See Something, Say Something, Do Something

This year, I hosted the day of prayer in partnership with PAL and Legacy of Hope at the MLK Dream Center. Reverend Dr. Jennifer Reynolds was the MC. We heard remarks from Reverend Dr. Anthony A. Sanders, Imam MR Sarjeel Ahmed, Dr. Deborah Brown, and Minister Shirley King. We were also joined by Senator Shevrin Jones who spoke of unity. It is not an “R” or “D” issue, community and fighting against hate and helping our fellow neighbors is simply the right and moral thing to do. While the morning was very powerful Reverend Dr. Reynolds said something that truly stuck with me. She said “We need to not simply see something and say something it’s time to do something.” Acts of kindness are what makes community. The action of standing up against hate when it happens can truly make a difference.

We need to act. I am blessed to be Mayor of this great City. We are very fortunate to have an amazing Staff and Police Department who are keeping us safe. We have not had to live through protests, acts of violence and extremism that we are seeing globally. I have and continue to say we all need to stand up and correct misinformation that has been pushed by propaganda. The same tropes that have been pushed for centuries. We all can simply say that it is a lie. If you are not sure of the facts reach out to groups like ADL so you can check the facts.

I typically do not write about my family, and I am not going to start now but need to share a family ground rule we have. If we are around our dinner table, we can talk about anything. If we have guests in the house for a special occasion, there is an unwritten rule that we avoid politics. This rule is for our kids’ houses as well. Well, I broke the rule this past Sunday. As the saying goes, there is a time and place for everything. It was not the place, but it was time.

I was sitting around the table with a group of my daughters’ friends and neighbors. We began to speak about WWII and Vietnam. The WWII conversation evolved into how the USA military fought and were liberators. As a Board Member of the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center I said, “We need to remind our children how important as Americans it is to unite against hate. Just like now with the fight against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.” One of the neighbors chimed in and said what about the genocide in Gaza. Well, my daughter gasped and I know she was thinking well here we go!

I know there is and sadly will always be antisemitism. This however is where I draw the line. I explained all that I have studied. I asked have you been to Israel? Have You been to Saudi Arabia? Have you even been to the Middle East? He said, Well what about all the children that have been killed in Gaza? All the suffering caused by Israel before the war.

I shared no they were put in harms way by Hamas. Israelis left their homes in Gaza. Yes, there always have been strained relations but it was made worse when Hamas took over. Rather than investing in people and their community they started digging tunnels, stockpiling arms and still continued to send in terrorists to Israel. They attacked, killed, raped, kidnapped entire families. I asked what about the years of bombing before that.

Then it was they were not making a bomb and even if they did, they would not use it against Iran. He went even further that Israel will drop a bomb before them and US should be out of the war. I asked, “so that is your solution? His wife actually came to his defense that they were not enriching for a bomb. I explain that they absolutely were. I explained the levels of enrichment and there is not a domestic need for over 60% enrichment. I said while you can have an opinion and certainly can and will disagree, they cannot change the facts. I shared that Israel does not want war they want peace. They are a democracy and there are many religions coexisting in Israel. I have seen it.

This whole incident proved to me how much more work we have to do. Antisemitism is moving like wildfire. People are so misinformed on history. I continue to do my part in correcting misinformation. Most importantly, trying to unite our community.

South Florida is certainly safer than most communities, but hate is still there.

As always, I am available anytime for your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our City a better place on my Phone/Text at: (954) 632-5700. Or you can email me at: jcooper@cohb.org. Please visit me on my Facebook page at: Mayor Joy Cooper. Like! Follow! And share!