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‘Anti-Semitic’ remarks spur council bill to regulate groups – Philadelphia Tribune

  • March 7, 2016

Posted: Saturday, March 5, 2016 12:00 am

Damon C. Williams Tribune Staff Writer

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Councilman Kenyatta Johnson introduced an ordinance last week to regulate the conduct of registered community groups after a heated local meeting.

Johnson said it was in response to anti–Semitic rhetoric heard from the crowd during a heated gentrification meeting in Point Breeze last month. His office said Friday that the discussion was about the general development in Point Breeze.

“Many of you may heard about the contentious community meeting in Point Breeze, the neighborhood in which I grew up, lived all my life and currently raise my family,” Johnson said.

“On Monday [Feb. 22] night at a community zoning meeting, a member of a registered community organization in attendance made anti–semitic remarks during the proposal of a development project in the Point Breeze area.

“I want to go on record stating that that language is totally inappropriate, and shall not and will not be tolerated, but most importantly, does not reflect the sentiments of the loving and caring people who reside in Point Breeze,” said the councilman. whose district includes part of South Philadelphia.

“I’ll be the first to say that gentrification is a controversial issue by which people often disagree, and meetings in gentrifying neighborhoods are contentious and emotionally charged. I understand that. But hateful comments about one’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation will not and should never be tolerated,” he said.

Johnson’s bill authorizes the Human Relations Commission to publicize and enforce the proposed regulations.

“Upon a determination by the commission that an organization has failed to operate within such standards of conduct,” reads a portion of the proposal, “the commission may, in accordance with its regulations, suspend or revoke an organization’s RCO registration.”

The Anti-Defamation League of Philadelphia said it was aware of the incident.

“We heard about what occurred at the meeting,” said regional director Nancy Baron-Baer. “We were made aware by more than one person who attended the meeting and called our office to complain about it.

“We have been in touch with Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, the Human Relations Commission, and did outreach,” she added. “We spoke with Ori Feibush and the two organizations that were involved, Concerned Citizens of Point Breeze and Southwest Homes.{

“We understand the issues raised at these meetings are contentious, but there’s simply no excuse to cross over the line and get involved with hate speech, whether racist, homophobic or anti-Semitic. It hurts communities beyond the the individual targeted,” she said.

Johnson said that since RCO’s are sanctioned by the city, it must be made clear to them which actions and languages are unacceptable.

“Organizations with RCO status have an official relationship with the City of Philadelphia, so we must ensure that they operate with a level of decency and order,” Johnson said. “The vast majority of RCO’s work very hard and play a vital function in the development process. This bill will hold all RCO’s to the same standard and ensure that there is a level of accountability.”