There is no place for hate in our community. All are welcome here — Jews and Muslims, Palestinians and Israelis, whatever your faith or race or ethnicity or country of origin — I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to keep you safe here in San Diego County. In Israel and in Palestine, thousands of innocent civilians have been slaughtered, victims of hate and ideologies of us vs them. I am grieving and gutted for the thousands of Israelis, infants and pregnant women and young people and entire families, brutally murdered in an absolutely horrific attack by the terrorist organization Hamas. For the hundreds who were kidnapped, whose fate is unimaginable. For the 2 million Palestinian civilians, half of them children under the age of 18, desperate now in Gaza without food or water or fuel, hospitals becoming morgues. For the thousands of innocent Palestinian babies and families burned to death or blown to bits by Israeli bombs. I am crying for the people of Israel and Palestine. This week on US soil a 6 year old Palestinian boy was murdered for being Palestinian, the victim of a hate crime. As a local elected official, I can do nothing to impact world events, but I can say to everyone who feels afraid here in our community: our sheriffs are mobilized to protect you, my office is here to protect you, and there is no place for hate in San Diego County.

Terra Lawson-Remer
Vice Chair, Board of Supervisors
County of San Diego