Yes, Virginia, There Is Racism In Connecticut

Many people feel that racism is only a southern problem, but it is right here in Connecticut.

CT city in turmoil over ‘Keep CT White’ gathering, incendiary Facebook posts
The Hartford Courant
By Don Stacom
August 28, 2023

Angered by a recent “Keep CT White” rally and a series of inflammatory Facebook posts by a local GOP activist, Bristol Democrats and NAACP leaders are condemning what they said are white supremacist attitudes in the city along with indifference by the Republican mayor and council.

“Our mayor here in Bristol has been asked on several occasions based on the uptick in racist activity in our city to simply say ‘This is not OK for Bristol,’ and he has refused at every turn,” Morris “Rippy” Patton, a Democratic city council candidate, told the press in front of the Infinite Hope diversity mural on Route 72.

The controversy pulled in the usually innocuous farmers market, whose coordinator — long-time community leader and Republican activist Jim Albert — posted numerous Facebook messages over the past year citing Fox News stories while decrying Black leadership nationally.

Right here in River City… Racism with a capitol R as in Republicans!

“Two weeks ago I left my young daughter with someone watching her at our farmers market. Never would I have imagined the racist, vile remarks that had just been made by the person who runs that event,” Patton [Former Democratic Town Committee chairman] said. “So I can tell you that as a candidate, as a community volunteer and advocate, and as a father, we won’t be going back to our own farmers market which is less than a quarter of a mile from our house. We’re just not not safe there any more.”

But as he is denying that he’s a racist…

“As far as bigotry and racism, I deny I’m a racist and bigot. I haven’t been one and don’t intend to ever be one, there’s no reason to do that,” said Albert, who helps the Rotary Club coordinate the weekly farmers market downtown.

Among his writings was a post saying “There’s a reason most DAs and AGs prosecuting Trump and his staff are black and progressive Democrats. This is why blacks are not moving forward as a whole and whites are moving farther away from racial equality with blacks. Blacks simply are not trustworthy and these corrupt leaders should be removed as soon as possible for treason and domestic terror.”

These Republicans have bought the Republican party line, they bought it hook, line, and sinker that they don’t even recognize the fact that it is racist.

Despite Democrats at the press conference blaming him for appointing Albert to run the farmers market, Mayor Jeff Caggiano said the operation is no longer directed by the city but instead is held in partnership with the Rotary. Caggiano said he phoned Albert after hearing about the Facebook posts.

I am will to bet that the Bristol Rotary club is over 90% white.

“I want to echo my displeasure on any outside group trying to divide our Bristol community. Hate speech has no place in Bristol and I ask everyone in our community to join me in calling out hate speech in any form,” he said.

He doesn’t see that as being racist, that “Keep CT White” is racist, that is how twisted they are.