As we have seen on the news, there appears to be a spike in “hate speech” since the election. This letter comes to us from an African American resident of Mamaroneck, and has been verified.-editor
To the Editor:
I am terribly disheartened. I was extremely disappointed at the outcome of this election. I am trying to make the best of this situation and accept it with grace. But an incident over the weekend in Manor Park has shocked us.
My teenaged daughter and I were taking a walk in Larchmont Manor Park last Friday, on what turned out to be a beautiful Veterans Day. We even ran into a friend and chatted. As we walked down the path overlooking the serene blue water, we approached a bench with three white boys in their mid teens speaking to each other inaudibly.
As soon as they saw us, they started chanting loudly “TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP” repeatedly, followed by what sounded like a racial slur. My daughter grabbed onto me tightly as we passed them and started weeping. I stopped as soon as heard the slur, turned to them and said “did you just say N$&/#@?” To which one replied and said “no I said trigger!” And laughed. I said “you know what- bring it – you want to start some mess say that in my face!” To which they got up and walked in the other direction.
I didn’t go there to fight, but I needed to show her that if they had the right to instigate that I had the right to stand up to their racist rhetoric.
Anonymous
Mamaroneck
Update: Governor Cuomo has set up a hotline for reporting incidents such as this one. From his email:
“Residents who have experienced bias-motivated threats, harassment or discrimination are encouraged to call our toll-free hotline at (888) 392-3644 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday. If you want to report a crime or fear for your safety, call 911 immediately.”
Good for you to stand up to them. I also wish I were there, I would take their picture and publicize their hateful acts. We all must call out hate and racism as soon as we see it, to send a message it will not be tolerated and WILL be punished in the court of public opinion (and the law, if heinous enough).
I’m very saddened to learn of what happened to you and your daughter. The question is, what can we, as a community, do about this?