The Log Cabin Republican and the Council on Islamic American Relations-LA have issued statement condemning the anti-Semitic, homophobic rant at Monday’s special Anaheim City Council meeting by gadfly William Fitzgerald.

Here’s the Log Cabin Republicans press statement:

Log Cabin Republicans Strongly Denounce Hate Speech in Anaheim

Mr. Mayor – Free speech is not Hate Speech

 The Log Cabin Republicans of Orange County Strongly denounce the anti-Semitic Attacks and Hate Speech allowed to be expressed this week during the Anaheim City Council Meeting.

 Anti-Semitic and Hate Speech Targeted at Anaheim City Councilman (click here)

 We urge Mayor Tom Tait to immediately stop referring to these attacks as free speech.  Hate speech is not free speech. We urge all Republicans to contact the Mayor and ask him to immediately provide decorum at meetings and put an end to the attacks on the Jewish and Gay Communities. He can be reached at  ttait@anaheim.net

A rally is planned for next Tuesday at Anaheim City Hall just prior to the City Council meeting. Please attend and help us urge Mayor Tait to Stop the Hate.

October 8th –  4:30 pm
Anaheim City Hall
200 South Anaheim Blvd

And from CAIR-LA:

CAIR-LA condemns anti-Semitic attacks on Anaheim city councilman

The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today condemned  a series of anti-Semitic remarks targeting an Anaheim City Councilman earlier this week.

During a public comment session at a Monday morning council meeting, an Anaheim resident spewed vicious slurs against Councilman Jordan Brandman. In his tirade against Brandman, William Dennis Fitzgerald blamed the Holocaust on Germany’s Jewish population.

His bigoted comments also characterized Jews as “evil” and “scheming.”

SEE: Anaheim resident spews anti-Semitic remarks at city councilman

“A person’s religion or race should never be vilified because of political differences or otherwise,” said CAIR-LA’s Executive Director Hussam Ayloush. “We stand in solidarity with Councilman Brandman and the Jewish community in condemning this hateful and discriminatory act.” 

In addition, CAIR-LA calls upon the city council to issue a statement rejecting such hate speech in the strongest terms. 

The Council had met to discuss a proposed modification to the process for setting the agenda for council meetings.

CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

It bears mentioning that William Fitzgerald cannot be construed as a supporter of Tom Tait by any stretch of the imagination, and I’ve no doubt Tom was as horrified as anyone by those comments. Fitzgerald is a disturbed individual who has launched his scuds at Tom Tait for years, as well.

At the same time, a tone has been allowed to develop in the council chambers since last year, and it is a mobbish tone characterized by hooting and jeering and booing aimed at those who disagree with the mayor and agree with the council majority. This atmosphere is a deterrent to regular Anaheim citizens making use of public comments if they happen to agree with the council majority on an issue. Most people are anxious or fearful of public speaking under the best of circumstances, will certainly not take to the podium knowing they’ll be heckled by a goon squad.