By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

GALENA, Kan. — Mayor Dale Oglesby during last Monday night’s Galena City Council meeting twice used a term that carries a negative stereotype of Jews.

Local Jews in Joplin, Mo., and a regional director for a national Jewish organization say the use of the word in such a way is offensive.

The first instance was related to free weedkiller that was available in Fort Scott.

“We won’t be able to Jew them down on it, either,” Oglesby said.

He repeated the word a few minutes later when referring to negotiating for a lower price on lighting.

No members of the City Council remarked on either of the comments, nor did any residents attending the meeting.

‘Offensive’

Paul Teverow, president of the board of the United Hebrew Congregation in Joplin and history professor at Missouri Southern State University, said it isn’t the first time he has heard the word used in such a context in the area.

“First, Jews would find it offensive,” Teverow said. “Secondly, most people do not say it out of malice, they say it out of ignorance.”

He said he is somewhat surprised because he knows Oglesby to be an educated man.

“A public official has to be careful about what he or she says,” Teverow said. “All of us at one time or another have said something they wish they could take back.”

Joplin City Councilman Benjamin Rosenberg, a former board president of the Joplin synagogue, said he also doesn’t think Oglesby would use the term maliciously.

“It’s a poor choice of words,” Rosenberg said. “I assume he has nothing against Jewish people.”

Rosenberg said he has found use of the term to be too common among area residents.

“I wish it was less common,” he said.

Political correctness

Oglesby said Wednesday that he was completely unaware that the term was offensive to Jews. He said he would immediately stop using it.

“I never heard that in my life,” Oglesby said about the term being offensive. “That’s a term I was brought up with.”

He said he had considered the term to be complimentary to Jews.

“I’m pro-Israel,” Oglesby said. “I’m pro-Jewish. I was shocked when I learned that it was considered offensive and disappointed that anybody would take it that way.

“I’ll wipe that one from my dictionary, because we live in a time of political correctness.”

Teachable moment

Oglesby directed Galena City Attorney Kevin Cure to draft an apology letter to the Anti-Defamation League, a national Jewish organization that lists among its purposes as fighting anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry.

An Anti-Defamation League official had contacted city officials after the Globe had contacted the ADL seeking comment.

“I have spoken to Mayor Oglesby and he sincerely makes his apology to the Anti-Defamation League and to those persons and entities it represents,” Cure wrote. “He fully acknowledges his phrase was inappropriate. He intends to assure the utilization of such a phrase will not occur again, nor be tolerated by any representative of the city of Galena.”

The letter continues: “He also wishes to convey that he greatly respects the valuable and significant contributions of the Jewish people and fully supports the efforts and goals of the Anti-Defamation League to eliminate prejudice to the Jewish people.”

Alan Potash, ADL plains states regional director, issued a prepared statement in response to the statement and apology.

“We were disappointed to learn that an elected official would perpetuate an age-old stereotype at a City Council meeting when discussing the price of products and services,” Potash said in a statement he e-mailed to the Globe. “We do welcome his apology and willingness to use this as a teachable moment for the city of Galena and we appreciate his promise that all representatives of the city of Galena will refrain from using such phrases in the future.”



Earlier action

In explaining his support of Jews, Galena Mayor Dale Oglesby said several years ago a Jewish resident took issue over the constitutionality of crosses erected by a church group in city-owned Schermerhorn Park. Oglesby said he took action to remove the crosses, but he said he thinks the unpopular decision resulted in a hiatus in his service as mayor.