I attended the June 27 city council meeting for my own personal request to the council. During the public comment segment I had to endure a seething, hateful environment that was very uncomfortable. I’m aware of the mayor’s personal posts which brought on such hatred from this specific group of people. I found that their comments were demaning and hateful, and their comments about their community was just that, they needed to be recognized as a community, a special class of people to be included into society as if they aren’t already.

I was alarmed when they mentioned that the Jewish community, which is very little in Baker City, to be offended by our mayor’s post. Being a woman of Jewish descent, not only am I not offendedby the so-called pride flag arranged as a swastika, as they see it, but I saw the meme or picture and I just dn’t take offense to it nor his reasoning behind it. I don’t like being included as a special class of people that need to be recognized. They don’t speak for me, I can speak for myself. I have value and worth because I’m a human being and loved by God. The comments coming from the defense of that community was not acceptance or love, as they so desperately crave. They showed just the opposite toward the council and the mayor by asking for his resignation, and their slanderous words toward this man was to say the least disgusting and a step taken way too far.

In my opinion it was a coordinated political attack and a character assassination on a decent man from a hateful group of people. I believe the mayor’s response to his post was genuine and I believe he has a good heart and does represent all of Baker City, including all classes of people, race and gender.

Thank you.

Stephanie Barger

Baker City