Axar.az presents an article “Who We Are” by John Samuel Tieman.

Old hippie that I am, I never thought I'd be the conservative. But here I am. I believe in the republic. I believe in democracy. I try to practice a dialogue that is informed by, among others, Martin Buber, Thomas Jefferson, Frederick Douglass, Harvey Milk, and Betty Friedan. I practice the often unspoken norms of governance. These norms of governance are inseparable from moral goodness, because what arises from such decorum is a platform for respectful dialogue. So I gave a small speech. What follows is a slightly revised version of my comments to the City Council.

I hope my regular readers will indulge me if I, to some extent, repeat herein things I have said before. The issues seem important enough to warrant repetition. Also, I am a politician, albeit an ever-so-local one, who is making a political statement. If my speech begins with a bit of politician-ese, that is intentional.

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City Council Meeting, 10 February 2025

University City, Missouri

Honorable Mayor, my fellow Council Members,

I speak as a neighbor who happens to be on the City Council. Put simply, I address the City Council but do not speak for it. I speak for myself, for many of my neighbors, and especially for those who have no voice. I am especially concerned for, and express my support for, those children in our community, those students in our schools, who could be impacted by a heartless, by a cruel national agenda.

On Saturday, the 1st of February, in sixty-one cities throughout the United States, elected and community leaders, directors and representatives of faith communities and other organizations gathered. The object was to pledge support for communities marred and damaged by an antidemocratic and immoral national agenda.

For Greater St. Louis, in Clayton, our county seat, about sixty of our neighbors gathered. We signed a pledge. In sum, fourteen signatories were elected officials, and several more were directors of agencies. The pledge reads, “Consistent with the principles of nonviolence, I pledge to show up to protect the rights, safety and dignity of people in my community, and to resist President Trump’s antidemocratic and immoral agenda.”

I was asked to address this question, “Why are you, personally, signing this pledge?” To answer this question, I narrow my focus, and I specifically address my support for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. It seems appropriate to reproduce my words here.

“Today, this day, we pledge our solidarity with immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees. Why? Because it is simply who we are.

“I serve on the City Council of University City. But today I speak as a neighbor speaking for neighbors. U. City is a welcoming community of diverse peoples. Despite the heartlessness of the most recent federal and state reviews of immigration, U. City continues to welcome, support, and treat with dignity the immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in our community. Why? Because this is simply who we are.

“Some will say we are alarmist. We hope so. We hope our worry will come to nothing. But. We would much rather that someday someone writes, 'They were alarmist when they didn't need to be', as opposed to 'They were silent when they should have sounded the alarm.' Therefore, along with our neighbors, my elected colleagues and I wish to say, say loudly, and say publicly – NOT IN OUR NAME!

“Let me finish on a personal note. I think of family and friends. My wife's last name is Italian. Mine is German. My next-door neighbor is Chinese-American. Another neighbor was born in Guatemala. This list could go on and on. My point is this: that we were all once wanderers who found a home here. Therefore, on this day, I join with my neighbors, and with my elected colleagues, and say of these cruel, heartless policies – NOT IN OUR NAME! NOT IN OUR NAME!”

Thank you