As members of Rise Up Ocean County, a group comprised largely of residents of Ocean County,, we believe that any effort to label us a hate group or anti-Semitic is misguided and uninformed. That the efforts to do exactly that originate with a North Jersey politician, under the guise of a position held with The Simon Wiesenthal Center, an organization that is legitimately concerned with anti-Semitism and hate, is disquieting. That he is looking to advance a personal agenda on behalf of a small but influential group in Lakewood, at the expense of the majority of your constituents, is all the more reason to not give serious consideration to his demands.

Furthermore we believe that any governing body that adopts a resolution condemning the activities of Rise Up Ocean County does so as an affront to our first amendment right to free speech and expression and is thereby violating our constitutional right to same.

Rise Up Ocean County was founded on the belief that continued high density housing development in and around Lakewood is having catastrophic affects on our delicate ecosystem, is placing strains on our crumbling infrastructure and is draining financial resources from our public schools to support students attending private schools. Furthermore, the corruption that is allowing this to happen has a deleterious affect on all of Ocean County and must be stopped. Mindful of population projections over the next twelve years, it is our opinion that these problems will increase exponentially to unmanageable levels.

We stand shoulder to shoulder with all parties calling for unity in opposition to anti-Semitism and hate, neither has any place in Ocean County, least of all in the efforts of Rise Up Ocean County where none can be found.

We urge you to spend time on the Facebook page of Rise Up Ocean County, decide for yourself if the labels “hate” and “anti-Semitic” truly apply. You are duty bound do so on behalf of your constituents here in Ocean County rather than be guided by an interloper seeking to parlay false claims into political fortune while simultaneously serving the needs of a small but influential group in Lakewood.