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Mayor Terry Lynne opened the Tuesday, Jan. 6, City Council meeting addressing a social media controversy that erupted after the city posted recognition of Muslim American Heritage Month on Jan. 2.
The post drew widespread negative comments, including from people outside Farmers Branch, prompting the mayor to discuss how the city plans to handle its diversity recognition series moving forward.
"What ensued was a firestorm of comments which was not the council's intention nor representative of what Farmers Branch is all about," Lynne said. "Within minutes, the post circulated, and we were seeing comments from not just Farmers Branch, but literally from around the world."
The post was the first in a series of monthly recognitions celebrating different religious and ethnic groups that the council approved last year. The response included profanity-laced comments that Lynne said the city will address.
"Hate speech and bigotry have no place in Farmers Branch or in our society," the mayor said.
Lynne acknowledged the city's approach needed adjustment, suggesting officials should have published a full calendar of monthly recognitions upfront rather than posting them individually.
"Hindsight says that the city should have posted a calendar of what was to be recognized each month, a complete calendar, so people would know what was coming, listing all events month by month," he said. "Instead, seeing an innocent post for Muslim American Heritage Month started a social media war of hateful words and rhetoric."
The mayor referenced the city's contentious immigration ordinances, saying he spoke previously about "an attitude of hate that still seems to be lingering in our city towards Hispanics almost twenty years after the immigration issue that our city went through."
While the council won't censor speech, Lynne said the city will address vulgar language and asked residents to engage respectfully online.
"You can make your same judgment pro or con on a topic without curse words and bigotry," he said.
The meeting also included unanimous approval of David Koch and Patrick Trapp to the Valwood Improvement Authority board. Council then entered executive session to discuss the municipal court judge position, hotel business incentives, DART legal matters and the city manager's evaluation.
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