Editor’s Note: This is Katie the Editor of ALBB, writing a Letter to the Editor (me). This week, some businesses in Beacon (possibly 20) received a 6 page letter from an anonymous person that spoke with disparaging words about ALBB, and threatened businesses for removal of patronage for ALBB supporting and reporting on Palestine’s liberation. Initially, we were not going to say anything about the letter, and let the letters sit in the recycling bin trash, but after hearing from 5 businesses who were looking out for us, checking in on our safety, we decided to go public with the letter. That article is coming next.

For now, this is the publishing of my second speech to the City Council. In this time, the poem I wrote at the end of of my speech to City Council is relevant to right now. I delivered the poem while my 3 minutes time had elapsed, as the Mayor was yelling at me to sit down. So people may not have heard it. My second speech with this poem can be seen here.

“So, squeeze me, but I will open somewhere else.I will go to the sea to catch my fish.Unless you shoot and drown my boat.If you drown my boat,I will swim to shore and dig for crabs.If you bomb the beach,I will look for and catch and eat dragonflies.Free Palestine.Free the hostages.Free the unjustly imprisoned Palestinian prisoners, Muslim prisoners living in Israel, Israeli citizens refusing to serve in the Israeli military IDF, and anyone else unjustly taken that I am not aware of yet.

Lift the occupation.Live together.Free Palestine.”

— Katie Hellmuth

My name is Katie Hellmuth from A Little Beacon Blog in Ward 1.

I urge you to remove the statement concerning harassment, intimidation, "doxxing," and shame.

It protects the people in this room in from their discomfort. It was copy / pasted from a local-anti resolution petition that circulated the day after 51 people spoke at this podium to give their input about crafting and passing a resolution.

Our showing up inspired Mayor Kyriacou to want to legislate out our right to do this, by forming a statement that says City of Beacon government does not speak on global issues.

This is not the first time he has said this. Recently, after past councilperson Justice McCray presented and passed a Resolution calling for New York to pass Reparations, the Mayor said he wanted the Council not to comment on things that do not impact Beacon. But reparations do impact all people living in Beacon. Some people will receive it, and we all pay the tax supporting it.

Regarding "intimidation"

I was intimidated on October 7th the day I posted an Instagram Story, which had a prayer emoji and said "Prayers for Palestine" and called for an end to the occupation. A person with a New York City number deep Googled my phone number, called me, talked to me about now debunked babies and terrorists. Was I scared? Yes.

In response, a person close to me called me to tell me stop being public. That this was not my fight. That "they" would come get me. I asked my close person "Who? Who will come get me?" They said: "You know...what are they called?" I said: "Hamas?" "Yes!" they said. I said I'm not afraid of Hamas. I'm afraid of the lady from the New York City number who just called me.

On October 8th I promoted the podcast we recorded with Kamel on his devotion to Palestine's liberation. We recorded it 2 years ago during the Shirik Jarar movement. When I re-featured that this year, Kamel was scared and said "Why?" He didn't want people coming into his restaurant all over again harassing him. Next day, he changed his mind and opened up on his own platforms. A reader replied to me. They said: "How dare you promote this podcast now. You owe the entire city of Beacon an apology."

In my mind, I responded but didn't press send. So I'll say it out loud now: "You sir, owe the entire Arab community an apology for resisting this violent occupation so hard that has harmed so many."

Regarding "shame"

Shame is what is felt when one is usually wrong. All of us can feel shame after we do something we didn't intend. A common reaction is to feel defensiveness and then denial. Denial of ones actions. It takes great courage to step forward through it to learn, educate one self, and change. And even then, mistakes will be made, and the process will be repeated. It is a daily effort.

Regarding "doxxing"

"Doxxing" suggests that someone is trying to get someone out of a job. Reporting on what someone did or said is presenting information. The readers' reaction is their own.

As for myself, I have been "doxxed," privately, maybe even by people in this room, trying to get to A Little Beacon Blog by targeting our revenue sources, making people not even associated with this uncomfortable.

So, squeeze me, but I will open somewhere else.
I will go to the sea to catch my fish.
Unless you shoot and drown my boat.
If you drown my boat,
I will swim to shore and dig for crabs.
If you bomb the beach,
I will look for and catch and eat dragonflies.
Free Palestine.
Free the hostages.
Free the unjustly imprisoned Palestinian prisoners, Muslim prisoners living in Israel, Israeli citizens refusing to serve in the Israeli military IDF, and anyone else unjustly taken that I am not aware of yet.

Lift the occupation.
Live together.
Free Palestine.