SWAMPSCOTT, MA — As Swampscott Select Board Chair David Grishman finished reading a joint statement released to the media on the antisemitic vandalism of a lawn sign reading “We Stand With Isreal” discovered at a Paradise Road Tuesday morning, Select Board member Peter Spellios asked that the image of the vandalism — which included a swastika — be put up on the screen so that those in attendance could sit with the pain and emotion that the image of hate conjures.
“Frankly, we should be talking about it while looking at it,” Spellios said. “Because people should see the pure evil, the pure hate. That advocates eliminating (the resident’s) family, and millions of people from the face of the earth.
“We should just sit with that and be horrified. And not be afraid to sit and be horrified. I hope we all find our words to express that and be able to talk to the person in front of you and behind you about this pure evil.”
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The Select Board and Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald then discussed the latest incident of hate and bias in the town and what, if anything, can be done about confronting and curing the undeniable pattern.
“Since I have been sitting on this board every defamatory incident has been antisemitic,” Phelan said. “Just sitting in that uncomfortableness. As we talk about (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) consultants and folks who are meant to be brought into this community to educate us, inform us, help us navigate these disgusting and graphic and uncomfortable waters, I think we need a renewed mission to understand how they affect our community …
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“So if we cannot stop these things from occurring we can help folks feel the embrace of the community when they occur.”
“Every time this happens, getting outraged is a good first step,” Select Board member Doug Thompson said. “What is our next step?”
Fitzgerald acknowledged that incidents of hate and bias are on the rise not only nationally but in the town of Swampscott as well.
“So what are we going to do?” he asked, raising his voice. “Like, what are we going to do? We can’t just sit here and say: ‘This is wrong.’ We have to talk about it. We have to talk about it with our families. We have to talk about it with our friends. We have to talk about it when we have breakfast, and when we have dinner, and when we have lunch.
“There’s too much hate in this country. There’s too much hate in this town. And we’ve got to figure out how to bring a different narrative. We need more programs. We need more (work within) our sports programs. We need more with our arts programs.
“We need more.”
Police also condemned the incident and asked residents in the area of Paradise Road near the water tower to check any home security footage for images that may help lead to the identification of the person responsible.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the Swampscott Police Department at 781-595-1111.
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)
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