Standing United This Holiday Season
This week we have a very symbolic confluence of holidays as Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanza all fall within days of each other. This is an important reminder that though we may worship in different ways, this time of year we all look to spread joy and celebrate with our families, friends, and neighbors.
There is plenty of room in Rockland to accommodate every religion, culture, and ethnicity; and I truly believe God made each of us unique for a reason. We must learn from each other, listen to each other, and reject intolerance in all its forms.
These same sentiments I echoed at our first-ever Community Human Rights Breakfast with our new Human Rights Commissioner Spencer Chiimbwe.
It was in commemoration of International Human Rights Day, which recognizes the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This historic decree was the worlds response to the horrific atrocities of World War II which included the systematic murder of six million jews. It was a means for world leaders to ensure this ugly chapter in human history would never be repeated.
The very first article of that proclamation reads “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Yet this basic concept, which is the very bedrock upon which our nation was founded, has faced countless battles.
Despite sharing the same blood, breathing the same air, and holding the same dreams for our families, the disease of intolerance continues to breed.
I was glad to see the event had over 100+ attendees that included non-profits organizations, community and religious leaders, and local elected officials eager to hear from special guests, New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR) Commissioner Maria L. Imperial and NYSDHR Regional Director Linda Fenstermaker.
The two outlined the resources available for pursuing human rights cases in New York followed by a question-and-answer session.
These types of forums are crucial in making sure hate never has a home in this County because discrimination will not and cannot be destroyed from the top-down. The issues we face can only be solved from the ground up, by a community united.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said:
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
To the people of Rockland, lets stand tall together and never stop fighting – on good days and bad – for the inalienable rights that we are born with… as we are all created equal.
