Speaking publicly for the first time about the controversy over his abrasive remarks to a Christian minister, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said his city is welcome to all, noting the history of its Muslim residents being targeted with hate. Hammoud did not apologize for telling Ted Barham, of Dearborn, he’s not welcome and would throw a parade in celebration when he leaves, but he stressed the city embraces all people of diverse backgrounds.
At a packed Dearborn City Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 23, Hammoud gave a two-minute prepared speech after several residents spoke both in favor and against Hammoud’s remarks during a council meeting on Sept. 9 that has drawn national attention and criticism from his election opponent, Nagi Almudhegi. Barham had objected at the council meeting to two street signs placed by Wayne County honoring an Arab American leader, Osama Siblani, alleging he promoted extremism; Hammoud said Barham had been promoting racism and Islamophobia.
Hammoud decried “sensationalized headlines” of the past couple of weeks that misportrayed Dearborn.
“Across every background, every faith, every identity, we have built a city that is not only strong but truly an example for the rest of this nation,” Hammoud said at the end of his remarks at Tuesday’s council meeting. “And as you’ve heard tonight, those who call Dearborn home know who we are, a city that welcomes and embraces everyone. It is our hope that one day the unity you actually find in Dearborn amongst its residents, is the same unity and coexistence that you see across our entire nation. That is an America we all can pray for.”
Hammoud had not commented previously on the controversy until his remarks at the council meeting: He did not return messages from journalists and didn’t post any statements on social media.
The council meeting started with the council members honoring a longtime faith leader in Dearborn, Pastor Colleen Nieman of St. Paul Lutheran Church, who delivered an invocation at the start of the meeting, asking God for “peace in our community … and peace in our hearts.”
“Bless and guide the deliberations tonight in our city council meeting,” Nieman said. “Help us work together with mutual respect.”
The public commenters were divided in their views.
Adam Simnowitz, of Dearborn, said that Hammoud’s remarks contradicted the U.S. Constitution and his comments made after being elected in 2021, when Hammoud said Dearborn is a model of a multiethnic democracy.
“Telling a resident who was exercising his First Amendment right of free speech in a civil manner that he is not welcome in this city is a failure to uphold the preamble of the U.S. Constitution, which you have solemnly swore to uphold,” Simnowitz said. “And so I’m appealing to you to retract your statement regarding Mr. Barham not being welcomed in Dearborn and sincerely affirm towards him that he and his family are indeed welcome in this city.”
Pastor Nathan Hayes of Solid Rock Church in Dearborn had more positive views of Hammoud, saying, ” I want to thank the mayor” for his leadership.
Hayes said that “video clips on social media” give a misleading portrait of the reality of Dearborn. Over the past week, some have posted clips of Hammoud berating Barham that have drawn millions of views.
Another speaker, Sarah, said she is a Christian and supports the mayor, saying Hammoud’s comments were taken out of context.
Others were critical of Hammoud.
“We need a mayor who does not attack Christians,” said Nicole, of Dearborn. “I do not ask you to accept our beliefs … but I do ask in your official capacity as mayor … that you speak respectfully to those that you fervently disagree with.”
Zenon Sommers, of Dearborn, said he used to support Hammoud, hearing the mayor speak about “multicultural democracy” at his commencement in 2022 at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
“That message resonated with me,” Sommers said. “Now, it seems to me that’s changed. Denigrating Mr. Barham’s character and insisting that he is not welcome in Dearborn because of his Christian faith serves only to flatten the multiculturalism that makes Dearborn so special. It burns bridges instead of building them.”
In his comments, Hammoud started by saying: “Dearborn represents the best of America. We put into practice the ideal that people of all backgrounds, of all faiths and of all beliefs can live peacefully and respectfully as neighbors, as classmates, as business owners and as congregants.”
Hammoud, 35, then spoke about some of the tensions over the past 15 to 20 years in Dearborn when some Christian evangelists targeted the city, resulting in lawsuits, arrests and legal settlements. Hammoud did not mention specific cases, but appeared to reference when Terry Jones, a Christian pastor known for burning Qurans, came to Dearborn a few times in 2011. In 2012, a group of other Christians with anti-Muslim signs, one of them carrying a pig’s head on a pole, protested at the Arab International Festival. Jones did not burn Qurans when he visited Dearborn but last year, a woman did outside a Dearborn mosque.
“For decades, people have been intent on dividing and disparaging our city,” Hammoud said. “Growing up, many of us recall those who came into Dearborn from across the country to burn religious texts in front of the mosques or to harass families attending the Arab American festival. Dearborn has often been slandered for simply coexisting peacefully, because the truth is, some people are uncomfortable, and frankly upset about seeing church steeples and mosque domes share the same skyline on roads.”
Hammoud said that “Dearborn has never fallen for these divisive attempts back then and still now, Dearborn residents from every corner of the city have come together to shun hatred and to root it out of the place that we’re all proud to call home. We are united. Every time someone has tried to unravel the fabric of this great city, we’ve stood together shoulder to shoulder.”
Barham also spoke at the Sept. 23 council meeting, saying he has no plans to file a lawsuit. Barham spoke earlier on Sept. 18 with the Free Press about his concerns.
“I want to encourage loving your haters,” Barham said at Tuesday’s meeting.
Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com, X @nwarikoo or Facebook @nwarikoo
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud breaks silence on controversy, says city ‘embraces all’
Reporting by Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
