A Message From the Village President and Board of Trustees
The following statement was made by Village President Howard Roin on behalf of the Board at the October 19, 2023 Village Board Meeting.
"This is the first meeting of the Village Board since Hamas’s horrific terrorist attack on Israel on October 7. Shortly after the attack, the Village issued a statement condemning Hamas’s murderous pogrom and stating that we stand with Israel and the innocent victims. We posted the statement on the Village’s web page and on the Village’s social media outlets, and if you haven’t yet seen it, it’s on the screens behind us tonight.
Before we begin tonight’s meeting, I want to talk briefly about why the Village of Glencoe decided that it was necessary and proper to weigh in.
All of us on the Village Board have personal political views on national and international issues. But when we presented ourselves to the caucus and the voters, we weren’t asked about those views, and they were not why we were chosen. The Village is a local government; we focus on important local issues; and we don’t have a foreign policy. So ordinarily we are reluctant to make statements about international issues.
This terrible event is an exception. For a great many of us in Glencoe this brazenly antisemitic murder spree is personal, we are hurting, and we are entitled to expect our local government to stand up for us. So, we stood up.
This is not a time for equivocation; there are not two legitimate sides. The Hamas government sent henchmen to kill and kidnap Jews, and they have made it clear that they are proud of their atrocities, and that they will keep on killing and taking hostages until all of the Jews are gone, or until Israel stops them. In these circumstances, we are proud to join President Biden, Governor Pritzker, Congressman Schneider, and many of our neighboring communities in condemning Hamas’s murderous antisemitic terrorism, standing with Israel, and offering our condolences to the innocent victims.
Late this afternoon, the Village discovered that signs depicting the names and images of the Gaza hostages were posted to several of the light poles in our uptown business district.
Village ordinances prohibit individuals from posting signs in the public right of way. All individual signs are prohibited. Under the First Amendment, we cannot permit signs we like, and take down signs we don’t like. So, although we are sympathetic to the sentiment expressed in those signs—I just set forth the Village’s position—in accordance with our ordinances, we have removed the signs.
For anyone who wants speak or educate on that or any other important issue, we encourage you to use other available forums. Individual signs are not allowed in the public right of way."
"This is the first meeting of the Village Board since Hamas’s horrific terrorist attack on Israel on October 7. Shortly after the attack, the Village issued a statement condemning Hamas’s murderous pogrom and stating that we stand with Israel and the innocent victims. We posted the statement on the Village’s web page and on the Village’s social media outlets, and if you haven’t yet seen it, it’s on the screens behind us tonight.
Before we begin tonight’s meeting, I want to talk briefly about why the Village of Glencoe decided that it was necessary and proper to weigh in.
All of us on the Village Board have personal political views on national and international issues. But when we presented ourselves to the caucus and the voters, we weren’t asked about those views, and they were not why we were chosen. The Village is a local government; we focus on important local issues; and we don’t have a foreign policy. So ordinarily we are reluctant to make statements about international issues.
This terrible event is an exception. For a great many of us in Glencoe this brazenly antisemitic murder spree is personal, we are hurting, and we are entitled to expect our local government to stand up for us. So, we stood up.
This is not a time for equivocation; there are not two legitimate sides. The Hamas government sent henchmen to kill and kidnap Jews, and they have made it clear that they are proud of their atrocities, and that they will keep on killing and taking hostages until all of the Jews are gone, or until Israel stops them. In these circumstances, we are proud to join President Biden, Governor Pritzker, Congressman Schneider, and many of our neighboring communities in condemning Hamas’s murderous antisemitic terrorism, standing with Israel, and offering our condolences to the innocent victims.
Late this afternoon, the Village discovered that signs depicting the names and images of the Gaza hostages were posted to several of the light poles in our uptown business district.
Village ordinances prohibit individuals from posting signs in the public right of way. All individual signs are prohibited. Under the First Amendment, we cannot permit signs we like, and take down signs we don’t like. So, although we are sympathetic to the sentiment expressed in those signs—I just set forth the Village’s position—in accordance with our ordinances, we have removed the signs.
For anyone who wants speak or educate on that or any other important issue, we encourage you to use other available forums. Individual signs are not allowed in the public right of way."
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