Mayor Halliday Delivers Special Message on Charlottesville, Signs Mayors' Compact to Combat Hate, Extremism and Bigotry

On behalf of myself and my City Council colleagues, I wanted to take this moment during our summer recess to express our shared revulsion at the ugly expression of hate and bigotry that unfolded earlier this month in Charlottesville, Virginia.  The response from our leaders nationally and locally should have been—and mostly was—nothing short of unequivocal denouncement and resolute reaffirmation of the values we hold dear as Americans, regardless of political party.

I want to announce today that I have signed, on behalf of the City of Hayward, the new Mayors’ Compact to Combat Hate, Extremism and Bigotry, which has been created in response to these events by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Anti-Defamation League and which you can read more about here.

Racism, bigotry and hate should have no place in our hearts, minds and actions as Americans and certainly not as members of Hayward city government.  We are committed to doing all we can to challenge and combat intolerance and ignorance, which are at the core of the attitudes on display on August 11 in that normally peaceful college town, home to the University of Virginia.

I also want to celebrate the many people here in Hayward, throughout the Bay Area and across this nation who are standing up to and pushing back against racism, bigotry and hate—and who have been doing so for a long time.  Twenty-five years ago, responding to local concern about groups in society appealing to the worst in humankind, our city government and community leaders came together to draft and adopt the 1992 Hayward Anti-Discrimination Action Plans to guide city policies, practices and initiatives.  Later next month, the Council is scheduled to consider a set of recommended updates to that Action Plan, recommendations being prepared by a special Community Task Force that has been meeting regularly since its appointment by the Council in January of this year.

The character of our municipal government, the City of Hayward and our country is strong and is showing through.  I am proud to represent this city and municipal organization of public servants—especially in these times.  In Hayward, we proudly welcome and stand ready to serve people from any walk of life and background, and are committed to inclusiveness and equal treatment for all.  Thank you for standing for what is best about our country and for embracing the richness of our diverse Hayward community.

Sincerely,

Mayor Barbara Halliday