_add-on a)Add-On Item a)
Sponsored by: Vice Mayor Welsh
City Commission Meeting: 12-06-16
Page 1 of 2
RESOLUTION NO. _________________ 1
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A Resolution by the Mayor and City Commission of the City of South Miami, 3
Florida in opposition to the registration of all Muslims coming into the United States 4
of America. 5
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WHEREAS, President-Elect Donald Trump is in favor of strict immigration screening of 7
Muslims; and 8
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WHEREAS, some supporters of President-Elect Donald Trump are calling for the registration of 10
all Muslims entering the United States of America; and 11
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WHEREAS, Donald Trump supporter, Carl Higbie, defended the proposed registry of 13
immigrants from Muslim countries by citing the WWII internment of 110,000 Japanese-Americans as 14
legal precedent; and 15
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WHEREAS, in 1943, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt stated, “…Americanism is a matter 17
of the mind and heart; Americanism is not, and never was, a matter of race or ancestry."; and 18
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WHEREAS, President Roosevelt’s statement was in response to the patriotism of the 442nd 20
Regimental Combat Team which grew to 14,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry, and which became the 21
most decorated military unit for its size and length of service in the history of American warfare. The 22
"Go For Broke" 442nd Regimental Combat Team and its 100th Infantry Battalion (the One Puka Puka) 23
accumulated the following achievements that have been reported: 8 Major Campaigns in Europe, 7 24
Presidential Unit Citations, 9,486 Casualties (Purple Hearts), 18,143 individual decorations including: 21 25
Congressional Medals of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, 1 Distinguished Presidential Unit 26
Citation, 1 Distinguished Service Medal, 560 Silver Stars, 28 with Oak Leaf Clusters (in lieu of a second), 27
22 Legion of Merit Medals, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 1,200 with Oak Leaf Clusters (in lieu of a second), 12 28
French Croix du Guerre with 2 Palms (representing second awards), 15 Soldiers' Medals, 2 Italian 29
Crosses for Military Merit, and 2 Italian Medals for Military Valor; and 30
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WHEREAS, in 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the Civil Liberties Act, which 32
apologized for the internment on behalf of the United States Government and admitted that government 33
actions were based on "race prejudice, war hysteria and a failure of political leadership". The US 34
Government eventually disbursed 1.6 billion dollars in reparations to 82,219 formerly interned Japanese 35
Americans and their heirs; and 36
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WHEREAS, the following entry was reported to have been found in the king's personal diary 38
following World War II: 39
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When you look at the inhumane treatment of Jews, not only in Germany but occupied countries 41
as well, you start worrying that such a demand might also be put on us, but we must clearly refuse 42
such this due to their protection under the Danish constitution. I stated that I could not meet such 43
a demand towards Danish citizens. If such a demand is made, we would best meet it by all 44
wearing the Star of David; and 45
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WHEREAS, after a 93% successful nationwide collective resistance of Danish citizens, clergy 47
and governmental officials to save Danish Jews from planned Nazi deportation, an excerpt from the 48
Danish king’s diary and a Swedish cartoon (described below) are purported to have given rise to the myth 49
Add-On Item a)
Sponsored by: Vice Mayor Welsh
City Commission Meeting: 12-06-16
Page 2 of 2
that the Danish king said that all Danes would wear the yellow star if the Nazis required Danish Jews to 1
wear it: 2
3
A Swedish cartoon of that era had Denmark's former prime minister asking Danish King 4
Christian X (10th) what he would do if the present Nazi-approved prime minister made 5
all the Jews wear yellow stars, and in the cartoon the King responds, "We will all have to 6
wear yellow stars"; and 7
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WHEREAS, throughout American history, there have been examples of members of one ethnic 9
group fighting for the liberties of other ethnic groups. Examples of this are: Quaker opposition to the 10
Mexican American War, Quaker participation in the Underground Railroad, American Catholic, Jewish 11
participation in struggles during the Civil Rights Era and now the host of “The Daily Show”, Trevor 12
Noah, has suggested that all Americans should sign up on any registry required of Muslims; and 13
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WHEREAS, in an effort to combat Islamophobia, two dozen female Duluth East High School 15
Students have recently organized "Hijab Wednesday" where students of all religions and ethnicities wear 16
a hijab to school. 17
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NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY 19
COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA: 20
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Section 1. The Mayor and Commission of the City of South Miami hereby call on all Americans 22
to follow the suggestion of Trevor Noah to sign up on any registry required of Muslims, should any be 23
created. 24
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Section 2. A copy of this resolution shall be sent to all elected officials throughout Florida. 26
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Section 3. Severability. If any section clause, sentence, or phrase of this resolution is for any 28
reason held invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the holding shall not affect 29
the validity of the remaining portions of this resolution. 30
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Section 4. Effective Date. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon adoption. 32
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PASSED AND ADOPTED this ____ day of _____________, 2016. 34
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ATTEST: APPROVED: 36
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_____________________ ______________________ 38
CITY CLERK MAYOR 39
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READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM, COMMISSION VOTE: 41
LANGUAGE, LEGALITY AND Mayor Stoddard: 42
EXECUTION THEREOF Vice Mayor Welsh: 43
Commissioner Harris: 44
_____________________________ Commissioner Edmond: 45
CITY ATTORNEY Commissioner Liebman: 46