Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink has apologized for comments she made at a school board meeting where she implied that Muslim families protesting LGBTQ+ inclusive materials were aligning themselves with White supremacists.
According to the council website, Mink is a first-generation Chinese American born and raised in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Mink made the comments during a school board meeting on June 6, MoCo 360 reports. A few Muslim families had attended the meeting to testify that the school district should re-instate a policy that would allow students to “opt-out” of reading LGBTQ+ educational materials.
“This issue has unfortunately put, it does put, some, not all of course, but some Muslim families on the same side of an issue as white supremacists and outright bigots, however the folks who I’ve talked [with] here today I would not put in the same category as those folks, although it’s, again, complicated because they’re falling on the same side of this particular issue,” Mink said at the meeting, according to MY Montgomery County Media (MCM).
On Thursday, June 8, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a statement calling for Mink to apologize.
“Using a public platform at a school board hearing…to link your Muslim constituents with the same white supremacist groups who so often threaten our own existence and well-being, has caused deep offense and disrespect. To help repair some of the damage that your remarks caused, CAIR is seeking a statement from you publicly apologizing for your remarks and committing to showing respect for the views of Muslim families in Montgomery County, even if you personally disagree with them,” the organization wrote in a press release.
On Sunday, Mink issued an apology.
“I regret that although my remarks were focused on promoting inclusion, they created an opportunity for misunderstanding and mischaracterization. I apologize for the hurt that this caused in the Muslim community,” Mink said, according to MoCo 360.
“Even when individuals disagree about difficult issues, I am committed to finding space to foster authentic dialogue and seeking points of understanding. I sat down to hear from Muslim community members before my remarks on Tuesday and with District 5 Muslim leaders on Thursday. I listened, and I understand their concerns.”
“I look forward to continuing to work with members of our Muslim and LGBTQIA+ communities as we take on issues of importance for all residents.”
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Elected officials need to be careful about what they say and the words they use. Things like this have the potential to go south very quickly.