The Taylor City Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday that supports a campaign against hate based on religion or ethnicity.
Councilman Alex Garza offered the resolution supporting the Campaign to Take on Hate.
The campaign by the National Network for Arab American Communities addresses bias and discrimination against Arab-Americans and Muslim Americans.
The Taylor resolution, however, does not mention Arabs or Muslims specifically, and “agrees to protect all its citizens and families no matter their religion or ethnicity.”
The resolution says the city will “stand against those who preach hate and incite violence.”
Former State Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who formerly represented southwest Detroit, Ecorse and River Rouge, said the campaign was borne out of a number of recent hate crimes, including the murder of three young Muslims in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Tlaib, a Muslim-American, addressed the council about “alarming increases in hateful statements” about the religious group.
She said her 9-year-old son overheard her talking about a newspaper cartoon that depicted Muslims as Nazis.
“He came up to me and says, ‘Mama, don’t worry. If anyone asks if I am a Muslim, I will lie and tell them I am not,’” Tlaib said.
Councilman Charley Johnson said he supported the resolution, although he felt it didn’t go far enough, as it didn’t address hate crimes based on sexual preference.
Two residents addressed the council against the resolution.
Butch Ramik, a former councilman, asked if the council had researched all of the Take On Hate campaign’s platforms.
He said that while he is in favor of taking a stand against hate, he is troubled by the campaign’s support of the End Racial Profiling Act.
Ramik, a former police officer, said there are already avenues in place to halt profiling that is not justified. He cited Attorney General Eric Holder’s recent finding that the Ferguson, Mo. Police Department targeted African-Americans unjustly.
Ramik asked if the resolution means that the council supports all of the campaign’s stances.
Garza responded that the resolution means that the council backs the campaign’s “ideals.”
Resident Fred Lyons said he didn’t feel the resolution was necessary.
“I don’t see why we need a resolution to say we’re against hate. We are,” Lyons said. “Anyone who would say you are supporting hate would be asinine.”
He said he feared the resolution could lead to lawsuits against the city.
Garza said the resolution seeks to “create awareness” of hate.
“I think we should all remind ourselves that this country was not built on us hating each other,” he said. “I think we have to make sure that we continue to remind each other that we support each other and make sure we point out hate when it occurs. This resolution does not commit the city to anything. We’re committing to continuing to take on hate in this country.”
Garza said elected officials have a responsibility to speak out against hate and discrimination.
The Detroit City Council also passed a resolution recently in support of the Take on Hate campaign.