February 7 • 2019 13 jn On Thursday, Jan. 31, we at the Dearborn Historical Commission adopted a resolution objecting to Mayor O’ Reilly’ s refusal to allow the distribution of the new edition of The Dearborn Historian, an issue featuring an article by Bill McGraw entitled “Henry Ford and The International Jew. ” The issue was set to be released upon the 100th anniversary of Henry Ford’ s acquisition of the Dearborn Independent, a sad but important milestone in our city’ s history. We believe that remembering and discussing the history of our city serves a vital civic purpose, and it is to Dearborn’ s credit that we dedi- cate a few of our tax dollars to having a museum that strives to do that. Remembering history is not always an easy or enjoyable task, however. History is complex because it’ s about people, and people are complex. We often have an urge to impose simplicity, where notable people are either heroes or villains, one thing or the other. That’ s not real life or real people, however, and it’ s not real history. When we engage history, we must consider the whole story, not just the positive parts. Dearborn is rightly proud of our favorite son, Henry Ford. Ford is a figure of world-historical significance for his role as an industrialist and innovator. He not only put Dearborn on the map, he also put the world on wheels. He left behind Ford Motor Company, a business and a brand that’ s beloved around the world. Ford Motor con- tinues to be an essential partner to its hometown. Henry Ford’ s histor- ical association with anti-Semitism does not in any way implicate Ford Motor or the Ford family. In fact, Mr. McGraw’ s article describes how the Fords have distinguished them- selves in the fight against anti-Semitism. These good stories are all true, but they can’ t change the shameful legacy of the Dearborn Independent. The Independent had been a sleepy weekly newspaper until Ford and his lieutenants transformed it into a font of anti-Semitic bigotry. With the vast resources of Henry Ford’ s fame and fortune behind it, the newspa- per and its content that was republished in The International Jew gained a worldwide audience. The hateful ideas spread by these publications had consequences. And as the Historian’ s reporting explained, this isn’ t just dusty trivia from a hundred years ago that doesn’ t matter today. These ideas still benefit from their association with Henry Ford’ s name, and these ideas are still hurting people. That’ s why it’ s so important to remember and to discuss history. History has weight. If we only talk about the parts of the past that make us feel good or proud, and neglect to talk about the parts that might cause us introspection or humility, then what we are doing is not history — it’ s some- thing else. We also know that silence concerning anti-Semitism carries a particular weight. That’ s why the Historical Commission feels so strongly about the decision to try to kill this article. We believe that this decision is profoundly wrong. In statements to the media, the city’ s director of public information, Mary Laundroche, has explained the mayor’ s decision as motivated by a desire to protect the city’ s reputation for diversity and inclusion. Our city has indeed made great strides in this regard under Mayor O’ Reilly’ s leadership, and we don’ t doubt that his desire is coming from a place of good faith. However, the mayor’ s communications team has gotten the perception question precisely backwards. An inclusive and diverse community is honest and proactive in co nfronting the darker sides of its history. To the extent that we act like we’ re afraid to confront our history, that shows that we still have some work to do. We urge the mayor to reconsider his decision and to allow the museum staff to distribute the Historian. We urge him to allow the museum the freedom to pursue its duty to historical truth, including the parts that are uncomfortable. In the meantime, I’ d encourage everyone to look up “Henry Ford and The International Jew” on DeadlineDetroit.com. Bill McGraw wrote an exceptional article, and we at the Dearborn Historical Commission are proud to stand behind it. — Jonathon Stanton, chairman of the Dearborn Historical Commission 31 to express disapproval of the cancellation of this issue of The Dearborn Historian and McGraw’ s firing. For McGraw, the editor’ s position was a part-time retirement job and he says it’ s not a big deal to lose it, but he is upset about the mayor’ s suppression of the issue. Robert Sedler, distinguished professor at the Wayne State University Law School and a con- stitutional expert, says the city of Dearborn can do whatever it wants in terms of publishing an article or magazine. However, he says that ending McGraw’ s contract in this situation “does raise a first amend- ment issue” because he was fired for a “bad reason” — the article he wrote about Ford. A contract employee can be fired for any reason, Sedler says, but not “because he published a story.” The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Detroit Chapter condemns the actions of Dearborn Mayor O’ Reilly. “ Any effort to sup- press the dissemination of factual information is an act of censorship and goes against our country’ s long tradition of freedom of the press,” SPJ Detroit Chapter President Beth Konrad said in a statement. CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE? Agustin V. Arbulu, executive director of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, was disturbed to hear the magazine’ s distribution was cancelled. “This is part of his [Ford’ s] leg- acy — he was well-known as an anti-Semite,” Arbulu said. “You have to take the good with the bad. It’ s important to talk about these areas of bias — racism, anti-Sem- itism, anti-LGBT views openly. When we talk about it, we’ re edu- cating people. We have to face up to our history. It’ s a part of our legacy and that’ s very important — other- wise history repeats itself.” Arbulu said McGraw may have the basis to file a complaint against the city of Dearborn under the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act. “He was discriminated against because of what he wrote about. It was a retaliatory act.” ■ continued on page 14 The Dearborn Historical Commission Responds LAUREN ANN DAVIES