan told The Arizona Republic.

"Targeted Delivery" is as much about Logan's 30 years as a black city employee in Scottsdale as it is about the explosion of the pipe bomb, the aftermath, the investigation and the conviction of one of the two men -- twin brothers -- who were charged with the crime.

In his book, Logan tackles racism, referring to the 1987 executive order by then-Gov. Evan Mecham that rescinded Martin Luther King Day as a holiday, and SB 1070, Arizona's controversial illegal-immigration law.

He writes candidly about specific disputes, examples of unprofessionalism and political struggles along with successes, awards and an exceptional increase in Scottsdale city employees of color from five to 100 employees by the time he left in 2007.

"I can't complain about how Scottsdale treated me," Logan said. "Not once was I ever angry with the city of Scottsdale."

On Feb. 26, 2004, Logan was the subject of national news -- a victim of a suspected hate crime.

A white supremacist's anger at Logan seemed to stem from a phone call complaining about Scottsdale's Hispanic Heritage Celebration, according to Logan.

Logan opened the mail bomb that was sent about four months after the call.

He remains puzzled by the fact that the bombing was not found to be a hate crime by the jury, but Logan said the federal trial "was as intense as anything I've ever experienced."

Logan said he doesn't hate the two men charged in the case, because that would make him just like them. Instead he continues to stay positive and use his experiences to help others.