To the editor:
I’ve been thinking about the responses to the discovery of the Hitler with swastika snowman in town yesterday. Some are outraged. Some want to just move on. Others just want to attack and insult each other in the comments section of a blog.
Yes, we need to talk about the snowman.
Yes, we need to acknowledge that building a snowman with a Hitler mustache and a swastika is a despicable act of antisemitism.
Yes, we need to understand how terrifying it is for Jews to see sneaky and outrageous acts of antisemitism in our nation and seeping into Westport.
Maybe kids did it.
I’m sure we can agree that this does not make it okay.
I’m sure we can also agree that when children — or adults — do something hateful, hurtful and wrong, someone needs to let them know that what they did was hateful, hurtful and wrong. That their actions have impacts and consequences.
For kids, we hope parents do this. Coaches do this. Teachers do this.
For our community, we have ADL and the DTC* quickly denouncing the snowman and acts of hatred in all forms.
And we have commenters. I am grateful for the brave commenters whose worthy voices and ideas are unfortunately quickly buried at the bottom of a blog post.
Of course, we have those ugly comments where people attack other people.
And … well … that’s it.
Where are our leaders?
We need leaders who act quickly to stand with members of our community who are targeted, attacked and hurt. Who let our town know that Westport won’t tolerate antisemitism or any hate, big or small, against any group, by adults or kids. We need leaders willing to have hard conversations about challenging topics. To tell people that we can have different views, but that attacking each other doesn’t move us forward.
Leaders who know that the way communities come together, understand and appreciate our differences and build empathy is by calling out hate and having difficult conversations.
We definitely don’t “move on” by doing nothing.
We don’t move on by ignoring this.
So, where is our town leader and why hasn’t she said a single thing about this?
Once again, Westport is waiting for her to say something.
Silence is acceptance.
Silence is permission.
Silence is consent.
Do something. We’re waiting.
* I am an officer of the Westport DTC and proud of our immediate response to the community. This letter is my own.
Robin Weinberg
Westport
I am extremely disappointed by the belated, low energy response of our first Selectwoman to this event of blatant antisemitism. In the current climate, as our national leaders try to divide us into warring tribes, a blatant antisemitic event deserves an official statement from the Selectwoman’s office in no uncertain terms. Why was there no indication that the Selectwoman encourages an investigation into who created this antisemitic message? A shrug of the shoulders is too little too late.
Your message seems very divisive.
Why go after the First Selectwoman like this on this issue? She has consistently denounced hate speech and clearly spoken out against this specific horrific act.
Robin your statement seems political. You mention that you are a DTC officer so it must have some relevance. Why is the DTC going after the First Selectwoman like this? Do all of the DTC agree with this strategy?
Jen Tooker is not in anyway anti-Semitic. Tooker is giving permission ? Tooker is consenting? Seriously? The DTC is better than this.
We should unite in outrage against this terrible able and not use it as a cheap shot against our First Selectwoman.
For context – I am a Republican and there is little love lost between The First Selectwoman and myself. I didn’t support her in the last election and think her stance on the Community Gardens is sub-par. I am happy to criticize her when we disagree on policy. I have done in the past, and likely will in the future. But to attack her over this? It is both uncalled for and wrong in my humble opinion.
I sit on the Board of Education. We haven’t put out a statement on this issue but I wouldn’t for one second question the stance of my other 6 board colleagues – whether Republican, Democrat or Independent.