Mayor, city council lambasted as citizens call for action

A capacity crowd attended Hillsboro City Council’s December meeting Monday evening, with citizens calling for action after reading Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings’ recent controversial Facebook post.

The Facebook post in question read (posted verbatim): “When are people going to figure out that we are in a Revolution in this Country. Blacks have all but formally declared war on whites, ideological types are fighting with Planned Parenthood, there’s violence over immigration, Muslim extremism, and our own Government at war with it’s citizens. This isn’t ‘lone wolf’ stuff. It isn’t a crazy with a gun. It isn’t ‘domestic terrorism,’ these are all skirmishes in a Revolution that’s here. Pick your side and pick your battles, We are about 3 steps away from All bets are off.”

Hillsboro residents alternated between calling for an apology from the mayor, a formal rebuke from council and the mayor’s resignation, as they expressed feelings of disgust, fear, disapproval, anger and sadness.

Despite efforts by president pro tem Dick Donley to silence the crowd, all citizens who prepared statements addressed council and Mayor Hastings Monday night.

After two comments from citizens, Donley, who presided over the meeting in the absence of council president Lee Koogler, said he had to “interject” and told the crowd that comments would be limited after the third speaker, Steven Williams, spoke.

“I don’t think we’re going to have time for an enormous amount of comments from individuals, unless there’s somebody else that has a different area they want to go,” Donley said.

At least four individuals in the audience objected, saying they intended to speak after Williams.

“I’m going to have to cut them off after five minutes,” Donley said. “I have a council meeting to run.”

Hillsboro citizen Barb Cole said she “had no intention to speak” at the meeting, but that she felt compelled to ask council to listen to all of the citizens’ comments.

“I happen to be a friend of the mayor’s, and I don’t approve of what he did,” Cole said. “But Mr. Donley, I’d like to ask you not to cut off debate in any way, shape or form. There is nothing more important that this council has to do. No business, no nothing, is more important than listening to the citizens.”

Donley also told the crowd that council has no “control of the mayor’s office.”

“This is a council meeting,” Donley said. “The mayor’s department and administration is separate. I want to welcome your comments, but every one of us is individually elected. City council is a separate entity than the mayor’s office and the safety and service director.

“City council has ordinances brought before them, resolutions brought before them, and it is our job to act on those ordinances and resolutions and pass those ordinances and resolutions. We don’t have any control of the mayor’s office as to what goes on.”

Fellow Hillsboro resident Jaymara Captain called for the city to show the crowd “respect.”

“You need to hear what everybody has to say,” Captain said. “Even though all of us have been completely disrespected, you can give us enough respect that we can say what we need to say.”

Captain was the first citizen to speak to council and opened her comments with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

“I did not vote for [Hastings], nor do I believe someone of his character should be governing any city,” Captain said. “As a person of color, I’m not only appalled, but I’m offended and outraged that he has not been held accountable for his actions by city council.”

Captain read Mayor Hastings’ Facebook post, along with a list of several of his other posts on social media that she found offensive, apologizing for repeating “the type of language” used in the quotes from the mayor.

“I know he’s been controversial, but I had absolutely no idea of the racist that he was until other posts and tweets were brought to my attention,” Captain said.

After reading the social media posts, Captain asked council, “How does that make you feel?”

“Someone from council said they hadn’t spoken to him about this issue,” Captain said. “This didn’t warrant a phone call from anyone on council to say ‘What the hell is going on with you?’”

Captain was also one of many to point out that the post was not “comedy,” as Hastings also works as a comedian.

“These comments are nowhere near comedy,” Captain said. “They’re hate, and when he posts such things, he’s inviting those who are like-minded to partake in his hate. He is supposed to be finding ways to unite this community, not ignite a fire that does not need lit.

“Between his remarks and city council shrugging it off, you’re all creating such division among the community. You’re making the city out to be a joke – his joke. It’s apparent he has some supporters and apparently some groupies who can’t think for themselves, but there are a lot of people inside and outside this community that think he’s a disgrace and he should resign.”

Captain also said that Hastings wants to “pretty up the town and create his facade that all looks well, while underneath he can attempt to preserve this small town to be whatever he wants it to be.”

“I have one question for you: Why, out of all these cities, did you pick Hillsboro?” Captain asked Hastings.

Captain closed by telling council that if they “don’t agree with the comments,” as stated by Koogler on behalf of council, “then do something about it.”

“Nothing has been done, and that’s a fact,” Captain said. “This is not something to take lightly, nor something I would think you would want to be associated with.

“If you don’t agree, then do something about it. And if you don’t agree, then remove yourself from the situation.”

Her husband, Rodney Captain, spoke next and made a sports analogy to the situation, referencing a video of Ohio State University head football coach Urban Meyer.

“The gist of what he was talking about was being part of the problem or the solution,” Captain said. “I think Mr. Hastings has put himself into this situation, and this is definitely relative. With his comments, you guys have to look at him as either part of the problem in Hillsboro, or he’s part of the solution of Hillsboro.

“It’s in your hands right now to make the right decision to lead the community, to lead our Hillsboro into a different direction. You guys have the ability to be part of the problem or be part of the solution.”

Former Hillsboro mayoral candidate Steven Williams said that he “was the first person” to accept Hastings’ apology after he spoke out publicly against the Facebook post, but “that was before I knew the history” of Hastings’ social media usage.

“I’m not a Drew follower on social media,” Williams said. “It was forgiving of me to say ‘OK, he made a mistake, a knee-jerk experience.’ But when history is shown, for the last four years, it’s heartbreaking.”

Williams said that he “respected” Hastings while he himself ran for mayor in the primary, but now he feels “Hillsboro has been disrespected.”

“Hillsboro has been disrespected, has been disgraced, by a sitting mayor,” he said. “This is a diverse community. It has blacks, it has whites, not only the color but diversity in religion.

“Your comments on Facebook are repulsive, and for the last four years, this body here has enabled the mayor to make those comments because nobody – not one single person – has ever reined him in and said ‘Mr. Mayor, tone it down.’ So there’s a problem not only with the mayor, but with city council for accepting him.”

Williams said that in accepting Hastings’ words, the city administrators refuse to “take into consideration” people of many different races and religions they represent, as well as gay and lesbian individuals in the city.

“The mayor has the right to free speech, but also as the mayor of the city, he should have enough respect, courtesy and decency for the people who live in this town to respect them and hold reserve for his comments,” Williams said.

Williams said that if a city employee had made Hastings’ post, “he would be reviewed, if not terminated or fired.”

“Apparently the mayor can’t decipher if he wants to be a comedy act or the CEO of the city,” he said.

Williams was the first of several individuals to reference the history of fighting against racism in the city of Hillsboro, including the case against desegregation in 1954.

“I don’t think you realize that a lot of these people in the audience here went through the discrimination that Hillsboro City Schools was one of the last school districts in the country, after Brown vs. Topeka, Kansas Board of Education, to integrate the schools,” Williams said. “So I don’t think that council grasps it, I don’t think you grasp it.

“The last 40 years of my life, I can’t recall them all, but Mayor Bishop never disgraced the city. Mayor Harsha never disgraced the city. Mayor Zink never disgraced the city. But yet you go on a platform, and council says ‘OK.’”

Williams said that the examples of insensitive posts read by Captain shows a “cumulative effect” and blamed council for permitting it.

“Council has been enabling him for four years to make these kinds of comments,” he said. “So when does it stop? When do you hold him accountable? Obviously, the fame that some people hide behind brings shame to the city. I believe that these people you see behind us feels the same way. We want action. We want a formal rebuke of this mayor. An apology’s not enough, because his conduct – this group here has enabled him, and it’s wrong.”

Williams closed his comments by addressing Hastings.

“You shamed this office,” Williams said. “It’s not ‘get Drew.’ Some of these people didn’t even know who you are. I liked you. I didn’t vote for you, but I didn’t hold that against you. I admired you. So how can you look at this group of people here today and say that you can objectively represent them and didn’t mean what you said? Maybe one time, but this is a cumulative history of four years.

“It’s appalling, and it’s disgusting that people will want to accept it and embrace it.”

Lewis Williams also provided background on Hillsboro’s history, saying that “in 1954, I was in that march for integration of the schools in Hillsboro.”

“I do accept the fact that you weren’t from this town, but I do know from the history that there was a lot of stuff that was going on,” Williams said. “Even in the early 1970s, we had to come and march uptown for things that was going on the city, where there was racism going on.

“I know for a fact, even during that time period in the early ’70s, we were armed and marching up and down the streets to protect our families from racism. Even I was doing that, carrying a loaded shotgun up and down the street. Racism is ugly, and I don’t like it, and no one in here likes ugliness.”

Williams said that he believes in equality for everyone, no matter “what color your skin is or how smart you are or how dignified you are.”

“I’m just a nobody,” he said. “I used to sit on council just like each and every one of you are, but then again, you’ve got to watch what you do and say. I do know that.”

Williams called for a public apology “not just for the ones who are here, but for everyone in the city.”

Rachel Hudson said that even if Hastings is a comedian, “it wasn’t funny,” and that in addition to her anger, she was “scared” of the ramifications of his post based on the city’s history.

“I’m not old enough to remember everything that everybody here fought for and experienced, and I’ve never experienced anything racist in Hillsboro,” Hudson said. “I love this city — until you made your comment. That scared me for what kind of hate you’re inciting. And I have two small children. You’re not the type of person I want representing us and that I want in a position of power to make changes in Hillsboro that are not going to be for the good.”

Saying that she was speaking on behalf of the younger people in the audience, Hudson called the mayor’s post “disheartening.”

“Not only do I live here, and not only did my grandfather serve the city as the captain of the police department, but I also served in the military,” Hudson said. “We fight. I have friends that are deployed right now that fight for your right to make such asinine and ignorant comments.”

Hudson said that she would “not accept” Hastings’ apology, saying it is “not sincere.”

“It was more so an excuse than an apology, and it wasn’t heartfelt,” Hudson said. “I sense that, and it’s not OK. You don’t get to make comments like that and hold office the way that you do. You’re old enough to know better than that. You should have integrity, you should have respect, and you have a responsibility.”

Hudson said she believes that Hastings should not have spoken the comment, let alone posted it on social media.

“If you think that you apologized, you’re completely wrong, and you are wrong for what you said,” Hudson said. “I just don’t know who you think you are, but you disrespected the police department, you disrespected more people than just black people that are in this community, and it’s ridiculous.”

Quinn Moorman brought his young son to stand in front of the mayor.

“Have you declared war on him?” Moorman asked his son, pointing to Mayor Hastings.

“No,” his son replied.

“No, you have not, have you?” Moorman said. “With that being said, Mr. Hastings, what you have done, sir, is open the door for a revolution. You’ve opened the door for racist bigotry that will not be tolerated. Because guess what? My number-one job as a father is to protect my son, and I will do it with my very own life.”

Moorman told Hastings that if his post inspires acts of racism, he “will personally hold you responsible for your comments.”

Derrick Haithcock agreed, saying, “if something happens to one of my kids, that’s like the blood’s on your hands.”

“Racism is racism, whether it’s white or black,” he said. “You’re all trying to rush the meeting and not let everyone speak.”

Haithcock said that racism has been an issue in Hillsboro for years, but the time has come to do something about it.

“It starts with you guys,” Haithcock said. “I’ve been in altercations because of racial issues. I’ve been profiled. ‘Oh, you’ve got a nice car, you sell drugs.’ I don’t sell drugs. I’ve got two degrees. It ain’t about me, it’s about change.

“If you’re a comedian, do that stuff you did that back in the day, but you’re a mayor. You’re responsible. You’ve got people’s lives in your hands. You’ve got people who’re going to take those words –  Look at South Carolina. That young man went into a church and killed everybody. Words carry weight.”

Haithcock said that he can forgive Hastings after his apology, but that he thinks he “needs to step down.”

“That would send a message,” Haithcock said, and pointed to Hillsboro Police Chief Todd Whited. “You can apologize, but I can flip this table over and apologize, but I guarantee you that man would put handcuffs on me.”

City of Hillsboro employee Craig Jackson said that Hastings’ words have put him in “an unsafe work environment.”

“Now, I’ve got people looking at me crazy,” Jackson said. “I’ve been here for 46 years, and the last month, with all this stuff going on, I’m in an unsafe work environment.

“I went into the military, and I protected my country. Now who’s going to protect me from the city of Hillsboro? All of these people are jumping down my throat and looking at me like I’m some kind of peasant or dog or like I’m going to do something. That’s the situation I’m in now.”

Jackson said that people make obscene gestures and yell racial slurs at him as he works.

“When [Hastings] said ‘choose sides,’ people have, and I see it every day as I’m working,” Jackson said.

Brent Burns said that the excuse that it’s “just social media” does not hold up.

“It’s not ‘just social media,’” Burns said. “If you look at what ISIS is doing, they’re using social media to communicate. That’s why terrorism has spread so big.

“I have served my country twice, in two different branches of the military. When I read that, I felt disrespected. Not only disrespected as an African-American, but as society as a whole. Words carry strong weight. We look at extremism as blowing stuff up, terrorism as using weapons or anything like that. Sometimes the words we say are the worst weapons of mass destruction that cause catastrophic damage.

“As a community, I just feel like millions of people right now are shopping for holiday gifts while we’re here shopping for answers. The gifts that we want our respect, equal treatment and justice for all.”

Ariana Jackson told council that they and the mayor “have something in common, because evil and good cannot sit at the same table.”

“You come from the same tree,” Jackson said. “You say he apologized, but the apology is made void because, again, he follows by making racist remarks.”

Jackson said council members “made a stance in the house you represent.”

“You refuse to divide it,” Jackson said. “You refuse to go against your own kind. Let me give you the definition of ‘your own kind’ – all of you believe, think and speak alike. I am not here to judge because of the color of your skin, because I would be just like you. But by your fruits, we shall know you.

“God has revealed this administration’s sins. In order for this city to move forward, we need this administration to resign. If you have love for the people of all nations and all colors – because that’s what I’m here to represent – then you and your administration resign and give us an opportunity to move forward.”

Jackson asked council members, “Who do you represent? Do you represent the people, or the mayor?” Several responded that they “represent the people.”

“If that was the case, the first thing this council should’ve done on behalf of the people was to put something out there and say, ‘We are demanding an apology,’” Jackson said. “Wouldn’t you agree? Off of the one comment you knew about. So you come from the same tree, I see.”

Jackson concluded by asking again for Hastings “to resign, so the city can go forward.”

“We’re trying to upgrade the center of town when 50 percent of this city is living in poverty,” Jackson said. “What about that? There’s no jobs here. There’s a curse on this city because of the sins that you’ve done. We’re all paying for it.

“There’s no compromising. We need you to resign.”

Hastings opened his mayor’s report by issuing an apology in response to the citizens’ comments.

“For those who didn’t see my retraction or apology or didn’t somehow think that it was a meaningful, honest apology, I will apologize to you again,” Hastings said.

Hastings said that he criticized negativity in Hillsboro at the November council meeting but “did not follow [his] own wisdom.”

“I have always made a point to try to be positive,” Hastings said. “I think in this case you can be part of the problem or part of this solution, as [Rodney Captain] said, and in this case I was part of the problem. I apologize for that.

“I apologize to the black community. I apologize to the white community. I apologize to the entire city of Hillsboro. But I also want to apologize to city council for having created an unnecessary distraction. I can’t really do much more than apologize for this.”

Several audience members responded, “You could resign,” but they were, again, cut off by Donley.

“You had your opportunity, we heard from you,” Donley said. “Now it’s the mayor’s response time.”

Hastings said he’s “learned a lesson,” and the crowd asked him to elaborate on “what lesson” he learned.

“I learned that at 61 years old, when you think you have all the answers, you don’t necessarily,” Hastings said. “You’re right. Words can be harmful. I really realize that being an elected official is 24/7. You can’t have a private life. you can’t make jokes, you can’t make comments. You’re always going to be looked at in another light.”

Several council members also responded to the citizens’ comments, with council member Rebecca Wilkin telling Williams that she “didn’t even know about [the mayor’s] Facebook post until I saw Jaymara's post.”

“I don’t follow him on Facebook and see everything he writes,” Wilkin said. “I appreciate that you guys are here, and I think this is what we need is discussion. To say that we’re all a problem because we haven’t done anything – there’s probably some up here who haven’t even heard about it.”

Donley also said that he was unaware of the mayor’s social media presence because “Facebook is a sin.”

“I don’t want Facebook, I don’t get on Facebook,” Donley said. “I didn’t know anything about the comments because I don’t get on Facebook, because to me, Facebook is a sin. That’s where people can blind themselves and say what they want. So I don’t get on it, and I’m not going to get on it.”

Williams said he would give Wilkin “the benefit of the doubt,” but Jaymara Captain said she was “confused at the lack of communication” among council. Captain and Hudson pointed out that Koogler had made a public statement that he does “not condone or agree with the mayor's statements, especially as a fellow public official,” while other council members denied any knowledge of the situation or responsibility.

“It was in the newspaper that city council didn’t do anything,” Captain said. “I’m confused at the lack of communication between the president and the rest of city council as to how you don’t know what’s going on in your city.”

Hudson said that council members should have talked to Koogler, who “speaks for all of you.”

“You council members that are saying that you didn’t know about it and you don’t represent him, well then maybe Lee Koogler should’ve been here tonight, and maybe you should’ve talked to him too,” Hudson said. “For him to speak to social media and to sort of dismiss what he said, he speaks for all of you. Everyone’s tied in together, so there is no minimizing. There’s no excusing.”

Council member Justin Harsha said that even if council has to hold a special meeting to discuss the issue, “I think it should be talked about.”

“I think we need to dive into it a little further and see what we can do about it,” Harsha said.

“Praise God,” Ariana Jackson said. “Someone’s willing to take a stand. If someone would’ve done that, then maybe we wouldn’t have this chaos in here today.”

Harsha later brought up the matter during the “unfinished business” portion of the meeting, asking city law director Fred Beery for advice.

“As far as the issue that was brought up tonight, what would be the proper course of action to take? What kind of meeting can we have? Should it be in a committee? Should it be a council meeting? What exactly would be the best way to handle it?” Harsha asked. “Bill Alexander’s committee [civil service/employee relations] is about as close as you can get to an issue of that nature.”

Beery responded that council could hold either kind of meeting, though “council has no real say on it.” Harsha said he would meet with Koogler to determine the next step.