City Manager Comments on 9/11 messaging.

Today a posting went out about Remembering 9/11 from the Takoma Park Police Department, as is done each year. The message is one that has been used in the past, however, the impact of the full message was not considered before it was posted. I apologize that the message was not reviewed and edited before posting. The message did not promote the shared values of our community.

9/11 is an emotional day for many. Many lives were lost and the blame for the 9/11 attacks was unfairly placed on Muslims as a group. Many were targeted and continue to face discrimination and hateful words and actions against them. The pain continues. Our message should have been one to build community and togetherness in remembering the tragedy and its aftermath. We understand the negative impact the message had on the community. Again, I am sorry for the pain the message caused and commit to more careful scrutiny of our messages in the future.