New Berlin mayor’s Islamophobic Facebook posts spark calls for resignation

Photo source: New Berlin City Hall

Concerned citizens, faith group leaders and members of the Greater Milwaukee Muslim community plan to attend the New Berlin Common Council meeting this evening to call for the resignation of New Berlin Mayor Dave Ament after numerous reposts of Islamophobic, antisemitic, sexist and racist messages on his Facebook page drew attention.

The Muslim Women’s Coalition issued a press release Friday morning about the reposts to Milwaukee media organizations. It included a link to his personal Facebook page where visitors saw “a slew of posts that criticized Islam, conflated Muslims with terrorists and said they were taking over America,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Monday. Multiple media outlets have reported on the shared posts.

The Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance noted in a press release that one post shared by Ament said: “America needs to shut down all Mosques and ban Islam.” Another shared both antisemitic and Islamophobic content that stated, “How to protect your house from terrorism” and shows a woman pointing to a piece of bacon hanging from a door handle.” A different post states, “If you vote for a Muslim for elected office in this country, you are a traitor. In several of the reposts, offensive text appeared over young women in tight, low-cut T-shirts. (Ament has since made his page private.)

“It is deeply disturbing to see a sitting mayor engage with content that dehumanizes his Muslim constituents,” said Fauzia Qureshi, executive director of the Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance. “New Berlin residents, including Muslim residents, deserve a leader who leads with dignity and not someone who incites fear and hatred.”

“The impact of posting this kind of rhetoric is real,” said Janan Najeeb, executive director of the Muslim Women’s Coalition. “It has been shown time and again to be associated with increases in hate crime, bullying and fear.

“An apology is not enough, not that he has made one,” she said. “It looks like he just wants to step back until this blows over, but we’re not going to be quiet. We’re done with constantly being the target of hate, and our children being potential targets.

“The fact that this is not an aberration and that it has been going on for a very long time shows this is who he is,” she continued. “He needs to resign and we need someone who is going to represent all of the community, someone who has the confidence of the community.

“What concerns me as much as what the mayor was posting on his personal Facebook is that none of his Facebook friends, even his family members, have had the decency to call him out,” she added. “We are hopeful enough of the council members will find his behavior unacceptable and that this mayor is not representing them or the City of New Berlin.“

The Islamic Society of Milwaukee-Brookfield issued a statement that said, “We hope this becomes an opportunity for accountability, reflection and meaningful engagement with the Muslim community and others affected by these remarks.”

The Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee released a statement condemning “the use of Islamophobic, antisemitic, racist and misogynistic posting on the personal Facebook page of New Berlin Mayor Dave Ament. These hateful messages are counter to a democratic society and create fear for members of the targeted community. This behavior is unbecoming for all of us, but of special concern when exhibited by someone who has been elected to serve an entire community – people of all identities.”

The Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee also commented on Ament’s statement that followed public reaction to his posts. “Mayor Ament did himself no favor when in response to the outpouring of concern about his posts he responded ‘It has never been my intention to disparage or offend any individual… including the Muslim community. My intention was simply to share information on matters of public concern.’ Mayor Ament shared hateful rhetoric targeting many different people based on their identities – it was neither information nor anything which was public concern.” 

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization, joined the calls for the mayor’s resignation. Washington, D.C.-based CAIR released a statement Saturday calling on Ament to take responsibility for the material he shared and apologize to New Berlin’s Muslim residents and other affected communities.

“An elected official has a responsibility to serve every member of the community, regardless of faith, race, ethnicity or background,” the statement said. “Sharing material that demonizes Muslims and promotes hostility toward an entire faith community is incompatible with that responsibility. Mayor Ament should resign and allow New Berlin to move forward with leadership that respects all of its residents.”

The four-term mayor had not resigned as of press time today. 

Several Muslim residents of New Berlin shared their thoughts about Mayor Ament’s Facebook posts with WMJ. Some said they were “shocked” and plan to speak at the Common Council meeting about the impacts of Ament’s social media posts on the Muslim community and on interfaith relations in New Berlin. 

Ahmed J. Quereshi, 16-year resident of New Berlin

“I feel I have a triple obligation to attend (the New Berlin Common Council meeting Tuesday), said Ahmed Quereshi, a 16-year resident of New Berlin, executive director of the Greater Milwaukee Interfaith Conference and a life-long member of Milwaukee’s Muslim community.” Quereshi served as president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee from 2009 to 2017.

“It’s part of the Interfaith Conference’s mission to build relationships between communities of faith. What the mayor reposted were horrific Islamophobic and antisemitic messages,” Quereshi said. “I need to speak about the Interfaith Conference position but I also want to speak personally. I am a resident of New Berlin and I live half a mile from City Hall. This strikes very close to home.

“I had voted for this mayor previously. I am really shocked,” he said. “One post recommends using bacon to keep Muslims and Jews away. During the Spanish Inquisition, people were forced to eat bacon to prove they weren’t Jews or Muslims. That post is so strongly Islamophobic, antisemitic and highly offensive. 

“I have lived in New Berlin for 16 years,” Quereshi continued. “I have great neighbors. I don’t think the mayor will change. For the good of the city, I personally think he should resign.”

Minhaj Husain, M.D., 13-year resident of New Berlin

“It is my understanding we have approximately 50 Muslim families living in New Berlin,” said Minhaj Husain, M.D. “The dozen families I know are all good people, holding down good jobs, who pay their taxes, take care of their properties and contribute to the community.

“Our neighbors are fantastic, good people,” he said. “Our kids are treated well in the schools. Everyone treats us with kindness and respect. That’s what makes this so shocking.

“New Berlin is a very welcoming, peaceful community. We have never had any problems. In our neighborhood, if I’m out there shoveling snow, my neighbor will pick up his shovel, come over and say, ‘Let’s do this together.’

“We are obviously a minority but that has never stopped anyone from treating us with kindness and respect. That’s why it is so disparaging and shocking for this man who is mayor of this great city to hold such views. I don’t believe he represents the sentiment and views of the New Berlin community at large.

“I’m an infectious disease physician. During COVID, we served the community. We were out there risking our own lives to save lives. I say that not because I want gratitude but because I don’t want to be stereotyped. We’re as American as anyone else.

“At first, I thought his account had been hacked. Later, when I saw on the news that he didn’t deny or retract anything, I realized he was responsible.”

Husain’s concern is first and foremost for his community, he said. “As a taxpaying resident of New Berlin with children in its schools, I want to focus on educating anyone who’s listening that these 50 or so Muslim families are good people, taxpayers, with no crime record, not imposing our religion on anybody. We are just living our lives. 

“You would think the mayor of a city would want more residents like us. So why does he feel this way about our faith? Why would he put these thoughts in others’ heads? God forbid someone read what the mayor said and bullies our children. It is beyond irresponsible.”

Husain wants Ament “to realize he’s unfit to serve in this office of responsibility, that he has disappointed the people he is supposed to protect and represent, and to step down,” he said.

Mohammad N. Fareed, M.D., 38-year resident of New Berlin

“New Berlin is a very decent community and is diverse in every respect,” Mohammad N. Fareed, M.D., told WMJ. “We have been living here since 1998 and have never had any problems whatsoever. This mayor is trying to hide his incompetence and failure by creating hate and using minority groups as scapegoats.”

Fareed shared a letter he had written to the mayor in which it said, “I have voted for you all these years. I couldn’t imagine you carried all this hatred and discrimination against the entire faith of Islam and its followers.”

He concluded the letter, saying, “This is really despicable and against Christian beliefs and values. I hope you apologize for your actions and resign in good faith immediately.”