LYNN – Mayor Jared Nicholson is asking Lynn residents to “tamp down the flames of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.”
Nicholson issued a statement Wednesday addressing what he called “alarming spikes in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia around the globe.”
“Even here, many of our Jewish and Muslim neighbors are living in a constant state of fear,” Nicholson said. “We will not tolerate hate of any kind.”
He urged people to make the distinction between policies and people.
“If you are sharing views to criticize policies or decisions, make sure to also make it clear that you support your Muslim and Jewish neighbors and their right to live in peace and safety,” he said.
Nicholson said that last week, he met with a group of local rabbis who shared their concerns.
“They now have police cars sitting outside their temples,” Nicholson said. “It is our task as a community to address these fears and affirm for all our common humanity.”
He acknowledged that being Lynners is just one of many identities city residents carry.
“Carrying multiple identities brings a powerful truth and harmony with humanity, and it’s something we embrace and are proud of,” Nicholson said. “I also understand the unique challenges it poses for the democratic experiment. In other words, a functioning democracy across different identities remains a work in progress.”
He also pointed out that the city is not involved in the Middle East.
“That is not our work,” he said. “But I truly believe that what is our work in supporting our residents, in supporting the pursuit of a thriving democracy across multiple identities with real paths to opportunity, which is in many ways unprecedented, is a significant contribution to the global mission of human freedom and dignity. We can’t do that if anyone feels like they don’t belong.”
He closed his statement, saying, “To our Jewish residents and to our Muslim residents, you belong here, and we support you.”
