Is a public apology enough after use of an antisemitic slur? Bourne town officials reflect

The last thing Jack MacDonald expected to hear during an Oct. 10 Bourne Historical Commission meeting was an antisemitic slur.

The term "Jewish lightning" was used during the meeting, MacDonald said, by Historical Commission Chairman Carl Georgeson, who was speaking about late-night tree removal on Sandwich Road at the time.

"I was taken aback," said MacDonald of Pocasset.

According to Peggy Shukur, deputy regional director of the Anti-Defamation League New England, the term is an antisemitic trope that stereotypes Jewish people.

"It's an age-old trope that finds its way into political discourse," said Shukur in phone interview Monday.

In response to Georgeson's comments, MacDonald wrote a letter to the Bourne Select Board to report the incident. MacDonald's letter, dated Oct. 10, said the slur "is not acceptable for use anywhere in modern society and certainly not in the halls of the Bourne Archives Building."

In an email to the Times, Georgeson said he plans to apologize at the next Historical Commission meeting, on Nov. 14.

"I’ll be making a formal apology for my unfortunate choice of words," said Georgeson.

All Historical Commission members are volunteers for the town and are appointed by the Select Board, according to the town of Bourne website.

Is the Select Board taking the slur seriously?

After receiving MacDonald's letter, Mary Jane Mastrangelo, chair of the Bourne Select Board, told the Times she verified Georgeson's words with several others who attended the Historical Commission meeting. Mastrangelo said she also spoke to Georgeson, who said he would make a public apology.

"I would prefer not to have this stirring the pot unnecessarily about someone who said something that they shouldn't have said and is willing to make amends," said Mastrangelo.

Mastrangelo believes MacDonald should've spoken up the moment he heard Georgeson's statement.

"If you are sitting in a meeting and someone says something like that, it's your responsibility to say, 'You know Carl, that wasn't really a good thing to say. Could you rephrase or say an apology.'" said Mastrangelo. MacDonald shouldn't make a big thing out of it, she said.

MacDonald admits that he wished he said something at the time, but the comment stunned him.

"It was not called out at the meeting but upon reflection, I wish I had," MacDonald wrote in his letter to the Select Board.

Should there be a zero-tolerance policy for racial and ethnic slurs?

Beyond the apology, Mastrangelo said the Select Board can only ask people to maintain a code of conduct, and be respectful when they're representing the town. Georgeson was receptive to that, she said.

"We are not all perfect and sometimes use the wrong phrase. If he is willing to listen to that point of view — that was disturbing to some people — and to make an apology, I think that's fair," she said. "He does a lot for the town. And he works hard for the town."

MacDonald said that's not enough.

"It seems to me that the policy for committee members is some tolerance? Or a little tolerance? Is that fair? Is that the town policy?" he said. "I believe it should be zero tolerance across the board."

In Section 3.1.8 of the Bourne ByLaws, disorderly conduct is defined as using any indecent orinsulting language in any public place or near any dwelling or other building, or be or remain upon any sidewalk to the annoyance or disturbance of any other person. Any person violating this bylaw shall be subject to a $50 fine.

Mastrangelo said the Select Board tried to initiate a code of conduct policy just before a decision was announced regarding Barron v. Kolenda, a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision that found the town of Southborough's civility provisions for public comment to be unconstitutional and in violation of Articles 16 and 19 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights.

"We got a lot of pushback and we have not implemented a code of conduct," she said.

The court decision revolves around Southborough couple Louise and Jack Barron, and a third resident, Arthur St. Andre, who filed a lawsuit against members of the Southborough Select Board, the board itself and the town. The plaintiffs said their rights were violated by the board’s actions and that the board violated state Open Meeting Law.

"The decision was that she (Barron) had the right to free speech. So there’s certain public comment that you have to listen to — and there's nothing you can say because there's free speech," Mastrangelo said. "It's a very complex issue."

Antisemitic speech is on the rise

For Shukur, with the latest war between Israel and Hamas, Georgeson's comments were made during an "incredibly difficult time."

Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns on Oct. 7, which coincided with a major Jewish holiday. The Hamas attack killed more than 1,400 people on Israeli soil and ignited a war that has left thousands of Palestinians dead and swaths of the Gaza Strip in ruins.

There's been an uptick in reported antisemitic incidents throughout the country since Oct. 7, said Shukur.

"I will also note that there's been an uptick against the Muslim community," she said. "One of the most disturbing cases I saw was the word Nazi sprayed on a Palestinian palace of peace."

This is a tough time for us as humans, said Shukur.

"While we never want to lose sight of what happened on Oct. 7, there's been much suffering to so many, as a consequence," she said. "It's spilling over in hateful incidents and acts happening in town communities."

How should people respond when they witness hate?

Shukur said people should speak up when they hear statements about any marginalized groups including communities of color, and the LGBTQ+ community. Whether it's board members, public officials, or voters, it's important to condemn offensive statements or hate speech, she said.

"Everyone should be empowered to say this kind of language isn't representative of what I believe and I'm calling it out," said Shukur.

But Shukur also doesn't blame bystanders who overhear offensive slurs. People are often tongue-tied when they hear a slur, she said.

"Its really hard to speak up in the moment. All of us at times wish we found the right words when we know something isn’t right," she said.

MacDonald's letter took courage to write, she said.

"I give him a lot of credit," she said. "Sweeping it under the rug doesn't allow people to learn."

After her conversation with Georgeson, Mastrangelo feels the Historical Commission chair is willing to learn from his mistakes. It's important to educate one another, she said.

"Having good communication and being open in our community in how we speak to and about each other is really important," said Mastrangelo. "That is something that the town of Bourne and the Board of Selectmen values and works towards."

Rachael Devaney writes about community and culture. Reach her at rdevaney@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachaelDevaney.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Bourne official says he will formally apologize for antisemitic slur