Bend mayor Clinton makes statement against hate

At one of his last meetings as mayor and a city councilor, Jim Clinton read to the public Wednesday evening a statement decrying the hate, harassment and divisiveness of recent post-election days and urging Bend residents to rise above it.

And the page he read it from, provided to NewsChannel 21, was titled in Clinton’s typically direct, even blunt fashion: “CUT THE CRAP.”

It was not a formal city or council proclamation, but did not raise any objections from his colleagues at the meeting.

“Because of recent events, I thought it was important to make such a statement rather than wait for the issuance of a formal proclamation,” Clinton told KTVZ.COM.

“Also, proclamations sound perfunctory and are a poor substitute for a clear statement,” said Clinton, who decided earlier this year not to run for re-election to the council.

“As the mayor, I spoke on my own behalf and on behalf of the rest the council. Also, I talked with a majority of the councilors about the election results and the effects they were having. Please note that no one spoke up in disagreement after I finished,” Clinton said.

Here’s the text of Clinton’s statement:

“CUT THE CRAP

“We have heard reports from around the country of harassment, racial and ethnic name-calling and other unacceptable behavior in the wake of the election. Some of the incidents have occurred in Bend schools, leading to fear among some of the students. There have also been cases of violence during protests and counter protests and increased reports of sexual assaults.

“The Bend City Council condemns these actions. Treating everyone’s personal, ethnic and religious identity with respect is a core value of this country, necessary for a fair and civil society. As the moral basis for all the world’s religions, what part of the Golden Rule is difficult to understand?

“Students need to immediately report such incidents to school authorities, and everyone needs to immediately report crimes like sexual assault to the police. All citizens need to make it clear that these actions are not allowed and will not be tolerated.

“The Bend City Council goes to great lengths in its procedures and policies to make sure that everyone is treated with respect. The City Administration, Police and Fire Departments, and all other departments also go to great lengths to make sure that everyone is treated with respect. We expect that all residents and visitors to our city will do the same.

Jim Clinton

Mayor of Bend”