Agenda Packet 9-9-19 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES – Eugene City Council June 24, 2019 Page 2 Work Session Council Discussion o Councilor Clark – clarified language proposed because he had put forth multiple options,choosing Republic in the first instance and emphasizing in the second; said he thinks it’simportant to make this statement and wants to vote in favor of the resolution afterremoving areas that are condemning people’s beliefs; read the proposed changes: o All mentions of us as a Democracy be changed to a Constitutional Republic. (or a Republic) o Item C - Replace “...the belief that...” with "...the promotion of the idea that…" o Item D - Strike “and alt-right” and “many of which have been emboldened by the nationalpolitical dialogue.” o Item E - Replace the word “maintaining” with the word “promoting” or “emphasizing”. o Item H - Strike all that begins with “For example……(begin again with)…..The State ofOregon also has…" o Councilor Pryor – said it feels as if the council will be saying that they want to condemnracism and racist actions, but that it’s okay to be a racist and that sits uncomfortably withhim because there are certain things that it’s not okay to be; said that in the current politicalclimate being a racist is very difficult to hide because it comes out in words and if you arethe group in power saying things about groups not in power, that in its nature isintimidating and needs to be condemned. o Councilor Syrett – said she could support the motion with all proposed changes except thestriking of the word “maintaining” because she believes the purpose and scope of whitesupremacy is to maintain that regime; said that we should not make space in ourcommunity to accommodate or tolerate the robust expression of beliefs such as whitesupremacy and does not want to be silent or timid in the face of these beliefs. o Councilor Clark and Semple accepted Councilor Syrett’s suggestion as a friendlyamendment. o Councilor Clark – said he would be willing to give up changing all mentions of “Democracy”to help meet in the middle. o Councilor Taylor –said that when people have to hide something, it becomes moredangerous. o Councilor Zelenka – said he was bothered by two of the changed proposals, includingstriking “many of which have been emboldened by the national political dialogue” notingthat this conversation is happening because of the national political dialogue; said he couldsee the problem with the wording in Item H implying that white supremacist groups calledfor the deportation of Japanese-Americans following Pearl Harbor. o Councilor Pryor proposed amending the substitute motion to read, “Extreme racialprejudice resulted in the deportation of Japanese-Americans following Pearl Harbor…” inItem H. o Councilor Clark and Councilor Semple accepted Councilor Pryor’s proposal as a friendlyamendment. o Councilor Zelenka – supported the friendly amendment but is still bothered by striking textabout the national political dialogue. o Mayor Vinis proposed rewording the sentence in Item D to read, “We recognize that therehas been a rise of white nationalist and white supremacist groups in the United States, andthat the national dialogue reflects that racist tension.” o Councilor Clark and Councilor Semple accepted Mayor Vinis’ proposed rewording as afriendly amendment. o Councilor Yeh – said she was not comfortable striking the sentence, “Today, whitesupremacy groups, including militias, are advocating for the apprehension, detention anddeportation of Central American refugees legally seeking asylum in the United States.” o Councilor Clark – said he had a problem with the statement that anyone who believes indeportation of illegal immigrants is a racist. September 9, 2019, Meeting – Item 2A