Public comment period evokes hate speech aimed at Iowa City’s mayor, Jewish community during recent council meeting
Racism, homophobia and antisemitism again briefly plagued the public comment period during the Iowa City City Council meeting on Monday night despite the council's efforts to monitor who can speak.
Multiple commenters, all attending the meeting virtually, delivered conspiracy theories about the Jewish community, firing racist and homophobic slurs at Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague, who is Black and gay.
The city released a statement two weeks ago denouncing "hate speech" from online commenters during the council's meeting on Oct. 17, which included multiple speakers making offensive comments about the Jewish community. Monday's meeting also experienced a variety of public hate speech despite the council's efforts to curtail it, with speakers talking over one another while spreading conspiracies and using slurs.
One speaker promoted websites that publish antisemitic conspiracy theories about the Jewish religion. Another praised Adolf Hitler.
The council tried to approve only in-person speakers during the designated public comment period, though public comment periods are also allowed for specific agenda items. The council noted a possibility for public comments on its consent agenda, which allowed city staff to cut comments short that weren't relevant or "germane" to the topic.
State Sen. Weiner denounces hateful language
State Sen. Janice Weiner, who is Jewish and was formerly the president of the Agudas Achim synagogue in Coralville, spoke after the public comment period, railing on speakers who delivered "virulent antisemitic as well as openly racist comments."
"We can never stay silent in the face of hate," Weiner said. She invoked a quote from Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who famously said "the opposite of hate is not love, it is indifference."
"Whether it's the state legislature punching down on trans and LGBTQ kids, members of Congress introducing a bill to expel Palestinians or a council meeting that unintentionally platforms hate speech, it gives permission (to hate)," Weiner said. "It opens perilous doors."
It is easy to hate, she said, and it is easy to find a scapegoat, but what is difficult is to work together to solve problems.
"Give hate no purchase. Stand up. Speak out," Weiner said. "In this case, it was antisemitic and racist vitriol, but this applies as well to Islamophobia, transphobia and any other form of hate. Hate only hurts and tears down. It builds up nothing, and it is here, in our city, in our state and in our country."
"Please don't avert your eyes, don't close your ears," she continued. "It is up to each and every one of us to never be indifferent."
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Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Council, senator denounce hate speech aimed at Iowa City’s mayor, Jewish community
