To: Anna Peterson, Mayor, City of Salem Oregon and Daniel Benjamin, Councilor, City of Salem Oregon
DANIEL BENJAMIN, SALEM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, MUST RESIGN
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Daniel Benjamin, a Salem City Council member, recently shared a racist and violent post on social media showing minority citizens being mowed down by cars. This is unacceptable behavior from a public official. Councilmember Benjamin needs to resign. If he refuses to resign, the City Council should sanction him. The Salem City Council has the right to sanction a member if the councilor’s actions “reflect poorly on the city” or he fails to maintain “the dignity of the office.” Councilmember’s actions fail on both counts. Further, Mayor Anna Peterson is authorized to remove Councilmember Benjamin from all Council sub-committees and she should do so immediately. We simply cannot tolerate our elected leaders promoting hate, racism and violence.
Why is this important?
Our elected leaders are entrusted with representing our communities and government bodies with dignity and respect towards all citizens and will work to uphold our civil rights. It is dangerous enough when normal citizens convey racism and violence towards our neighbors. When our leaders do it, we face a potentially mortal threat to our Republic, which is based on a social contract of equality for all. The current political climate has our country in turmoil following the election. There has been a significant increase in hateful acts in our children’s schools, on our college campuses, and in our communities. We fear that the hateful and racist rhetoric of the campaign and its subsequent outcome has emboldened some citizens to unleash their previously restrained bigotry and prejudices. We are a civilized nation and each of us is accountable to denounce the prejudices and violence that threaten peace, democracy, and civilized society. Respectful and civilized behavior is not simply something we expect of our elected leaders in Washington, D.C. We expect it even more so from our neighbors and friends and local leaders here at home. Salem is our city. It is our home, and we will fight to protect it from hatred and discrimination and work to ensure that it is a community of respect, inclusion, and equality.