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From local government all the way up to the White House, elected officials are meant to serve the interests of all American citizens, including those with whom they disagree. That’s why it’s so baffling that an American mayor would have the audacity to tell a fellow American that they are not welcome in the very city they call home.

According to the New York Post, during a Dearborn City Council meeting last week, Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud told resident Edward “Ted” Barham — a Christian — that he was “not welcome” in the city after Barham objected to new street signs recognizing Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani.

Barham, identifying himself as a Dearborn resident, raised objections to renaming two intersections in honor of Siblani. He claimed that Siblani “promotes Hezbollah and Hamas,” and cited previous statements attributed to Siblani, including remarks about the “blood of the martyrs” nourishing the land of Palestine and urging people to fight “within their means,” whether with stones, guns, planes, drones, or rockets.

Barham compared the signs to naming a road “Hezbollah Street or Hamas Street,” calling them “provocative” and stressing that as a Christian, he wanted to encourage peace. He closed by quoting Jesus: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

Council members interjected, warning Barham against “personal attacks” and reminding him that the city had no control over the county’s decision.

Firstly, are these really “attacks” or just “facts”? The speaker clearly thinks it’s the latter, but that’s beside the point—because in America, we have this little thing called the First Amendment. Residents have every right to verbally challenge someone they disagree with at city council meetings. Secondly, do the council members realize they work for Barham? Because if I didn’t know any better, it might seem like they think it’s the other way around—but of course, I do know better, so I won’t be saying that.

Mayor Hammoud responded with remarks that shocked many in attendance. “The best suggestion I have for you is to not drive on Warren Avenue or to close your eyes while you’re doing it. His name is up there and I spoke at a ceremony celebrating it because he’s done a lot for this community,” Hammoud said.

I’m not sure ‘driving with your eyes closed’ qualifies as sound advice—especially coming from the mayor…

He went further, accusing Barham of being “a bigot, and you are racist, and you’re an Islamophobe,” before declaring: “Although you live here, I want you to know as mayor, you are not welcome here. And the day you move out of the city will be the day that I launch a parade celebrating the fact that you moved out of this city.”

LOL. But how does he really feel?

So instead of responding like a mature adult, he chooses to insult and slander the speaker with lies, throwing a toddler-like tantrum. How mature.

Additionally, it’s telling that he resorted to calling Barham a racist simply because he didn’t believe renaming the street was in the city’s best interest. It’s also comical that the council claimed the speaker was being insulting when the mayor was the only one tossing out slurs.

The mayor could have stayed silent, but instead he chose to attack those he disagrees with, even going so far as to declare that the resident was no longer welcome in the city he lives in. Someone should really remind Hammoud that he’s mayor, not king—and the sooner he realizes that, the less negative news coverage the city will attract. Until then, I have a feeling this won’t be the last time the mayor is accused of verbally lashing out at residents he opposes.

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