May 16 2023 Resolution of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Sonoma, State of California, Condemning Antisemitism And All Forms Of Hate Speech

WHEREAS, antisemitism and all forms of hate speech remain a serious and growing threat in the United States and around the world; and

WHEREAS, hate speech as defined by Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary is intended to insult, offend, or intimidate a person because of some trait (as race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability); and

WHEREAS, on June 9, 2020 the Board adopted a Resolution honoring the Sonoma County United In Kindness Campaign supporting living in a community in which kindness is a guiding principle; and where a half-million Sonoma County neighbors come from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and traditions in pursuit of joyful and healthful living. The resolution included the Board’s believe that freedom from hateful speech, bullying, discrimination, and violence is a human right; and

WHEREAS, on April 6, 2021 the Board adopted a Resolution in support of and solidarity with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Communities, denouncing xenophobia and anti-Asian racism and violence, and affirming the County’s commitment to the well-being and safety of AAPI communities; and

WHEREAS, over the past year Sonoma County residents in Windsor and Santa Rosa have received unwelcome antisemitic flyers distributed at their homes, the work of an antisemitic network of individuals responsible for disseminating other such anti-Jewish content throughout the Bay Area and state; and

WHEREAS, last year nearly one in four Jewish Americans said they experienced antisemitism, according to a study released on October 25, 2021, by the American Jewish Committee; and

WHEREAS, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, more than 50 percent of religious-based hate crimes in 2021 targeted Jewish Americans, who make up 2.4 percent of the U.S. population; and

WHEREAS, according to an Anti-Defamation League report, 3,697 antisemitic incidents were reported nationwide in 2022 - the highest year on record since the ADL began tracking in 1979; and

WHEREAS, antisemitic views do not represent the views of Sonoma County residents but of a White Supremacist extremist group and other hate groups that target Jewish communities and other historically marginalized groups; and

WHEREAS, history has shown (with the killing of 6 million Jewish people in Europe during the Holocaust) antisemitism is a danger to the entire community, our country, and our world. An attack on any part of our community based on race, religion, gender identity, or ability is an attack that weakens our social fabric; and

WHEREAS, standing up to antisemitism and all forms of hate and discrimination will make us stronger together as a community; and

WHEREAS, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors stands firmly behind the preservation and protection of basic human rights, dignity, health, and well-being of all people; and condemns all forms of senseless hatred from any source, for any reasons, ideological or personal, including spreading disinformation, discrimination, vandalism, and violence; and

WHEREAS, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors encourages community members and organizations to foster a sense of welcoming, belonging, and inclusion.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of Sonoma County, California, condemns antisemitism and will continue to condemn all forms of hate.

View the Signed Resolution >