Hi neighbors,
Earlier this week, the Lynnwood Times ran a paid advertisement on Facebook from Mountlake Terrace City Council candidate Othman Riad. The ad highlighted his campaign, his Muslim faith, and his past service on the city’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Commission.
The comments that followed weren’t just disheartening. They were ugly.
“Stopped reading after ‘DEI commissioner.’”
“Don’t vote for this Muslim activist!!”
“Is he an Islamic plant like so many others?”
“They’re infiltrating us from within.”
“DEI = Didn’t Earn It.”
“If you are trying to further destroy your cities, elect this piece of s**t.”
“Where do these re***ded douche bags come from?”
“Oh god another re***ded communist.”
And on and on.
These weren’t faceless trolls. They were people posting under their real names—some from nearby cities, some possibly local—joining in with slurs, conspiracies, and hate.
This isn’t “backlash.” It’s bigotry.
You don’t have to agree with every policy a candidate supports. That’s democracy. But this wasn’t about policy. It was about identity. Faith. Race. Inclusion. The moment some folks saw the word “Muslim” or “DEI,” they stopped listening and started attacking.
And if we don’t call that out, we normalize it.
We’ve spent a lot of time this year talking about trust, surveillance, and who systems really serve. This is part of that same conversation. When people who cheerlead surveillance tools like Flock Safety also spew this kind of hate—when they frame inclusion as weakness or danger—we need to ask: what happens when their worldview shapes local power? Who gets targeted first?
Because in places where this rhetoric goes unchecked, it’s not long before surveillance and suspicion are aimed squarely at the people being dehumanized.
Othman’s response, by contrast, was steady and dignified:
Recently, a local newspaper ran a paid ad highlighting my candidacy, my faith, and my role as a DEI commissioner. Some of the comments that followed were...less than kind.
Let me be clear:
I am proud to be a Muslim. I am proud to have served my community through DEI work, and I am proud to be running for office, not in spite of those things, but because of them. Being a Muslim is part of who I am. It teaches me to serve with compassion, integrity, and humility.
And my work as a DEI commissioner? That was about making sure everyone in our city, no matter their race, background, ability, or income, has a fair shot. It was about listening, solving problems, and building trust across differences. That's the kind of leadership our communities deserve.
These criticisms are not really about me, they are about fear. But fear does not build strong cities. Respect does. Listening does. Working together does.
So if you are tired of politics that divides us, and ready for leadership that brings us together, I invite you to join me.
Let's build a city that works for everyone.
That’s the kind of leadership we should be defending right now.
Some will say, “Ignore it. Don’t give it oxygen.” But sunlight isn’t oxygen. Sunlight is accountability. And this moment deserves light.
So let me be clear:
Being Muslim is not disqualifying. It’s a strength.
DEI work is not radical. It’s the bare minimum for equity.
Public service should be respected, not mocked or threatened.
And Mountlake Terrace should be a place where no one fears running for office because of who they are.
Want to do something? Then let’s do the opposite of what those commenters want. Let’s show up, speak out, and make sure Othman—and every neighbor who’s ever felt unseen—knows they are not alone here.
You don’t have to support his campaign to agree on this much: no one should be attacked for their faith or for serving on a DEI commission.
If you’re still reading, I think you believe that too.
Let’s live like it.
Until next time,
Dustin