Mayor and her challenger throw verbal punches at each other

Karen Majewski

By Charles Sercombe
The race for mayor is heating up.
Mayor Karen Majewski and her challenger, Amer Ghalib, have taken the gloves off, so to speak, and are taking swings at each other on Facebook.
On the mayor’s Facebook page, a lively exchange is happening between the two.
One of the exchanges makes reference to a recent Detroit Free Press article, in which Ghalib is quoted saying: “In politics, everything is based on opinion. And, you know, sometimes you don’t have to say the truth. You just have to say something to make people happy.”
Majewski took issue with that:
“You know that, whether or not it’s comfortable, I’ve always been upfront with the residents of Hamtramck. You should expect no less from the people who represent you.”

Amer Ghalib

Ghalib responded:
“True, I said that about some politicians and how they behave, but then I said not all of them like that, some actually inspired me to go into politics. I said that when I was comparing between politics and medicine/science.
“I said medicine and science are evidence-based practices and politics is opinion-based, and you know that I’m not a politician so I’m still committed to what I learned in the medical field, integrity, honesty, veracity and fidelity and even respecting confidentiality, which doesn’t exist in politics.”
Majewski answered:
“Every elected official is called on to make decisions based on evidence. And anyone running for office is by definition a ‘politician,’ in addition to whatever else he or she may do.”
Ghalib:
“I am now a politician, but one of those whose background has shaped his personality, and who would put the people’s interest first and who would always abide by high moral and ethical standards, as well as respecting people’s choices and defending civil rights.
“I would still need your help when I take the office though. …”
Majewski took issue with Ghalib expecting her to help him if he wins:
“Let me get this straight: 1. man wants woman’s job 2. wants woman’s help to do it.”
Ghalib said that was not quite what he meant:
“Is that the last argument you have?
“Since when is the mayor’s job only for women?!
“And why should that woman stay in power forever and think that no one can do that job except her, coming up with the same dictators’ arguments and mentalities, who won’t leave offices and resist change until their countries collapse!
“And I said that out of respect, otherwise I will not need your help, because you would come up with the same old and useless approaches that never solved any of our old chronic city problems.”
There are also several other political discussions and debates between the two political camps on other Hamtramck-related Facebook pages.
Remember, the election is next Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Besides the mayoral election, there are six candidates vying for three open seats on city council. There are also two city charter proposals.
Those are the only items on the ballot.
Posted Oct. 29, 2021