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Home My WebLink AboutR-2017-098 Denounces Hate, Extremism and Bigotry; Supporting Steps to Combat Hate, Extremism and Bigotry RESOLUTION NO. 2017-098 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA, DENOUNCING HATE, EXTREMISM AND BIGOTRY; SUPPORTING STEPS TO COMBAT HATE, EXTREMISM AND BIGOTRY; PROVIDING FOR DISTRIBUTION; FURTHER, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the United States of America is a nation founded on principles of liberty and justice for all. We treasure our freedom, our commitment to equality, and our democratic values. These values are what has made America great for more than 240 years; and WHEREAS, individual Americans can, and often do, agree to disagree with each other on issues large and small. Differences should be celebrated; our freedom of speech and the other rights enshrined in the First Amendment are among our most cherished freedoms; and WHEREAS, our diverse and pluralistic nation has endured and thrived for centuries because we have been able to reject the forces of extremism and bigotry that could tear us apart. This country has a long history of striving to be a more perfect union. In the face of challenges and division, we have stood together—Americans of different races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, nationalities, and political persuasions—and we have found ways to move forward; and WHEREAS, for decades, many of America's elected officials have taken strong positions in support of civil rights and in opposition to racism and discrimination of all kinds. In the 54 years since the murder of Medgar Evers in Jackson, Mississippi, the bombing of the 16ffi Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama which killed four young girls, and the March on Washington led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., much progress has been made in addressing past grievances and in ensuring the civil and human rights of all Americans; and WHEREAS, across the country, many elected officials have spoken out against discrimination and injustice when it has occurred and have undertaken efforts to build tolerance and understanding within their communities. In recent years, municipalities have undertaken efforts to integrate immigrants into their communities and have adopted a variety of policies to include fully, and treat equitably, their LGBTQ residents; and WHEREAS, today, however, we are being challenged again. Dark forces of extremism and violent bigotry are rearing their ugly heads. We are now seeing efforts in our states and at the highest levels of our government to weaken existing civil rights policies and reduce their enforcement. We have seen an increase in hate based violence, xenophobic rhetoric, and discriminatory actions that target Muslims, Jews, and minorities. We cannot and will not permit them to succeed; and WHEREAS, elected officials and their municipalities must continue to be a beacon for inclusion, tolerance, and respect for all. We will continue to create stronger cultures of kindness and compassion in our communities, and expect our federal and state partners to join us in this endeavor; and WHEREAS, the recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, involving painful images of violence reflecting hate, extremism and bigotry, are repugnant to American ideals of freedom and justice; and WHEREAS, the recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia remind us that the dark forces of white supremacists and neo-naziism not only result in violence, injuries and death but causes intense pain to people and our country; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA: Section 1. The foregoing "WHEREAS" clauses are ratified and incorporated as the legislative intent of this Resolution. Section 2. The City Commission of the City of Dania Beach, Florida denounces and commits to steps to combat and oppose hate, extremism and bigotry, such as: 1. EXPRESSLY REJECTING EXTREMISM, WHITE SUPREMACY AND ALL FORMS OF BIGOTRY Elected officials must use the bully pulpit to speak out against racism, extremism, xenophobia, white supremacy and all forms of bigotry, and those who espouse such ideologies, and promote community conversations around these issues as needed. 2. DENOUNCING ALL ACTS OF HATE WHEREVER THEY OCCUR Elected officials must publicly denounce specific acts of hate and support efforts to punish bias-motivated violence to the fullest extent of the law, and provide comfort and assistance to victims of hate crimes and discrimination. 3. ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE PROTECTING FREE SPEECH AND OTHER BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS Elected officials must protect public safety while safeguarding free speech and other basic constitutional rights through the use of appropriate time, place, and manner restrictions. This might include encouraging alternative rally sites and placing limits on 2 RESOLUTION 42017-098 the rights of protestors to bring weapons to political rallies, if consistent with federal and state laws. 4. CALLING FOR FULLY-RESOURCED LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATIONS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM AND HATE CRIMES Elected officials must work to ensure that local police departments have the financial resources necessary to prevent, respond to and investigate domestic terrorism and hate crimes, and work with federal, state and local authorities when appropriate to ensure that the interests of justice are served. 5. ELEVATING AND PRIORITIZING ANTI-BIAS AND ANTI-HATE PROGRAMS IN OUR NATION'S SCHOOLS Elected officials must encourage schools to implement anti-bias and anti-hate content in their curricula and through extra-curricular activities. 6. SUPPORTING TARGETED COMMUNITIES AND BRINGING TOGETHER CIVIC AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO BUILD TRUST Elected officials must reach out proactively to civil rights leaders, clergy and other community leaders to ensure that they are engaged and actively involved in efforts to build trust across neighborhood and community lines and help to minimize intergroup tensions. 7. CELEBRATING DIVERSITY, PROMOTING INCLUSIVITY AND CHALLENGING BIAS Elected officials must support the integration of immigrants and other new residents into the community, encourage community activities which celebrate diversity and educate city residents about the different cultures that compose a city's population, and work with creative partners to use various electronic and print media outlets to promote public messages celebrating inclusivity and challenging bias. Mayors also will support inherent bias training for local elected and business leaders to help combat institutional racism. 8. PROMOTING LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ON RESPONDING TO AND REPORTING HATE INCIDENTS, HATE CRIMES AND DOMESTIC TERRORISM Elected officials must encourage their police departments to participate in training programs that address how to identify and respond to hate incidents, hate crimes, and domestic terrorism. Elected officials will also encourage the collection of data on such crimes and the provision of the data to appropriate state authorities and the FBI in compliance with the Federal Hate Crime Statistics Act. 9. ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO REPORT HATE INCIDENTS AND HATE CRIMES, INCLUDING USING HOT LINES AND ONLINE TOOLS 3 RESOLUTION#2017-098 Elected officials must encourage residents — both victims and witnesses — to report hate incidents and hate crimes to local authorities, and provide the tools necessary to facilitate such reporting, including hot lines and online tools, as appropriate. 10. MAINTAINING CIVIL RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT AND STRENGTHENING HATE CRIME LAWS WHEN NECESSARY Elected Officials must work with executive and legislative partners at the federal, state and local levels to assure that civil rights laws are aggressively enforced, existing hate crime laws are strengthened as needed, and new laws are enacted to ensure that all hate crimes are prosecutable in their respective jurisdictions to the greatest extent possible. Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to forward a copy of this Resolution to the Broward County Commission, the Broward Sheriff's Office, and all Broward County municipalities. Section 4. This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage and adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED on August 22, 2017. ��o�PRp'S FI�r LOUISE STILSON, CMC , , TAMAR4JAM(S� CITY CLERK MAYOR APPROVED O FORM AND CORRECTNESS THOMAS ANS RO CITY ATT RNEY 4 RESOLUTION#2017-098