Editor’s Note: The following column by County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer was sent in response to an opinion piece written by San Diego Jewish World publisher and editor Donald H. Harrison about her vote to reappoint Imam Taha Hassane on the County Relations Commission.
By Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer
SAN DIEGO — I regret the vote I made. I do not support Imam Taha Hassane being on the County’s Human Relations Commission.
I first learned of the allegations about the candidate for appointment to the Human Relations Commission during the Board of Supervisors meeting. The information being shared during the public testimony was troubling, but I do not make snap decisions based on unverified information, as anyone who has attended our meetings knows there is a history of people sharing inaccurate information. This means if the information provided during public testimony is unsubstantiated, it requires more due diligence before accepting it as fact.
I was very concerned however, so after the meeting, I searched for and found a full video of the remarks that were referred to during the public testimony, and found the Imam’s remarks to be truly awful, and I immediately regretted the vote I made. I do not support Imam Taha Hassane being on the County’s Human Relations Commission.
It’s important to remember, the County’s Human Relations Commission was re-established as a direct response to the heinous Chabad of Poway synagogue shooting, to combat hate of all kinds in our community and especially antisemitism. Unfortunately, the Commission hasn’t functioned as envisioned. I strongly support addressing multiple issues and flaws that have emerged with the HRC, so my team is now working with our County’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice to ensure more rigorous and expansive background checks of appointees are conducted to ensure they represent the values of equity and inclusion and are against all forms of hate toward all people.
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Terra Lawson-Remer represents San Diego County’s 3rd Supervisorial District.
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I am so disappointed in Supervisor Lawson-Remer. The truth about this hate-filled man was readily available. If she or her staff didn’t do as much as a Google search before she voted to put someone in an important position, prooves her unfit to hold office. Withdraw your support and vote immediately. Without that, this apology means nothing.
Unless she acts immediately to remove this Jew hater, she should resign. This is wrong on every level. It’s no different than putting a nazi on a commission to stop gassing Jews. Indeed given all the hatred based on blatantly false narratives, it’s even worse. Find the courage to right this egregious wrong or get out
Speaking for myself, I believe the information about Iman Hassane was all available before the vote and people even appealed for a delay so the supervisors could do more research. You had no excuse to not know this.
Nancy Harrison
The Board of Supervisors must hold an immediate special meeting to remove the proven racist from the Human Relations Commission at once. Your apology isn’t worth a thing until it is followed up with immediate action to correct your very damaging mistake! I will also be writing to my representative to express my extreme disappointment with her decision to nominate the Jew hater, after I voted for her.
Saying she’s sorry does not negate the vote. Her vote for this anti-semite is inexcusable. But because of her vote, he is now on the council. Shameful. Kudos to Don Harrison for good investigative journalism.
Don Harrison got it right. SHANDA.
It is disgusting that San Diego county has a human relations commission with individual that is promoting hate and propaganda in our city. The mission statement and the strategic focus goals for this commission are not respected or being followed. This entire committee needs to be shut down and restructured. Shame on the San Diego board of supervisors for voting in members without researching facts. Apology not accepted. Do the right thing, protect your community and stop promoting hate.
He needs to be recalled immediately. What a horrific mistake.
This vote should be cancelled. The decision was made without checking facts. The terror supporter and city divider should not be in HRC …
A little bit late, a little bit inadequate. After learning the truth, you should work with County’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice to remove Jew-hating person from the board. Especially troubling to me is your statement: “County’s Human Relations Commission was re-established as a direct response to the heinous Chabad of Poway synagogue shooting”. What??? To combat heinous Chabad synagogue shooting, the commission elected imam. Unbelievable.
She knows. If she really cared she would have already called for Hassane’s removal, but that’s highly unlikely. It’s just an utterly empty political “apology”.