Religious leaders respond to officers’ hate speech
By GuestTo the Canton Community:
By now, many of you have learned about the text messages sent between former State Trooper Michael Proctor and ex-Canton Police Sergeant Sean Goode that were full of hate speech against Jews, queer people, people of color, and other marginalized groups. It is both frightening and heartbreaking to hear what these former officers have said about us and about our neighbors and friends.
Sadly, it may very well be that they are not the only ones who feel this way. We are also conscious, given the surge in hate speech and violence these past few years, that it’s scary to think that some of the officers we trust to come to our aid in an emergency might harbor such thoughts.
But prejudice of any kind is rooted in the idea that all people who belong to a particular group are the same. Proctor, Goode, and those like them do not speak for the whole department, or for the whole community. And we have seen, these past few years, how many times Canton police officers and members of the wider community have come to our aid. We have friends and allies who have our backs, and we are reaching out to each other and to other affected communities.
We are also grateful for the ongoing efforts of the Select Board, as well as both the former and current Canton Police chiefs, to address these issues. None of us is facing this alone. In the words of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, “All the world is a narrow bridge, but the essential thing is not to make ourselves afraid.”
Sincerely,
Rabbi Lisa Feld, B’nai Tikvah
Rabbi Andrea Gouze, Temple Beth David of the South Shore
Rev. Dr. Michelle Walsh, Lead Minister, First Parish UU Canton
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=134289
Posted by Guest
on Jun 12 2026. Filed under From One Citizen to Another, Opinion.
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