Facebook Comment Embroils Mayor in Controversy
Five Superior City Councilors have called for Mayor Bruce Hagen to apologize for a Facebook comment he posted earlier today on a friend’s post. Councilors Dan Olson, Warren Bender, Graham Garfield, Denise McDonald, and Esther Dalbec all called for the Mayor to retract his statement. Some have suggested a mayorl recall if Hagen doesn’t apologize.
The comment, made on Facebook, related to a picture of Michelle Obama posted by one of Mayor Hagen’s high school friends.
Posted on Sunday at 8:17 pm the comment reads, “Unbelievable! She and her Muslim partner have destroyed the fabric of democracy that was so very hard fought for.”
Hagen was quoted by FOX21 news tonight saying that the comment was made in response to a friend’s comment. He defended his comment as an exercise of his freedom of speech, and said, “Do we still have freedom of speech in the country? Sometimes I kind of forget.”
Councilor Graham Garfield expressed his disappointment in the mayor’s comment by characterizing them as “really inappropriate comments,” and asked, “how can we have a non-partisan elected mayor who has to work with elected officials, including the president’s office, making these comments?”
Hagen added fuel to the fire by saying that he and many others “believe that the President is not a Christian.” Stating that the United States was founded on Christian values, Hagen went on to say that he “doesn’t agree with most of President Obama’s policies.” He also claimed that President Obama has “destroyed world relationships.”
Councilors Garfield, Bender, E. Dalbec, McDonald, and Olson are calling on Hagen to immediately apologize and retract his comments. Garfield said that if the Mayor chooses to stand by his comments he should consider resigning.
In a Facebook message to the City of Superior, Heather MacDonald of Duluth said, “clearly Mayor Hagen is showing his true colors as someone who harbors hateful feelings towards Muslims. To make such a public comment brings into question his judgment as a political and city leader. Shame on you Mayor!”
Hagen told FOX21 that he doesn’t know if he regrets writing the comment, but he stands by what he wrote. “I have huge respect for the Office of the President, but no respect for the current administration,” said Hagen.
According to WDIO-TV, state representative Nick Milroy (D, South Range) also called for the Mayor to retract his comments, saying it is not representative of Superior. “I’m absolutely shocked and dumbfounded that the mayor would say something so callous and untrue about the First Lady,” Milroy said. “This is not what Superior is about. We’ve always been a community that’s welcoming to all people.”
The Northland’s News Center contacted Carol Knoble, who oversees the international programs at the University of Wisconsin Superior, who said she was shocked to hear that Superior’s Mayor made this comment. Knoble said Hagen’s comments are potentially harmful to UWS students who come to the college from other countries and practice different faiths. She added that the Mayor’s comment isolates the Muslim community.
