By Michael Halpern
One Human Family is more than a slogan to our community. It is our defense against ignorance, bigotry and intolerance. One Human Family recognizes the unique value of every individual: white, brown or black, Christian, Islamic or Jew, poor, middle class or rich, gay or straight. One Human Family is our statement that no lives are insignificant.
This window into the soul of Key West was shattered by the Key West Citizen last week with the printing of an anonymous, blatantly racist and false rant in the Citizen’s Voice forum that read as follows:
“The guy with the five ‘apparel’ shops on Duval lawsuit to open roadblocks is an Israeli with five T-shirt shops cheapening our main drag even more. His money is just heading overseas.”
While racist posts printed in the Citizen remain unacceptable at any time, this unprovoked racism attacked a man dedicated to preserving our One Human Family.
The “Israeli with five T-shirt shops cheapening our main drag” is an American Jew who served honorably as a United States Marine. During Operation Enduring Freedom, this “guy” whose “money is just heading overseas” was fighting for the United States in Afghanistan and was injured in the line of duty.
The irony is unmistakable. A belligerent racist — and the newspaper that printed his message of hate — are being protected by an American freedom this Marine hero fought to defend: freedom of speech.
It has never been more important in our nation and in our community to rise up and defeat “haters.” Newspaper columns, like the Citizens’ Voice, that allow anonymous personal attacks without any verification of truth provide a forum for “haters” without recourse.
Voices of hate are nothing new to Key West. In my 45 years building a life here, I have heard messages of hate against Jews, African Americans, Latins, Conchs, Israelis, Indians and even inanimate objects like T-shirt shops and cruise ships.
The voices of hate have recently become louder and more impossible to ignore. And this recent trend could not have come at a more inopportune time.
As our nation seeks to heal from racism, injustice and economic disparity, the island of Key West is fighting to revive itself, our businesses are struggling to remain open, and our residents are grappling with uncertainty.
Clearly, this is the time for the reimagining of Key West.
However, this reimagining must be free of its current tones of subtle racism that disturb and denigrate Key West’s most core beliefs.
The call for “boutique” cruise ships that carry “upscale tourists” reflects the racist rhetoric of job applications in the Jim Crow era. The vision of “tourists with more disposable income” and “high end tourists” mirrors the white flight that has segregated our urban communities. A referendum abolishing the more affordable cruise ships that carry racially and economically diverse passengers is an Imagination that shatters our belief that we are One Human Family.
In 20 years working on Duval Street, I have observed passengers coming off the less expensive, bigger cruise ships that would be banned by the upcoming referendum. I have watched the joy of the African American, Latino and other families of color discovering the wonders of Key West. These big ships provide the diversity of tourists that represent the diversity of our community. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the “boutique” upscale expensive cruise ships.
As we seek to define what the future will hold for our community, as we are reimagining Key West, it is critically important that One Human Family does not become “One White Rich Family.”
Now is the time in the history of our nation that we must send a message loud and clear. Key West must send the message that tourists of all races, religions, and economic backgrounds are welcome.
Jane Dawkins wisely spoke on the reimagining of Key West as follows:
“I think this is a golden opportunity for Key West and we shouldn’t waste it. It’s not enough to complain about cruise ships and T-shirt ships; we have to come up with solutions to replace them, solutions that our city and environment can sustain responsibly, and a blueprint for the future.”
The City of Key West awaits those solutions. But let us make sure that those who arrive do not rob our dear island of the charm and quirky nature of our community. Newcomers to Key West regularly seek to “reform” our island ways to reflect the world they came from. These attempts to remove the Key West spirit from our island reminded me of another town — Montauk, New York — whose city proclaimed, “You are welcome here, but please stop trying to make ‘here’ like ‘there.’ If you want here to be like there you should not have left there to come here, and you are invited to leave here and go back there at your earliest convenience.”
Let me reiterate: I strongly support the reimagining of Key West. Now is the time to create a Key West of the future — free of racism, hatred and prejudice. Now is the time for Key West to lead our island and our country with our community effort to reflect One Human Family.
Our family must:
- Agree that upon social media — specifically Facebook, Twitter and more — we will encourage and praise people. We should never use public forums to attack people or tear them down. The only time you should be looking down on anyone is when you are helping them up.
- Eliminate newspaper columns that allow anonymous public personal attacks without regard for fairness or truth.
- End the relentless and prejudicial attacks on the “Conchs” and complaints about the “Bubba System.” Stereotyping and labeling a person’s quality based solely on where a person was born or raised are equally discriminatory as to stereotyping and categorizing based upon race or religion. The “Conchs” built and developed this community into the remarkable place you couldn’t wait to move to. The “Conchs” practiced “Live and Let Live” and embraced One Human Family long before most of us moved here.
- If you are a recent arrival to Key West with plenty of time and money on your hands, please use your resources to create jobs, feed hungry people, educate those who thirst for knowledge and – most importantly at this time – fight economic and racial injustice. All such pursuits are far more valuable to our community than the creation of an upscale enclave.
- Any person suffering with the urge to change Key West into the Hamptons or Martha’s Vineyard, take a nap until the urge goes away.
We are 2020’s incarnation of Key West. It falls on our shoulders to represent One Human Family to the world. As we reimagine Key West, we must remember that the true definition of “sustainable tourism” is an economic approach for everyone. It is an approach where everyone who lives here — of all economic levels — is free to pursue a livelihood of their choice. It is an approach where families of all races and economic levels can visit Key West by boat, car or plane, and learn to love our island community. These visiting families can return generation after generation to support our community, provide jobs and allow us economic security. These tourists are welcome to join our One Human Family.
Michael Halpern is a Key West attorney, business owner and advocate for kids and education.
