Surfside mayor insults Hispanic commissioner with racist remark. Voters should teach him a lesson | Opinion

Often, racist insults and sexist remarks reveal themselves in subtle ways, the slip of a tongue or private chatter meant only for certain ears. However, what Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger let loose at a special Surfside commission meeting Thursday was loud and proud disrespect. It should be denounced.

Danzinger made jaws drop when Commissioner Nelly Velasquez got under his skin. As Danzinger spoke about a proposal to extend the length of elected officials’ terms, nemesis Velasquez attempted to voice her opposition, as she frequently does.

Danzinger asked her to stop interrupting him. Then the mayor turned to others and asked, “Does anybody know how to speak Spanish to tell it to her?”

In racist-speak, Danzinger painted Velasquez as an ignorant Hispanic woman. She’s not.

Members of the audience audibly gasped at the comment, the Miami Herald reported. Danzinger had to use his gavel to calm down those angered by his remark.

“This is discrimination . . . you said that ‘cause I’m Hispanic?, “ Velasquez said to the mayor. “This is disgraceful.”

Then the mayor, unchastened, doubled down.

When asked about his insulting remark, Danzinger told the Herald he was “trying to get information clarified to the commissioner.” Only “I was only joking” could have been a lamer excuse.

Velasquez was rightly stunned. She was born in the United States and speaks English perfectly. Velasquez told reporters it’s not the first time Danzinger has treated her with disrespect. She blames it on the fact that she is an outspoken opponent.

Whatever strained relationship exists between the mayor and Velasquez, Danzinger sullied the proceedings and his office, speaking as if she were mentally unable to comprehend a normal concept.

Danzinger owes Velasquez, and the public, an apology, in he same setting in which he hurled his his insult. And he should be publicly rebuked by commissioners.

If not, the voters of Surfside should teach the mayor a lesson next election year.