Antisemitic postcards were delivered to two Mount Pleasant Town Councilmember’s home addresses this week. The mail delivery follows the first reading of a potential hate crime ordinance for the town.

“All of a sudden this postcard sort of jumped out at me with some pretty incendiary things about Jewish people and sort of an argument against what the town is trying to do in passing a hate intimidation ordinance,” Councilman Daniel Brownstein said.

The postcard called Brownstein a “traitor” and claimed the ordinance would not silence them. This isn’t the first time the town has experienced something of this nature. A few months back, antisemitic flyers were found in seven different neighborhoods.

“It’s very unsettling to them,” Brownstein said. “Particularly the Jewish people who have received them, they are afraid to go to public religious events, afraid to put menorahs in their windows, to wear Jewish jewelry.”

Councilman Carl Ritchie received the same piece of mail and said receiving postcards and flyers such as this would not deter him from protecting the community.

Brownstein said there is only so much the town can do and it’s time for the state to step up and pass a hate crime law.

“We’re one of only two states in the country who hasn’t done that yet,” he said. “I realize in the grand scheme of things a postcard sent to a town councilman’s house is probably a small matter, but I hope it contributes to the overall effort of getting this passed in Columbia.”

The first council vote for the hate crime ordinance in Mount Pleasant passed unanimously and the final vote will be at the next meeting in January.