Superior Mayor Apologizes In Letter, To Meet With Local Muslim Community Members

Superior Mayor Bruce Hagen is returning early from his vacation to meet with members of the Twin Ports’ Muslim community this weekend after the mayor’s controversial Facebook comment last week calling President Barack Obama a Muslim.

On Saturday, the Associated Press reported that Hagen wrote a letter that appeared in the Superior Telegram newspaper on Friday that said the Facebook post was “a poor choice of words in a moment of anger.”

“I apologize to the Muslim community for being insensitive,” Hagen wrote in the letter.

In an interview at his home Saturday morning, Hagen explained his anger and stubbornness over subsequent Facebook comments played a role in why he apologized more than a week later.

“I had my back up,” he said. “I’m not a racist. I’m not a bigot. I’m not a religious zealot. I’m a Christian, and I have a strong faith in God. I have so many friends that are of various different religions. The bottom line was I was deeply, deeply in pain and hurt by what was cast back at me for what I believed to be an honest error and mistake.”

Last week, Hagen’s Facebook comment drew criticism that culminated with a small group of people protesting at city hall. They demanded the mayor retract his comment, apologize or resign. Hagen had cited his right to free speech, saying he won’t resign amid calls to step down.

Ibrahim Al-Qudah, president of the Islamic Center of the Twin Ports, which has about 300 members, said Superior’s mayor will join their members to talk about the comment over dinner on Saturday.

“Do it with love and peace and open hearts and open doors and just talk about things,” he said.

Al-Qudah said he thinks the mayor isn’t getting a fair shake.

“Those remarks that were made on Facebook, I don’t think they were just or fair to represent who he really is,” he said.

Al-Qudah said he’s not sure those demands for the mayor to resign are the best response.

“Don’t challenge people. Don’t put them on the spot. Say, ‘Come on. say you’re sorry. Say you made a bad decision,’” he said.

Twin Ports Justice City Coalition member Kym Young said their demands aren’t set in stone.

“But they are tactics that have been utilized to call attention to the mayor to let him know … we’re not just bystanders and have no power in this,” Young said.

Young said just under 100 people have signed a petition supporting a censure of Hagen.

Speaking at his home on Saturday, Hagen said he supports a motion to censure him and a recall election if it helps the community move forward.

“I would encourage and prefer a recall election to have the value, trust and direction dictated by the voters,” he said. “That I think will eventually, hopefully, bring the community back together as to what direction they wish to take in all aspects of community.”

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect media reports about Hagen’s letter printed in the Superior newspaper and his comments from a Saturday morning interview with WPR reporter Danielle Kaeding.