Jersey City Official Who Criticized Jews After Anti-Semitic Shooting Faces Calls To Resign
State and local officials are demanding the resignation of a Jersey City school board member who lashed out at the city’s Jewish community after a Dec. 10 shooting at a kosher supermarket.
A police officer and three other people were killed after alleged shooters David Anderson and Francine Graham opened fire — first at a cemetery and later at the JC Kosher Supermarket.
Both shooters were black. Officials have said the attack was sparked by anti-Semitism.
The since-removed Facebook post of Joan Terrell Paige, who is black, was preserved in screenshots, according to Fox News.
WARNING: The following images contain anti-Semitic comments that some readers may find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
“Where was all this faith and hope when Black homeowners were threatened, intimidated, and harassed by I WANT TO BUY YOUR HOUSE brutes of the jewish community?” Terrell Paige wrote. “They brazenly came on the property of Ward F black homeowners and waved bags of money.”
Terrell Paige, who claimed in the post she was speaking for herself and not as a member of the Jersey City Board of Education, said black homeowners in the area were “threatened, intimidated, and harassed” by Jewish newcomers who she said vowed to “BRING DRUG DEALERS AND PROSTITUTES TO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO YOU” if homeowners wouldn’t sell their houses.
In the post, she said the shooting was planned as a political statement.
“Mr. Anderson and Ms. Graham went directly to the kosher supermarket,” she wrote. “I believe they knew they would come out in body bags.
“What is the message they were sending? Are we brave enough to explore the answer to their message? Are we brave enough to stop the assault on the Black communities of America?” she added.
“My people deserve respect and to live in peace in this city.”
Joan Terrell is an elected member of the Jersey City Board of Education, she says that the murders of the Jews in Jersey City may be justified. @jcps_district pic.twitter.com/H5o0yqpcnO
— Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) December 17, 2019
Outrage flowed from Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who called on Terrell Paige to resign and labeled her comments “ignorance.”
I saw this and i’m saddened by the ignorance her comments demonstrate. Her comments don’t represent Jersey City or the sentiment in the community at all. The African American community in Greenville has been nothing short of amazing over the last week helping neighbors.
— Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) December 17, 2019
I also said I’m not going to mix words. My opinion is she should resign. That type of language has no place in our schools and no place amongst elected officials. Imagine she said this about any other community – what would the reaction be? The same standard should apply here https://t.co/QMLOlBuarR
— Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) December 17, 2019
Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy also called upon Terrell Paige to step down.
“We will not let anti-Semitism and hate go unchallenged in our communities,” he said.
We will not let anti-Semitism and hate go unchallenged in our communities. In light of Ms. Terrell-Paige’s comments, I urge her to immediately resign from the Jersey City Board of Education.
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) December 18, 2019
They were not alone in taking to social media to vent their anger at the comments.
This long rant by Joan Terrell, an elected member of the Jersey City board of ed, exposes just how deep and sordid antisemitism is over there!@jcps_district should look into this – is this how you want to be represented?!
There are some truly sick people out there. pic.twitter.com/FipklqzSvv
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) December 17, 2019
Board of Education President Sudhan Thomas said Terrell Paige does not reflect the views of the school board.
“There is no room for any kind of hate or bigotry in Jersey City,” Thomas said in a statement.
But Terrell-Paige refused to apologize, according to Politico.
Asked if she regretted her comments, she told Politico, “No, I don’t.”
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