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At a recent Dearborn City Council meeting, Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud stunned the chamber when he looked a Christian resident in the eye and declared, “Although you live here, you are not welcome here.” The outburst came after the resident objected to new street signs honoring Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani, and the exchange was captured on video that has now gone viral.
Edward “Ted” Barham told the council the signs were provocative because of Siblani’s past praise for groups that have targeted Americans, and he appealed to Christian teachings about peacemaking when voicing his concern. Rather than address the substance of the criticism, the mayor attacked Barham’s character and refused to engage the argument, proving once again that tone policing has replaced civil debate in too many American town halls.
Instead of calming the crowd or clarifying the county’s authority over the signs, Hammoud doubled down — calling Barham a bigot, an Islamophobe, and even promising to celebrate the day the man moves out of Dearborn. That posture is alarming from an elected official sworn to represent all constituents, not to publicly shun and intimidate those who dissent.
The controversy isn’t just about decorum; it’s about judgment. Osama Siblani’s record includes public statements that praised Hezbollah and framed Hamas as freedom fighters, so it’s legitimate for citizens to question whether honoring such a figure with street signage is appropriate in an American city. When leaders excuse or celebrate men with those views, they undermine the security and moral clarity their office should protect.
Watchdog conservatives shouldn’t be silent about the double standard on display: speak harshly about a protected ideology or its leaders and you’re branded a bigot, but praise or honor a controversial figure and you get a parade and a pat on the back. This is the intellectual and moral rot of identity politics — loyalty to tribes trumps loyalty to country, and public servants act as partisans instead of guardians of civic unity.
Dearborn residents deserve a mayor who upholds free speech and fair treatment, not one who weaponizes the office to silence critics. Conservatives should stand for the right of any citizen — Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or none of the above — to speak their conscience about public honors and public safety without being told to leave their own hometown.
If elected officials are going to lecture Americans about tolerance, they should start by tolerating disagreement. Patriots who love their country and value honest debate must hold their leaders to a higher standard: defend free expression, protect public safety, and refuse to let political theater replace responsible governance.
