When hateful notes were found in the Shirley Avenue in Revere last week – notes that were threatening to Muslims – the city rallied and responded in an extraordinary way.
First of all, the Revere Police responded to the situation with the utmost seriousness. While the specific threats on the notes, which purported to threaten the lives of every Muslim in the United States and Europe could never have been explicitly carried out, there was the certain possibility that the creator of these notes could exact violence upon the members of the local community.
The Revere Police took that in to complete consideration, involving Federal and State law enforcement immediately. There was never any attempt to play down the seriousness of this matter.
Beyond that, Police Chief Joe Cafarelli visited local mosques and his senior investigators visited local Muslim-owned businesses.
They listened to their concerns. They reassured them publicly.
Furthermore, Mayor Dan Rizzo issued a commanding rebuke of these notes and pledged his support to the Muslim community in Revere that he equated with the entire community of Revere. In this instance we were all one.
A silver lining can be found in the fact that police, the city, and leaders of the Muslim community in Revere and neighboring cities have forged an even closer relationship than previously existed.