Wayland Select Board Issues Statement Condemning Anti-Semitism
Wayland, MA – At their regularly scheduled meeting held on Monday, November 20th, 2023, the Wayland Select Board voted unanimously to issue a statement condemning the recent surge in anti-Semitism both nationally and locally. The statement below represents the culmination of numerous impassioned discussions in which Select Board members expressed their desire to be heard on this somber issue and why.
Select Board Chairman William Whitney stated, “It is my hope that this statement truly captures, not only the sentiments of the individual Board members, but also who we are as a Town and what we believe in as a community. These are challenging times in the world and, as elected officials here to represent the will of our constituents, that responsibility also includes standing up for what we believe in as a community.”
The statement unanimously voted by the Wayland Select Board reads as follows:
We all have witnessed with growing concern the rise of hate speech nationally, particularly anti- Semitic rhetoric directed at members of the Jewish community following the terrorist attack in Israel and its aftermath. Of particular concern are the recent, isolated instances of displays of intolerance and bigotry here in Wayland. We think of ourselves as a caring and unbiased community, but the unwelcomed discovery of anonymous anti-Semitic and racist graffiti and related incidents demand a clear and unequivocal response.
We condemn hate speech and related actions that target individuals and groups, as they are intolerable and dehumanizing. These cowardly actions seek to diminish people whose essential worth and dignity are beyond reproach, but instead demonstrate the unreasoned bias and small- mindedness of those who perpetrate them.
Nonetheless, we need to examine what gives rise to such aberrant behavior in our community, and to do all that we can to ensure that all people are treated with the respect and dignity to which they are entitled. We must redouble our efforts to determine what barriers may exist in our institutions, our schools and even our homes that may impinge on our treating one another as each deserves. We must also stand in solidarity with our neighbors who are the objects of this despicable vitriol, to condemn expressions of bias and hate and to foster understanding and appreciation of differences, as well as of shared experience.
We believe that Wayland is, with very few exceptions, a welcoming, tolerant community. That being said, more can and must be done to ensure that established residents and newcomers’ alike feel valued and appreciated, irrespective of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation and gender identity. In this moment in time, support of the Jewish community is particularly important.
Should you have any questions regarding this press release, please do not hesitate to call the Town Manager’s Office at 508-358-3621.
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