GREENFIELD — Town Council President Brickett Allis has released a statement condemning the recent cyber attacks against Town Council Treasurer Karen “Rudy” Renaud and At-Large Councilor Penny Ricketts, saying such acts of hatred will not be tolerated in Greenfield.
“As a public servant, I have an even greater responsibility to speak out against discrimination and hatred where all human rights are threatened,” Allis said. “It is up to all of us to denounce these acts of cowardice and juvenility with our kindness and our unity with those who find themselves targeted and victimized by it. There is no room in our community for acts of hate perpetrated by anyone.”
On Wednesday, Renaud received a threatening email from an unknown person, and a post about her proposed hate crime ordinance appeared on an anti-Semitic website. The email, with the subject line “You Belong in Prison,” referenced her being put in a concentration camp if Donald Trump is elected president. The sender wrote, “maybe they will cure you of your perversions, too.” Renaud is a gay woman.
The website post used an offensive epithet to describe Renaud and stated she’s trying to use “slave labor” as punishment for local hate crimes. Her proposed ordinance includes community service hours for those found guilty through the legal system for committing such crimes.
In recent months, racist, digitally altered photos of At-Large Town Councilor Penny Ricketts were also emailed to town department heads and local businesses. One of those photos appeared on the anti-Semitic website, as well.
“To those who are responsible for the acts that have been perpetrated, and all future acts of hate, hear this: We do not tolerate this behavior and we will deal with it through any and all means available to us within the justice system,” Allis said. “The City Council stands with our members as well as members of the community against hate and we are not deterred from diligently working to pass legislation to prevent hate in our community.”
You can reach Aviva Luttrell at: aluttrell@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 268
On Twitter: @AvivaLuttrell