LISTEN:
During a meeting of the Human Resources Committee, Adrienne Jensen, the Human Rights Commissioner for Sullivan County, informed the Sullivan County Legislators that she had submitted her letter of resignation.
“I feel the need for the position’s utility has been surpassed.”
Jensen further stated that the office of the Human Rights Commission does not have the size or the support, thus being unable to address the county’s needs effectively.
“My concern came when I observed words used to identify and talk about our deep concern profile of our fellow citizens connected to old fearful ideals. It seemed that some had difficulty acknowledging that we live among systems that do need to be improved. It seems that the acknowledged existence of these discriminatory thoughts could not happen because if we held those thoughts in our own minds, that meant we were bad individuals.”
Legislator Ira Steingart thanked Jensen for her service to the county and acknowledged that he has spoken to her in recent weeks regarding her concerns. He noted that during these conversations, he saw her strong passion for the county and its issues..
When Steingart suggested that the position be changed from part-time to full-time,
Jensen said that it would mean only one more day…. “I think that something that the office needs is support. I think that’s really it needs to be recognized as a genuine office within the county. I think that it needs that respect. I hope that whoever fills the position coming up that that it’s someone who understands what I was just speaking about that human rights is an issue for all folks and that it’s not something that people look at to wag a finger at someone or create some sort of disruption, but rather to find a way to bring the county together.”
By: Patricio Robayo