Dec 2 Meeting Awash With Public Input On Hot Button Issue
The Alameda City Council deadlocked, 2-2 in the wee hours of January 3rd failing to agree on endorsement of a U.S. House Of Representatives Resolution calling for de-escalation and a ceasefire in “Israel and Palestinian Territories.”
Before that matter failed to gain The Council’s approval, the four members present, Mayor Ashcraft, Vice Mayor Daysog and Councilpersons Jensen and Spencer, heard from scores of the public expressing their views on a parallel track, “Gaza Cease Fire” letter the mayor had proposed as an agenda item.
The Council did not lend its voice to the letter before considering a motion to take a stand on HR 786.
HR 786, according to its text, “urges the President to immediately call for and to facilitate de-escalation and a cease-fire in Israel and Palestinian Territories. The resolution also calls on the President to promptly send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.”
Before the meeting, The Council was also flooded with hundreds of e-mails supporting or opposing the Mayor’s proposed “Ceasefire” letter which ultimately did not come up for a direct vote.
For more on the contents of Mayor Ashcraft’s Letter see: ( https://alamedaneighborhoodsnews.org/city-council-to-consider-issuing-letter-calling-for-immediate-ceasefire-in-gaza/ )
Over the course of almost twelve hours from just after 5:30 a.m. to just before 5 p.m. on the day of the meeting , members of the public deluged The Council with 502 letters, the vast majority, 486, endorsing approval of Ashcraft’s Letter.
Of those in the support category, 474 were clearly ‘cookie cutter’ form letters that had been pre-written and just awaiting signatures and sends from the recipients, indicative of an orchestrated group effort to get the ear of The Council.
The pre-fab letters routinely began with “I am writing as a concerned member of our community to urge you to support Mayor Ashcraft’s letter calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” and were then divided into several common paragraph segments.
The first began with “Ceasefire is a safety issue” followed by “Ceasefire is a moral issue…” and then “Endorsing a ceasefire in Alameda not only follows her leadership, but adds constituent weight…”
The formula letters contained a dollar figure assertion that “Alameda taxpayers give $1,115,883 to fund Israel’s violence against Palestinian people.” The letter provides no indication as to by what means or from what source that number was derived.
Form Letters Omitted Mention of Hamas, Terrorism, Oct 7 and Hostages
The recipe letters omitted any mention of Hamas, Israeli dead, the hostages or the attack of Oct 7.
The letters, some of which were amended with original content from the senders, also conceded that, “I understand that international conflicts are complex, and our local government may have limited influence on global affairs,” before urging that “Alameda can contribute to the collective voice advocating for peace and the protection of civilian lives.”
In contrast to The Council’s end result of not ‘signing on’ to HR 786, the letters embraced such a move saying “It is clear that a lasting solution can only be
achieved through diplomatic efforts and a commitment to dialogue. Our Congresswoman
Barbara Lee has signed on to the congressional ceasefire.”
HR 786 is not likely to pass in a GOP majority House.
In effect, due to the generally repetitive language of their text, were a variation of a petition.
The overwhelming number of ‘pro’ ceasefire letters stood in stark contrast to the sixteen that rolled in to The Council’s public comment inbox that day.
That said, the disparity in stances did not translate into Council votes to pass any kind of ceasefire policy statement.
The most unique letter to The Council did not take a stand regarding Council action regarding the Mayor’s Cease Fire Letter at all Rather, it came from tangential angle, asking The Council to keep private or to withhold identifying information in letters addressed to The Council.
In this writer’s view, public transparency should take a backseat to potential public safety concerns she had.
“I was quite surprised and worried to see that letters which had been sent to you by residents in response to an agenda item (10-D, on the 1/2/24 agenda) were posted on your website including identifying details.
Posting this private information to the public for everyone to see may create personal safety issues. We are all aware of the tensions in the communities (which the proposed item 10-D is a testament to) –tensions which may escalate and go beyond just writing letters.
I would like to respectfully ask you to take these letters off your public website. I have not seen other cities publish residents’ letters to the council.
If you believe that it’s important to make the public aware of this correspondence, please
publish them without names, addresses, and any other identifying information.
Thank you.”
(While City protocols abide by the common standard that letters from the public to public agencies and officials in open session are part of the public record, ANN is withholding the names of the letters’ signators as they did not expressly provide consent for on the record, news publication with their names attached In this case it is a matter of journalistic ethics, not of law or individual privacy rights. )
Most of the originally penned letters addressed the merits or shortcomings of The City Council taking an official stand on an international matter of grave concern involving horrific violence, humanitarianism, terrorism, proportionality of military measures, territorial sovereignty, international diplomacy and more.
Ending The Mounting, Vicious Bloodshed Was A Key Goal Of Vast Majority Of Letters
For some members of the public, ending the mounting, vicious bloodshed was the singular goal that tipped the balance. For others ending the reign of terror perpetrated by Hamas and other extremist, violent factions and protecting the survival and territorial sovereignty of Israel was paramount.
Some letters moving towards the more extreme reaches, accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing” or “genocide,” while others referenced past history, invoking the repression and displacement of Native Americans, Jews and Palestinians, with one seeking to create a sympatico between those in Gaza today and oppressed peoples in Ireland in the past.
In the interest of giving the public a stronger sense of the varying views and rationales on the matter, we are providing a number of excerpts from the letters that were clearly written by individuals who wished to compose and express their own unique thoughts.
These are presented more or less in order of appearance on The Council’s 1/02 “Correspondence” webpage which can be viewed at:
Most of the letters were reasoned in tone and temper, though they may have been based on faulty assumption in logic or fact, but the few that were bordered on the language of the lunatic fringe were not included in the following sampling.
A few of the letters were from non-residents, generally Oakland.
ANN, due to its 503-C Federal Tax Exempt status, neither endorses nor opposes any of the actions called for in the following and has no official, editorial position on the matter. The following are solely the views of the writers.
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A SAMPLING OF MULTI-VIEWPOINT, FREE EXPRESSION ABOUT GAZA AND THE WAR
1. “The more pressure we put on our national leaders, the more we can see progress towards peace and the saving of many lives. It’s critical that institutions and local governments join the the millions of individuals in advocating for peace and the end of the killing of innocents.”
2. “I am writing as a concerned member of our community to urge you to support Mayor Ashcraft’s letter calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Sure, you can all write letters as private citizens, but not in our names.”
3. “None of you were elected to represent the residents of Alameda on any foreign policy matter….. Does your expertise cover the concept of deterrence in the Middle East?”
4. “I understand that Alameda City Council, like other local governments,has been deluged by activists demanding a local response to foreign affairs. Most of the people who have spoken in Alameda made inflammatory comments, claiming Israel is an “apartheid state carrying out a genocide.” By placing the issue on the official agenda, Mayor Ashcraft has fanned the flames of these lies.”
5. “The people of Gaza are facing a massive campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide by the apartheid state of Israel.”
6. “I applaud Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft for taking a moral stand on this issue. I urge the City Council members to follow her lead and support the letter she has submitted to you.
7. My own family legacy includes the tragedy of being “collateral damage” of war. My
parents on both sides of the family were subjected to mass incarceration during
World War II, and my wife’s mother and cousin were survivors or “hibakusha” from
the atomic bombing in Hiroshima. My son in law is a refugee from Vietnam, the
youngest of 13 children, and a survivor of that tragic war.”
8. “As a United Methodist clergy, I appreciate the moral and ethical stance
Mayor Ashcraft has taken as a leader of our community. I urge you all to support her
leadership in offering Alameda as a voice of peace rather than a silent, complicit
supporter of war.”
9. “I oppose this divisive letter about the Israel-Hamas War. As antisemitism continues to escalate in the Bay Area, and as past examples in Oakland and Richmond show.”
10. “As a Christian, I believe that all lives are precious.”
11. “The rise in anti-Semitism and anti Arab rhetoric and behavior is increasing around us, not because we are asking for a ceasefire, but because of the horrific violence. affecting both Israel and Palestine. If there is a permanent ceasefire, there is a greater chance for successful negotiations, problem solving and peace.”
12. “Alameda has a record of being on the right side of history, I am hopeful that Alameda will be on that right side of history yet again by calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.”
13. “If you truly want to provide “ethical leadership”, perhaps you can condemn Hamas to the fullest, citing the grotesque horrors that they inflicted on the Jewish people in October 7.”
14. “Despite what some might now be claiming, these ceasefire resolutions are absolutely one-sided and directed only at Israel and American Jewish people are being threatened because of it. Since the Hamas attack, over 400 Jewish synagogues ororganizations across the country have received bomb threats. There is a connection. “
15. I am disheartened to learn that Item 10-D on the January 2 City Council Agenda is a letter demanding a change to U.S. foreign policy regarding the Hamas – Israel War.
16. “My synagogue, my rabbis, my children’s Hebrew school teachers are calling publicly for a ceasefire. They are among hundreds of thousands of Jews across the country doing the same.”
17. “We have a moral obligation to speak up. It is our tax money that is supplying the weaponry and artillery used to kill innocent people.”
18. “This City Council clearly is NOT speaking for the entire community and advocates only one point of view. The opinion is clearly beyond its subject matter jurisdiction and simply creates more division.”
19. “Please don’t let anyone tell you that Jews oppose a ceasefire. The Jews of Alameda are as diverse as any in our community. The idea that Jews have the same opinion, or share a common political allegiance, is a fundamental tenet of real antisemitism and must be rejected unequivocally.”
20. “ I am a US citizen) and witnessed the occupation of North Ireland and The Troubles during the 1980s. Ireland has a long history of occupation and, with great sadness, we share similar experiences of occupation with both Native Americans and the Palestinian peoples.”
21. “Alameda’s city council has the opportunity to take a stand for what is merciful and humane, and I beg that you do so. To be silent is to be complicit.”
22. “During a recent walkout, students at Encinal High School reported feeling unsafe, demonstrating solidarity with Palestine.” (from the form letter )
23. “Beyond exploring the holy sites important to people of many faiths, we
heard directly from people who are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and atheists working together for peace. The stories and perspectives shared were powerful and reinforced the complexity of the issues. But at the heart of it all are real people with hope — civilians seeking to live together peacefully. We have heard the questions and continue to learn, even if we don’t presume to have the answers or solutions necessary.
By taking a principled stand, Alameda can contribute to the collective voices advocating for peace and the protection of civilian lives.
24. “My heart breaks, my soul seethes in anger over the annihilation of the beautiful people of Gaza.
No individual or family should be experiencing this humanitarian nightmare.
Please, please I ask that you support and vote for Mayor Ashcraft’s submission of the
Ceasefire Letter. This is another step to help to Free Palestine.”
25. “My daughter and husband are Palestinian so this catastrophe hits close to home for our family. Everyday I see the children of Gaza, dying, starving, freezing in the winter weather, I see my daughter in their faces.”
26. “Israel’s immediate response to the Hamas attack was to cut off food, water,
and aid to all of Gaza. In other words, the collective punishment of the Gaza people was the first resort. And yet, the world’s biggest power – the US – has continued to support this war, continued to provide weapons and political license in the form of blocking all UN resolutions that have called for a ceasefire.”
27. “I know several Palestinian families personally who have lost multiple relatives and even many dozens of relatives since October 7 to this conflict. So much senseless loss of life and destruction. We are complicit in these atrocities if we don’t speak out. I hope you will add your voice to that of other local cities who have taken a stand against this misuse of our tax dollars.:
28. Every day that we delay, more people die. Some children die from terrible burns. Others die trapped under rubble, screaming until they are dead. This must stop immediately.”
29. “Your voters are watching how you are responding in this moment.”
30. “As someone who is pretty familiar with Judaism’s principle beliefs and precepts, it is difficult for me to imagine anything less aligned with the tenets of Judaism as I learned them, than what the Israeli government is doing to the Palestinian people….. How can I inhabit Jewish spaces, when my position on Palestine brands me an anti-semite, a self-hating Jew?
I think people feel intimidated by Israel and Palestine because we are told that it’s acomplicated issue. It’s not complicated. One side has all the money, power and resources, and the other side has nothing. That’s it.”
31. “The conflation of Zionism with Judaism has also ledto Jewish community members feeling unsafe and targeted. Mayor Ashcraft’s letter sends a message to impacted community members that their representatives hear their safety concerns.”
32. “Where is Mayor Ashcroft and those encouraging this resolution on the ongoingIranian proxy war against Israel using Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi rebels in Yemen, as well as Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, to wipe out the only democracy in the Middle East because it is Jewish? Where are these people, as Iran has turned Syria into a war between its Sunni and Shite citizens? The answer is… nowhere…. This is not a local issue as much as those supporting the “River to the Sea” movement would like to make it so.”
33. “Please do not hand select geopolitical issues to insert yourselves into, unless the council also plans to take ethical stands on the thousands of other violent conflicts around the world.”