Political Quotes

“I rise today to pay honor to my hometown, the city of Galesburg, IL, for publicly speaking out against hate crimes. Galesburg has a rich tradition of promoting equality for all of its citizens. It was a stop on the Underground Railroad and home to the first anti-slavery society in the State of Illinois. Mayor Gary Smith recently declared October Not in Our Town Month, an effort to combat violent, bias-motivated crimes designed to cause fear and intimidation among an entire group of people. The Not in Our Town Month proclamation states, 'Hate groups shall not divide communities.' It also urges the residents of Galesburg to 'join together to eliminate racism and violence and to declare that respect, equality and freedom for all people be our goal.' Crimes based on prejudice are a poor reflection on our communities, and I congratulate Galesburg for refusing to stand by in silence.”