Correspondence - #18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Flores, Dora From: Dalia Taft < Sent: Sunday, March 3, 2024 7:21 PM To: Amezcua, Valerie; Lopez, Jessie; Phan, Thai; Bacerra, Phil; Penaloza, David Subject: Thank you for your continued integrity and vigilant dedication to public service Dear Councilmembers, As a member of the local Jewish community, I ask you to oppose the Ceasefire Resolution listed as Agenda Item #18 of March 5, 2024, Santa Ana City Council meeting. No one wants the war between Israel and Hamas to continue. We are all watching the international media for news of a negotiated peace that acknowledges Israelis' and Palestinians' right to exist in peace. This resolution does not express such sentiment. I am also very concerned that community members demanding this resolution have seemed to target councilmembers. Councilmembers who have opposed ceasefire resolutions have been subjected to harassment and threats. No elected official should be ridiculed or targeted for a vote they made in their official capacities. Your continued integrity and vigilant dedication to public service should never be sacrificed nor should your safety ever be threatened. You have shown unparalleled courage at an unprecedented time. Thank you for being the standard bearers of responsible government. Santa Ana has long been considered a crucial community hub in Orange County. Your work on the council has been a beacon for unity and a voice for progress. Please do not let the loudest voices in the room derail your commitment to Santa Ana specifically or to participatory democracy in general. Please reject Agenda Item #18 and oppose all further discussion of items that are outside the jurisdiction of the City of Santa Ana, which is exactly what the Irvine City Council did this past week. As for me, I support a Palestinian state - wholeheartedly. I support Palestinians, wholeheartedly. If these agents of hate would try to find ACTUAL solutions instead of throwing oil on a tragedy burning out of control, I would be right there with them. Instead, all they're doing is allowing the world's oldest hate to rise up yet again. As a Jew, this scares the crap out of me. I am 61 years old and have never experienced this level of hate towards me simply because of my ethnicity and my faith. The amount of hate, vitriol, rage, and rampant toxicity seen at these city council meetings is disheartening at best and intimidating and threatening at worst. Those who are bringing this highly divisive issue to city councils throughout the state do not have Santa Ana's best interests at heart - all they are trying to do is to strengthen hate towards Israel and Jews. As a Jew, I can honestly say that after 2,000 years of this hatred, we're done with this. NEVER AGAIN means NEVER AGAIN. Please vote against this hate -filled resolution AND pass a motion to never bring it up again, just like the city of Irvine did this past Tuesday. Sincerely, Dalia Taft Irvine