Dearborn is home to more than 100,000 residents, and a majority of them are Arab American. When the city spent public money on Ramadan banners and a crescent-moon display in Peace Park, it wasn't favoritism — it was a city reflecting the community that actually lives there.

A federal lawsuit filed by journalist Margot Cleveland now accuses the city and Mayor Abdullah Hammoud of religious bias, claiming in its filing that Dearborn has "been a hostile place for Christians and Jews." The suit points to the holiday displays, along with a tense exchange between the mayor and a local pastor, as its evidence.

But recognizing the faith of the people who make up your city isn't discrimination — it's representation. As Mayor Hammoud told The Guardian, "everyone knows the city of Dearborn is a place where everyone is welcome — Christian or Jew or whatever your background."

The city's own statement gets at the real story: Dearborn has "come under attack precisely because of its welcoming nature and the diversity of the people who proudly call Dearborn home."

We're calling on Mayor Hammoud and the Dearborn City Council to keep standing behind these inclusive practices, and on the federal court hearing this case to dismiss it for what it is — an attempt to punish a city for reflecting its own residents. No diverse community should have to choose between honoring its traditions and being accused of excluding everyone else.

Sign the petition to stand behind Dearborn's inclusive traditions and reject this lawsuit before it discourages every diverse city in America from celebrating its own community.