
Pictured above: State Representative Minnie Gonzalez, on right in striped shirt, being threatened with arrest as she yells at Sean Arena to "stay the f**k out of Puerto Rican politics" Tuesday night at City Hall
I have been getting a lot of comments from people who have been wondering what Councilman Luis Cotto was thinking when he referred to "lily white people". Maybe it is time to remind people that racism is not a one-way street.
I have read the comments posted here about "Puerto Rican politics" and wondered who would use such terms. Do we also have special ways to deal with Black or white politics? Is it proper for lawmakers to design or gear laws to benefit only one group? Is there really such a thing as "Puerto Rican politics"?
Well, after witnessing the behavior of State Representative Minnie Gonzalez at Tuesday nights Council meeting, I have confirmed there apparently is such a thing. Gonzalez was yelling quite loudly at former Democratic Town Committee Chair Sean Arena outside the Council Chambers. The shouting attracted quite a bit of attention and at one point Gonzalez was swinging her arms at Arena and yelling at him to "stay the f**k out of Puerto Rican politics".
A Hartford Police officer assigned to City Hall stepped in and told Gonzalez that she would be arrested if she didn't stop her behavior. The altercation was pretty intense and the picture above was taken as the officer stepped in.
This divisive politics is childish and racist at the very least. Should Hartford voters vote only for for candidates by race and if we do that are we being properly served by the system? As long as nothing is said about the statements "lily white" and "stay the f**k out of Puerto Rican politics", we are condoning racism and allowing it to divide us as a community.
We need to look for, elect and support political leaders who can look at their constituents as "color blind" and serve each and everyone of their constituents as equals. Until we can do that, Hartford will be stuck with political leaders that belong in the deep south of the 1960's, not a multicultural community like Hartford in the year 2010.
It is one thing to represent a heavily Hispanic area or District, but to advocate for a single group when you are elected to represent all is wrong and offensive. If politicians can't learn to be "color blind" then maybe it is time to show them the door and elect people that treat everyone as equal.
