On my wrist is a bracelet made by a West Orange kid, 8-years-old. I bought it at a fundraiser for Palestinian kids, held by West Orange kids, because kids are kids are kids. Kids see other kids, they know when other kids are in trouble, are upset, or need help. Often they see things that adults have learned to not see. 

Our West Orange kids of all ages can see that what's happening to kids in Gaza isn't just happening over there. Kids know it's not something we can ignore or say isn't a West Orange issue. Kids know that they have a voice, a say in what's happening around them. Kids aren't afraid to use it. This kid was no exception.

The bracelet has a watermelon, surrounded by black beads. When I bought it I knew what the watermelon stood for. It has become the adopted symbol for Palestine when under Israeli occupation they were no longer allowed to fly their own flag. But I wasn’t sure about the black beads so I asked what they stood for. They answered, “they represent the seeds.”

Many are familiar with the quote, “They tried to bury us, but they did not know we were seeds. Our kids, your kids, my kid, your grandkids or future grandkids are the seeds of our future.

But right now in Gaza, kids aren’t the future, because they’re dead. Over ten thousand children have been killed by US bombs, bullets, shells, and missiles fired by Israel into Gaza. That is over double the number of kids in our West Orange Schools, over double all the school aged children who live in West Orange, gone.

What is a future without seeds? What would be our future without our kids? On the school at the end of my street, there’s a massive quote carved in the stone. “The problems of the future must be solved by the children of today.” Our children know how to solve the problem of their fellow children being killed. The violence must stop. Period. The End.

The children of Gaza have done exactly the same as the children of West Orange, nothing. So you may think this Resolution is a mistake politically. You may think we need to return our focus to our Township and be a-political again after a series of prominent political statements and actions by Township officials about “international issues.” But the children of our Township, the future of our Township, the future Council Members and Mayors of our Township see this for what it is. Are you going to keep your word, that when another group in town brings forward a resolution you’ll be happy to entertain it?

Will you vote yes, and allow the Resolution onto your next agenda or are you going to refuse to even consider it? During the last hour, 6 Palestinian kids have been killed in Gaza. I hope you make the right decision. We are watching, voters are watching, the kids are watching.

Thank you.