Fremont mayor: ‘Taking the knee is something that I’m not going to be doing’

Fremont, George Floyd protests, Uncategorized 1 Minute

Fremont Mayor Lily Mei was jeered by protesters on Tuesday after she refused to take a symbolic knee in support of police accountability.

Mei, along with Fremont Police Chief Kimberly Petersen, and two police captains, attempted to address the group, which had earlier marched through Fremont in support of George Floyd.

After the crowd drowned out Mei’s remarks, they repeatedly called for Mei to take a knee. “Taking a knee is something that I’m not going to be doing,” she finally told them.

UPDATE:

Mei wrote on Facebook Tuesday night that she declined to kneel out of deference to God.

“I have been asked why I will not kneel at events like the one from earlier today. Because of my faith, I will never kneel to anyone but God. You will see me kneel in church, but you will not ever see me kneel at any other event except in prayer,” she wrote.

https://twitter.com/chewbeccka/status/1268013754714710016

https://twitter.com/isaiahdidit/status/1267938095757848576

Published

78 thoughts on “Fremont mayor: ‘Taking the knee is something that I’m not going to be doing’”

  1. Go Lily Mei!! She has done an amazing job running the city of Fremont. I agree with her. All lives matter. Why should she have to kneel for something she believe in? Hello people.. smh

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  2. Good job Mayor. No one has to knee except for God. There is no room for antifa in Fremont. Kick them out!

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  5. I fully support the mayor not to placad the stupid crowd and stand up for her belief. God bless the mayor of Fremont.

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  8. I hope the police can be as strong as Mayor Lily Mei and have at least half her gut to be courageous enough to protect us.

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  9. It is insulting to ask a Chinese kneel down. People should respect different cultures.

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  10. extreme leftist is tyranny. In America, people are in title to do what they think is right. Not everyone agree with you.

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  12. This is Lillian Sun from Portland OR. I am Chinese. One of my local Chinese mom shared above pics and comments… I don’t know why this female Chinese mayor does not explain to people about Chinese culture. I don’t know by local Fremont Chinese does not speak up for this mayor. Most Americans probably do not know, that kneeling in Chinese culture is something you only do to your older generation or “emperor”… It’s something extremely extreme! If someone forces a Chinese to knee, I’d say you are a racist!!!

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  15. if you want to blame a people, you can have any reason. why they can force other people to knee? where is the freedom? Mei has the right to not knee, not knee to the mob! The mob has the right to set fire, to harm the people not on their side, what is the right for the people they harm for?

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  19. Lily Mei, I will be voting for you again if you stand for it. You are really one leader with guts not to give up to mob’s demand. You were there to support them in their cause but that doesn’t mean they have right to scream anything they want at you and you have to bow to them. Fremont needs leader like you and because of that, our city is safe. Just because someone doesn’t agree with mob’s mentality doesn’t make them racist. By the way, Fremont is not a racist city. There are lot of people with color who lives in peace and let others live in peace. Before you point finger at others, remember four fingers point at you.
    Once again, Lily Mei keep up the good work and do not fall for any wrong notion just to support wrong mob mentality.

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  24. First of all taking the knee has nothing to do with the flag it was never about the flag. I have Ppl in my family that served in the army but guess what they were still treated like they were nothing…why? Cause they were african American. Taking the knee is to protest against police brutality and racial injustice. We have no liberty if minorities are still being mistreated. I am Beyond disgusted at this comment because ppl like you refuse!!!! To see what the protest actually stands for but no you make it about a flag that is suppose to represent the unity in this country and yet we are very much divided. Wake up!!!

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  25. Basically she is not against police brutality in her community. Anyone commending her is out of touch and an obvious coward who stands for dollars over human lives.

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  26. Despite having twenty times the number of contacts with Police 2019 Fatal force statistical filters compiled by the Washington Post reveal 9 unarmed Black males were killed by Police and 1 unarmed Black female was killed by Police. The same year 25 unarmed White’s were killed by Police.

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  27. These protesters believe contacting their elected officials and or voting isn’t good enough for them.

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  30. I applaud you for such a wonderful comment. I would also like to add that if one is unhappy with the Mayor’s stance, remember you can always organize to remove her from office. We must not forget the power of our vote.

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  31. And as for kneelng only to God….it is IN the name of God that you kneel, to acknowledge the wrong being done to His creation.
    Do you think God would not love it if you kneel against the marginalization of a community?
    No….if it was for God, you would stand against wrong Your servitude belongs to your masters of yoyr fate on this earth…and NOT to the One Master.

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  32. Fremont in my experience has been a racist city. I can tell the difference from personal experience, from living there, versus, Union City , Hayward and Richmomd.
    The mayor SHOULD kneel with the protesters for the life of a man from the community Fremont itself has marginalized for years.
    People supporting her are showing the racism in their hearts.
    It’s about time things changed !!

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  34. This is America, nobody is forced to do anything here except by law, and I don’t think there is any law that requires the mayor to give in to a demonstrating crowd. Not taking a knee here doesn’t necessarily mean one is racist. I am glad our mayor had such strength to stand up for herself.

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  35. Based queen! She just earned my next vote. Fremont PD did nothing wrong. Every single interaction I’ve ever had with them has always been met with respect and professionalism. Nothing like Santa Clara County cops at all. As a POC I can sympathize with the Floyd situation, but Fremont residents don’t have a dog in this fight. If you want to march around for social media brownie points, that is 100% your right. However, none of you are fooling anybody. When you gather up in a crowd screaming take a knee, you are not calling for solidarity. You are calling for subservience. Like the mayor, I kneel for none but God.

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  37. Mayor Lily Mei,
    I respect your decision not to kneel but only to God. May God be your compass in leading your people. When you have God’s support, your city will flourish.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. Everyone has a right to kneel or not to kneel in this situation. No one can force her to kneel. All life matters.

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  40. As a Fremont citizen and as a asian, I felt being shamed by this mayor. It is the very timing, when you standing out to the public to the whole wide world to say you are not taking a knee while standing with police, it is not that you are standing with Fremont Police, it is not you are not taking a knee to one that is not God, you are standing with and supporting the Minnesota cops who killed an innocent. It is BOTH stupid and evil.

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  41. I will only take a knee before God. If men want me to bend the knee to their sociopolitical goals, they will be seeing me in court with a 1A attorney.

    Liked by 1 person

  44. Completely agree 💯 couldn’t agree more with what the focus and actions needed. Thanks for eloquently and peacefully expressing what we need.

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  45. Different people have different ways to show their enpathy and support. Taking a knee is just one way and not the only way. Those taking a knee to show their support should be respected, but expecting everyone supporting the course to take a knee is stupic.

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  51. God says love thy neighbor as thyself. If you were doing that you would stand in solidarity against cruel and unusual punishment. Don’t use God to get out of something you don’t want to do. No worries because your true colors are shown in your behavior.

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  54. Pretty sure Jesus had to kneel down to wash the disciples feet. But yea, go ahead and use “God” as an excuse like Trump did when he cleared out those peaceful protestors!!

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  61. I will vote for you again. They have the right to protest and she has the right to respect her religion. Not only you guys has the right. Just because you don’t kneel , doesn’t mean you don’t share their value. What do they think they are God or King?

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  62. I never take a knee for atrocities done by others. I have the exact same expectation from others. My coworker Dr. Wang was killed by an African American teenager, and nobody took a knee for anything.

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  65. The origin of “Taking a Knee” comes from the very practice during PRAYER. So the Mayor and ALL Americans of Faith, should understand that objecting to taking a knee now, goes against the VERY religious tradition they claim, of it being used to focus PRAYER on a PROBLEM.

    Anyone who does not Take a Knee now, is either faithless, or lacks the full information (aka ignorant) of the intended purpose of the act.

    I blame the NFL, for obfuscating this holy tradition, and insulting our country by mis-connecting it to to the Flag and the huge leap of Patriotism. Mind you, all of this during the ridiculous celebration of Millionaire children, chasing each other on fake grass, in tight pants.

    Please consider, that we are now going at each other politically, over nothing more than an unimportant (and truly annoying) Professional Sport.

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  66. Taking a knee would re-enact how George Floyd died. I find it disrespectful to him and his family, to all the troops that have fought for this country, and all our good law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day. The Fremont Mayor is absolutely right by only kneeling to god in prayer. Good for you mayor.

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  67. You are absolutely correct.

    Ok. So now that your advice doesn’t work, how about we all now try taking a knee out of solidarity to a just cause, and commit ourselves to achieving the change that doing it your way has failed.

    Also, you may want to educate yourself on where the tradition of taking a knee to pray for a fallen “soldier” (hint) originated.

    While there is uncertainty as to the exact origin of the practice, we know for a fact that it was first used in Vietnam. Just to be clear, by US troops.

    It was then used in college football to initiate a prayer.

    What it wasn’t created by was the NFL. Which has now somehow managed to convince you to be insulted by what is only the most decent and peace inspiring call for a prayer. And that millionaire children running around on fake grass in tight pants has now defined your patriotism.

    Your subtle suggestion that taking a knee disrespects the flag and your not so subtle accusation that this is unpatriotic (did you really mean treason?) is a huge insult to the US military. Specifically Vietnam veterans.

    The US military started and continues to practice the tradition of taking a knee to PRAY FOR and HONOR and REMEMBER those who have risked or given their life in the ongoing struggle for freedom and liberty.

    This is why taking a knee is THE ABSOLUTE symbol of freedom and liberty now.

    So. Take a knee. Become American again. Stop your transparent nonsense. You are WE. And WE are better than this and the division we are now being obviously manipulated into.

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  68. 1. Police officers and government officials taking a knee is stupid and performative at best in this context anyway. Damn a knee. How bout y’all stop killing Black people? Redlining Black neighborhoods? Educating our kids in inferior schools? Giving us higher interest rates? Throwing our resumes in the trash? Etc? 2. Who asked her to kneel to anyone? What is she even talking about? 🤨

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  70. 1. Police officers and government officials taking a knee is stupid and performative at best in this context anyway. Damn a knee. How bout y’all stop killing Black people? Redlining Black neighborhoods? Educating our kids in inferior schools? Giving us higher interest rates? Throwing our resumes in the trash? Etc? 2. Who asked her to kneel to anyone? The fuck is she even talking about? 🤨

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  71. Nobody can be forced to do anything, but as a public servant she needs to show solidarity. This to me just showed her Asian sense of superiority. ALthough Asians are not superior but they always want to think they are.

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  72. Taking a knee is a symbol of respect for a life actually lives that were taken out with brutality only possible by cold blooded reptile, not a warm blooded human . If you don’t respect human life, any form of life for that matter, then we know where your value system is. All you care about is making money at any cost. We understand why so many buildings are flying across Fremont with no room for future expansion of roads and other infrastructures, a very short term narrow minded planning. Fremont will become a crowded, polluted, inhabitable place when population grows.

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  74. Voting you and your councilmen back into office is NOT something I’ll be doing. Your attitude is whats wrong with the country.

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  75. Lily Mei, We are proud of you. You’re our mayor! Do not knee to those with mob mentality. They want to show that they are in control.

    Liked by 1 person

  76. Why we want to force anyone to do anything, kneel? the whole point of fighting racism is to learn, understand and respect each other, unit, come together, be KIND

    Lets not be political, lets think deeper, harder and work on solution together!

    Liked by 1 person

  77. Are you saying she should take a knee? The symbol against the flag? Some want her to take a knee so that they can trash society, show that they are in charge, and anything, such as looting is ok. Some Politicians are ok with what is happening because it’s not in their neighborhood. The death was an evil act and the way to deal with it is focus on individual accountability and punishment where needed, and proper care with who is hired and kept on at the police force, not to treat random officers badly for what bad officers did.

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