The Lesniak Institute For American Leadership hosted a Round Table Forum at Kean University last Wednesday July 12, 2018 with political, educational, religious, community, and law enforcement leaders to discuss an appropriate response when in the presence of bigotry and hate. 

It was inspiring to see the interest and concern of the panelists and the comments on the Facebook Live Broadcast:  

  • As Barbara Zamora commented, “We should always stand up for what we believe in. Never allow fear to hold you back from what you know in your heart is the right thing to do.”

I encourage all residents of New Jersey and across America to take the Stand Up For The Other Pledge. Hate directed at any of us is also directed at all of us.

 

As Ronald Reagan said about America in his farewell address to the nation,  “I’ve spoken of the Shining City all my political life. …In my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That’s how I saw it, and see it still.”