Opinion: The Link Between Covington and Palestine

Let's rewind to January 2019: Covington Mayor Joseph Meyer penned an op-ed in the Cincinnati Enquirer addressing the national controversy swirling around videos of Covington Catholic High School students who were seen mocking Native Americans during the Indigenous Peoples’ March in Washington D.C. In his piece, Mayor Meyer emphasized that the videos did not reflect Covington's core values, asserting the city's stance against bigotry, discrimination and hatred.

Fast forward to today, and the situation has taken a different turn. Mayor Meyer appears to be at odds with his earlier statements. Late last year, residents of Covington urged Mayor Meyer and the City Commission to consider endorsing a straightforward resolution. This resolution called for the U.S. government to advocate for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

Support for the resolution was widespread among Covington residents and those with ties to the Tri-State area. However, resistance primarily came from just two individuals, most notably former Covington City Commissioner Steve Frank, whom we’ll delve into deeper. Despite this, Mayor Meyer declined to take a stance on the resolution or even bring it up for a vote.

However, during a taped, sit-down conversation I had with Mayor Meyer and Sister Alice Gerdeman just days after his decision, he argued that he didn’t want to take a position. But when pressed about why he wouldn’t support a ceasefire, Mayor Meyer claimed it only benefits Hamas and not the thousands of Palestinian men, women and children.

Americans have been asking respective cities, like Covington, to pressure our federal government to push for a ceasefire. Yet Mayor Meyer failed to acknowledge that, per The Lancet, it has been estimated that Israel’s genocidal campaign has killed up to 186,000 Palestinians, including women and children. Gaza now has the highest percentage of amputees in the world.

Some might still ask, “What does Palestine have to do with Covington? Don’t we have our own problems to worry about first?” The spiral of hate and racism that would soon unfold helps answer that question.

In late March, Mayor Meyer forced us to remove our signs from City Hall citing “security reasons,” and claiming political signs can be used as weapons. This was right before the commission passed a public comment ordinance as retribution against our cause, intentionally framing us as potentially violent feeds into the dehumanizing rhetoric that Palestinians, like myself and our supporters, have faced since Oct. 7.

As we pleaded with the city to support the resolution, former Commissioner Frank, who serves on the city’s Economic Development Authority, wrote racist comments on his Facebook page saying that “the Palestinians want dead Jews” and made himself explicitly clear by adding, “I said Palestinian, not Hamas.” Frank later said on camera “that he approved ” of the genocide.

Meanwhile, Mayor Meyer has openly aligned himself with Frank — a stance that brings into sharp focus the troubling implications of their connection to Zionism and its present definition which embraces apartheid against Palestinians. Their combined behaviors have revealed the depths that a racist ideology like Zionism, in its current form, can permeate even local government. Zionism has become an acceptable form of racism for people like Mayor Meyer.

He can speak his mind without having to use the same political correctness from his op-ed five years ago. Why should we allow Zionism to set a dangerous precedent for how our local government starts treating anyone who challenges the status quo?

The Zionist status quo that forms the backbone of the Israeli government is also planting its seeds right here in our precious Covington. We’ve been scrutinized at City Hall and there’s been an increased police presence and surveillance at our peaceful and respectful protests.

While Covington grapples with homelessness, budget decisions, affordable housing and poor roads in parts of town, our city annually sends $660,017 in federal taxes to fund Israel’s war crimes that could be otherwise spent fixing local problems. The United States has sent Israel over $310 billion since 1948 at the expense of American taxpayers.

And all for what in return?

Do we want this to become our city’s new normal? The same mayor who stood under a Ukrainian flag in Mainstrasse , which he says represents “a fight for freedom and democracy that resonates personally right here in Covington,'' doesn't value that sentiment when it comes to Palestine.

Mohammad Ahmad is a Covington, Kentucky, resident and Kentucky native who has lived all over the Commonwealth before planting his roots in Northern Kentucky. A Lexington native and first-generation Palestinian American, Mohammad attended the University of Kentucky and graduated with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. He spent two years working as a sportscaster in Montana and Western Kentucky before moving here to cover the Cincinnati Bengals for cleveland.com .

Now looking for his new career outside of journalism, Mohammad has led the Ceasefire Now Covington coalition and proudly advocates for Palestinian rights and liberation. He also participates in the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange Program (RUX) and loves exploring all of the precious gems and treasures that Covington has to offer.