By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Words matter – especially when they make up the title of an official resolution.
Bowling Green City Council revisited its “welcoming and safe community” resolution Monday evening – this time with new wording and unanimous support.
Though the body of the resolution had only one minor revision, the major change was the title rewritten to explain exactly what was intended. The resolution proclaims “Bowling Green as a welcoming and safe community for immigrants and condemning any discrimination, harassment or unjustified deportation of immigrant residents of Bowling Green.”
“I’m very happy with the language that we have here,” said council member Daniel Gordon. Though the issue of illegal immigrant deportations is national, the city wants to take a stand, he said. “Council does not support seeing their families ripped apart.”
Monday was a lesson that not only words matter, but so does communication.
When the resolution first came to council last month, some members knew nothing about its intent and couldn’t discern its purpose from the title.
“I found it very confusing,” council member Bob McOmber said. The vague title read as if it was intended to be an “all encompassing welcoming resolution.”
So last month, when citizens in the council chambers asked that the LGBT community and people with disabilities be added to the resolution, McOmber agreed. When it came time for a vote on the original resolution, McOmber suggested that the wording be more inclusive. So the issue was tabled for further discussion.
“I now know the real purpose is to do something for immigrants and refugees,” he said Monday evening.
But that raised another concern for McOmber, who didn’t want city council to take a position on the national debate.
“I was afraid we were taking some position on undocumented immigrants,” he said. “I don’t think it’s city council’s job to figure that out.”
So the wording was tweaked to say council was opposed to “unjustified deportation” of immigrants.
Gordon said the resolution was written specifically with the immigrant population in mind, and wasn’t intended to encompass all marginalized groups. The city recently passed an anti-Islamaphobia resolution, and already protects the LGBT community under a city ordinance.
With the revised wording, council passed the resolution unanimously Monday evening.
“We want to present a united front,” Gordon said.
Council member Scott Seeliger supported the resolution, but stressed that it should not be misconstrued as a problem here in Bowling Green.
“Bowling Green, since I’ve been here, has always welcomed with open arms every person who lives here,” Seeliger said. “We’re just reinforcing what we’ve always been.”
Though undocumented immigration is a national issue, council member John Zanfardino said the city needs to take a stand locally.
“People are living with a new level of fear in Bowling Green and everywhere,” Zanfardino said. “It’s a national nightmare.”
Council member Sandy Rowland spoke in support of immigrants in the community.
“I see a great value in our immigrants,” she said. Rowland said Bowling Green is currently experiencing a shortage of skilled labor. Immigrants could help solve that problem. “We’re reaching out to be the best we can be.”
Council members Mike Aspacher and Bruce Jeffers thanked the LaConexion organization and the Bowling Green Human Relations Commission for their help with the resolution.
