There comes a time when we as a community need to collectively look in the mirror and ask ourselves the question: Who are we?

The laser focused act of arson on three political signs put in place on behalf of Manteca Mayor Gary Singh is one of those moments.

We like to believe that racism doesn’t enter into the picture.

After all, Manteca is diversified with the largest “ethnic” group being Hispanic.

The current mayor and his predecessor, Ben Cantu, were elected city wide. Both, under various government classifications, are considered minorities.

In 2022, Manteca by a large margin, elected Singh, who immigrated to America as a 3 year-old from India, as its mayor.

Two years later, the same voters elected then Lathrop mayor Sonny Dhaliwal to represent Manteca on the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors. Dhaliwal immigrated to America as a young man from India with $20 in his pocket

There is little doubt racism exists; always has and unfortunately always likely will.

If it indeed entered the thought process of whoever the roaming arsonist in Manteca is, it is clearly despicable.

It needs to be made clear this is not a “prank by some kids.”

Two separate sign fires along Daniels Street in the wee hours of Wednesday morning — the one closer to Starbucks thankfully fizzled out — and one that was partially burned at Yosemite and Fishback three days earlier, were all advocating Singh’s re-election.

They were deliberate, targeted acts.

As for the hatred angle, where does one start?

A new pizza place opens and there are more than a few people who can’t resist taking to social media with snide remarks about “those people” or blatantly posting about how Indian businesses are somehow taking over Manteca.

They make the same observation when complaining about Manteca’s ample supply of gas stations and convenience stores with more in the queue that clearly are appreciated by the vast majority of Manteca residents that patronize them.

Some defenders of such non-too-subtle toxic drivel on Facebook, X, Instagram and such offer that it’s free speech and/or they are just being funny.

Free speech doesn’t mean one has carte blanche to soil communication, but then again when potty mouth behavior has been transferred to keyboards on a wholesale basis, what do we expect?

As for the “can’t they take a joke crowd,” the repetitious nature of it —repeatedly doubling down, if you will — takes it out of the class of trying to be humorous and into the categories of taunting and bullying.

And that can lead to people — either ones that have their hearts and souls buried beneath the rubble of the dark world created by fear, envy, and the other henchmen of self-righteousness or those brainwashed by such repetitive postings and words — to move up to the big league of hatred.

If by some stretch of the imagination, the arson is the work “of kids doing pranks,” the targeted nature of it directed toward Singh means they have been taught to do so.

The line “it must be kids doing pranks” is no different than the age-old excuse a child utters of “I dunno” when caught red handed and is asked who did something.

Plant the seed of hatred and make sure you fertilize it with the No. 2 and then water it with daily postings assures it will grow and spread into every crevice the Internet reaches.

So, what do we do?

The answer is simple. We counter it.

We don’t tip toe and say it’s not nice or its inappropriate. We condemn and commit ourselves to countering it by reaching out and communicating.

Avoid shouting whether it is with the stroke of a keyboard literally in someone’s face.

Yelling, trash talking and cursing is not being passionate. It reeks of hatred.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, don’t bet your retirement fund on it not being a duck.

So, is it racism?

To be honest one couldn’t say with 100% certainty until a forensic examination is conducted, if you will, of the responsible party’s life, which today likely focuses on their Internet and social media activity.

There is no doubt it’s hatred.

The three for three nature of the signs promoting Singh’s candidacy deep sixes the possibility it’s a pure pyromaniac.

That is why it is important to understand that a small but persistent number of people in this election cycle don’t oppose Singh as much as hate Singh.

There’s a big difference. And if we don’t understand that difference, why would anyone be shocked someone is going around Manteca lighting Singh signs on fire and putting property and possibly even lives in jeopardy.

It may indeed be one or two bad apples.

And while they don’t spoil the whole bushel, if they are not pointed out and addressed, eventually it rots all of the apples.