After watching the December 10, 2013 Troutdale City Council meeting, I was ashamed.
I was ashamed because a Troutdale businessman was
verbally attacked by audience members in the city council chambers after he
made a business proposal to the Troutdale city council.
This business man was not attacked because of the content of
his business proposal.
He was verbally attacked because of the color of his skin.
He was verbally attacked with a racial slur.
Troutdale business man Junki Yoshida was verbally attacked,
not for his business proposal, but because of his ethnic heritage.
In the past, other Troutdale business people have made public/private
partnership proposals to the Troutdale City Council.
People were silent when the business person was named Max
Maydew.
People responded with racial slurs when the business person
was named Yoshida.
People were silent when the business name was Bremik
Construction.
People responded with personal attacks when the business
person was named Yoshida.
It makes me wonder, what if Junki Yoshida’s name was John
Smith?
I was ashamed of my city as I watched this city council
meeting.
I witnessed Troutdale citizens,
Not displaying inclusion and acceptance,
But instead displaying intolerance and racism.
I was ashamed of my city as I watched this city council
meeting.
Instead of hearing my fellow Troutdale residents speak out
against hateful language,
I heard only silence.
Fellow Troutdale residents, shall we slowly sink into silence,
In the face of hateful and racist comments?
Or shall we take a stand?
Fellow Troutdale
residents,
Let us make a strong stand against racism in our city,
Let us make a determined stand against racism in our city.
Let us unite together against racism in our city.
We must say no to racism now.
We must say no to racism in the future.
We must say no to racism, always.
