City Council Approves Mayor’s Anti-Hate Resolution
Graphic Credit by Lyndsay Dunn
By Mel Buer
The Omaha City Council held a public hearing on May 18 and approved the Mayor’s resolution “condemning and denouncing discrimination, hate speech, harassment and intimidation against all people.”
The resolution was submitted to the City Council for review by Mayor Jean Stothert’s office last week. In addition to condemning “all forms of discrimination, hateful speech, harassment and intimidation, of any kind,” the resolution also denounces “extremist conspiracy theories, misinformation, disinformation, and anti-government extremism.”
In her address to the Omaha City Council, Mayor Stothert sought to reassure the public that her office has begun the work of inclusion and diversity among city employees. “We have taken numerous steps to ensure that 2021 is a year of recovery and rebuilding,” she said. “Let’s set an example that we are a community of unity, rather than division.”
The mayor’s office made no specific mention of whether or not threats posed from far right groups such as the Proud Boys will be taken more seriously after the approval of this resolution. On May 15th, a sizable group of Proud Boys gathered for what was reportedly a regional meeting at the Homestyle Cafe on 88th and Maple Streets, where they were photographed intimidating passersby and drinking after hours.
Gary Nachman, Regional Director of the Plains States Regional Office of the Anti-Defamation League and one of the co-authors of the resolution, expressed the hope that this demonstration of allyship would begin the work of rebuilding trust in the community. “An act of allyship like this resolution draws a line in the sand for all to see,” he said. “I call on all of us to live up to the aspirations of this measure to hold all ourselves and each other accountable to its commitment.”
Former City Council candidate Sarah Johnson spoke candidly about the efficacy of such a resolution, even as she voiced her support for it. “Words are a good step, but actions need to support our words,” she said. “I wonder today if this would have passed a few weeks ago. Would this have meant that OPOA would not have sent out disparaging mailers? Would that qualify as hate?”
This resolution by the Mayor's office comes at a time when hate crimes, particularly those against Asian Americans, are at a 10-year high. The resolution was passed unanimously by the city council.