Last week, citing public safety concerns, Mayor Joe Ganim ordered the removal of the Christopher Columbus statue at Seaside Park and placed in storage.
Protests have surged across the country urging the removal of statues and monuments that represent slavery and colonization and not the heroism associated with their names for centuries.
Behind the scenes former State Rep. Christopher Caruso and ex two-term Mayor Lenny Paoletta engaged in multiple conversations with community leaders supportive of scrubbing the statue to reach some common ground.
City Council members Michael DeFilippo and Jeanette Herron, whose North End district includes a strong Italian American community, have submitted a resolution calling for the statue’s return while a community dialogue continues to find historical context that appeals to both sides of the issue.
The resolution, backed by 14 council members, also calls on the mayor to convene a special meeting of the council to address the matter.
What a mistake. It’s been taken down. To put it back up know with no resolution will only infuriate the other side. Then take it down again and the other side gets infuriated.
Come up with a solution and not a yo-yo.
The Barnum Museum, the Barnum Festival committee, the Park Commission, Mayor Ganim, and the City Council need to seriously look at and study the entire history and life of PT Barnum because it is totally incomplete, there are some good things about Barnum but this is 2020 and times are changing and PT Barnum must be apart of that change. The only the public knows he was probably the world great showman who own slaves. Move the statue of PT Barnum to the Barnum Museum and have the whole story of Barnum made public for everyone to see. A descendant of President Thomas Jefferson, Shannon Lanier, gives Bridgeport the direction to go in. Or does the Barnum Museum, the Barnum Festival committee, the Park Commission, Mayor Ganim, and the City Council want to continue with the lie about Barnum’s life.
OPINION
I’m a Descendant of President Jefferson. Take His Public Statues Down | Opinion
SHANNON LANIER
ON 6/18/20 AT 7:55 AM EDT
I AM THE SIXTH GREAT-GRANDSON OF PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON, WHO WAS A SLAVE OWNER. I AM A DESCENDANT THROUGH HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS SLAVE, SALLY HEMINGS. DESPITE MY CONNECTION TO JEFFERSON, HE FALLS UNDER THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION. THERE ARE MANY STATUES OF HIM THAT SHOULD COME DOWN. HE WAS, AFTER ALL, A PARTICIPANT IN THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY—PERHAPS THE MOST NOTORIOUS ONE AMONG THE FOUNDING FATHERS, NOT LEAST BECAUSE OF THE JARRING CONTRAST BETWEEN WHAT HE PRACTICED AND WHAT HE PREACHED.
A statue alone only provides content, but a museum setting would allow it to have context. It is imperative that we remember our history, that we don’t erase our complicated past, but preserve and learn from it while understanding where those figures fit into the fabric of our country. In the sentiment of Thomas Jefferson, we have to grow and change with our times.
Now I know many people, even some of my family members, will say Jefferson was not as bad as a leader of the Confederate Army. After all, he wrote the Declaration of Independence, created the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, made the Louisiana Purchase and participated in the founding of the Library of Congress and the University of Virginia. I respect him for those things… but on the other hand, ask yourself if you can look past the fact that he owned more than 600 people against their will, knew it was wrong, but never let them go.
Can you look past that and praise him as an idol on a pedestal just because he wrote a document that he thought did not apply to you or your family in the first place? He has a place in our history, to be sure; but this place needs to be occupied by the real Thomas Jefferson, not the character he projected through his more inspirational writings.
0
And if the So-called City Council want to do something to appear relevant why not do something about the Police Department.
I told them do something, do something quick and so something meaningful. And the So-called City Council submits a couple of resolutions, pats themselves on the back and goes home.
Oh wait, they didn’t even have to go home they never left there. What a waste.
Racist rant Rob, you called it, sides. Your racist rant was based on sides. Comrade Ron, praised your record, and supported you in an open letter along with other prominent minority figures in the Port that were sent to the mayor’s office, because of sides, right? Ron’s attack on the Port’s biggest celebration that distinguishes Park City from other CT cities is based on sides not what’s best for the Port.
The cutting the nose off the city to spite its face is destructive for the Port. For the most part, the sides don’t care about injustice as long as it’s not against their side. Only when it’s against their side is when it seems unfair unjust. As I said, it’s a push to me, a name on a school building is less important than the shape of the building and the education coming out of it. Or a statue in a park over the state of the park. PT on the other hand is crossing that food chain line of what animals can be eaten. (chicken, cow, rabbit, cat, dog, horse.) The called for PT’s removal is less than the call for Columbus’ removal, but there was a time when Columbus wasn’t much of an issue either. Feel me?
If a conversation is needed to be made on the subject lets not overlook all side’s points of view. It’s been said, Colubume was a Jew, the Italian people and its identity didn’t come into existence until 350 years after his voyage. The Italians are a mulatto race, Columbus never stepped a foot on what is America today, and to condemn the act (Columbus’ voyage) yet celebrate the result of Columbus’s voyage seems to be very one-sided towards a people, and America, Why is America the country born out of the European conquest being condemned but Puerto Rican and it heritage is celebrated? or any other nations celebrating theirheritage as a result of Columbus’s voyage and the European conquest?
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Aruba (Netherlands)
Bahamas, The
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda (United Kingdom)
Bolivia
Bonaire (Netherlands)
Bouvet Island (Norway)[84]
Brazil
British Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
Canada
Cayman Islands (United Kingdom)
Chile[85]
Clipperton Island (France)
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Ecuador
El Salvador
Falkland Islands (United Kingdom)[90]
French Guiana (France)
Greenland (Denmark)
Grenada
Guadeloupe (France)
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Martinique (France)
Mexico
Montserrat (United Kingdom)
Navassa Island (United States)
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Puerto Rico (United States)
Saba (Netherlands)
Saint Barthélemy (France)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin (France)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Sint Eustatius (Netherlands)
Sint Maarten (Netherlands)
South Georgia and
South Sandwich Islands (UK)[95]
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos Islands (UK)
United States of America[note 2]
U.S. Virgin Islands (United States)
Uruguay Venezuela.
But when looking through the prism of sides the meaning of things gets lost on focusing for the win, and your side seems the only real thing that matters. If you don’t by that just remember the Italians didn’t seem to have a problem with removing the “Columbus” street parade out of the Port. I didn’t see the Puerto Ricans community remove their heritage celebration because of police funding in the Port. JS Port People.
https://bronx.news12.com/story/39093970/officials-bridgeport-columbus-day-parade-moving-to-shelton
You are an asshole. Why don’t you start your own blog and then we will see if anyone logs in.
Here’s something to think about too? For those against Columbus is really about indigenous people’s plight or your own racism, the animosity of America or side? Considering Columbus had nothing to do with this land, the land of America, and the people of the land he does have a horrific history with are proud of their heritage that is a result of Columbus. JS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8nbalKkRAg
The removal of the statue of Columbus who took over 1500 indigenous people to Europe and sold them as slave and who raped young indigenous girls as young as 13 should be removed. Don’t remove it because it’s Right, instead Remove it because having it up is wrong, immoral and unjust.
Comrade, Day where do you draw the line? Mountrushmoor has two found fathers who owned slaves. Do we remove them because it’s immoral and unjust, And if so, wouldn’t Amerian have to be removed too? And if so wouldn’t Martin Luther King’s monument has to be removed too because it symbolized White Supermacy” in America?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5BqLwb0TBs
Removing the statue of Columbus isn’t a slap in the face of Italians, instead it’s righting a wrong in American history.
Comrade, Columbus has nothing to do with American plight to the indigenous people of this land, For the most part, Amerian did even exist until 280 years after his voyage. Just remember a slave born when America came into being could have been freed in their lifetime. Try to be fair about American fighting a wrong in it history.
P.S Comrade there are many immoral and unjust things in the Bible too are you saying black churches be removed too?
Please tell how the removal of Columbus is righting a wrong in American? American? If the people you say blacks will never vote for has an issue with Columbus, that fair. Just don’t condemn the act while celebrating the results. JS
*** The dark past of giving homage to colonialist slavers & rebel traitor’s because of white-washed history & attached ethic pride to these dark figures should be left in a history museum not government property or public parks, etc. Its been removed once & by putting it back shows no respect or understanding to the fact that these so-called dark heros were contrary to the very core of the U.S. constitution & civil rights amendments. The time for re-writing & understanding america’s dark “white-washed” history is now, & not continue paying homage to those who’s dark deeds were really kept out of the history books due to the racial bias of the times! ***
That’s part of it. The very core of this nation is the birth of the constitution & its civil liberties. They are inseparable. The first President that we pay homage to has a dark past. We celebrate Presidents Day Washington, who own slaves when it was formed, and Lincoln who ended slavery. You are not talking about the dark deeds of American history more than the dark deeds and grotesque of human nature.
You have to ask yourself what is stronger and valued more a monument or the constitution itself, the foundation of this country? Where do you draw the line? Do you feel like a comrade, Ron, and Joseph the statue of PT be removed from the park he donated to the city he helps built because of his past?
Funny, when I expressed the Italians are a mulatto mixed-race on a FB post about this very subject. I got a reply, “they don’t view themselves that way.” Fine, Ok, doesn’t change the facts of history though. I told her, “It’s how you view them”. The same can be said for Columbus. The Italians don’t view Columbus the same as others. I get it. Who would choose a man with such a legacy to represent them, considering A) It’s been said he was a Jew. B) Italy wasn’t even a nation until 350 years after the fact. No one can deny him as a human figure in history his voyage changed and shaped the world as it was known. With that being said, who should tell some else who they should have to honor them in America because of how they view someone in history.
The ethic people of the Port have their days. I’m not Puerto Rican, for the most part, I view my self as an American. I can choose to view myself as Portuguese and Italian, I guess, but if I leave this country I will be viewed as an American. But I been going to the Puerto Rican parade as long as I can remember. The same can be said for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, not at the Port’s Irish parade so much, because for some odd stupid political reason, I bet, it’s held on a weekday. No one is forcing anyone to attend Columbus Day parade or any other ethnic celebration. For those who view Columbus as a disgrace don’t celebrate it or go the parade, just enjoy the day of school and work if your lucky to have it it off. That is the American way. However, if you don’t view yourself as an American you won’t view it that way. JS
P.S I still stand by my view it was the Jews in Hollywood, not the Jew on the boat who gave the Mulatto Italian their whiteness. 🙂 Bam I’out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=435mkg6_eGQ
This statue is what the CC is focused on??…Do they have any clue what the backlash would be if they put the statue back up??,do they read the news??.That statue gets put back up,it will be torn down and possibly damaged within days.Leave the thing in storage,eventually there will be a place for it..somewhere….How about the Council focus it’s efforts on getting to the bottom of the legal fees Joe is paying to defend his inner circle from the latest FBI probe??…No of them want to rattle the cage with November right around the corner.Same old Bpt,things never get better,they continue to get worse year after year.
As expected that’s a political side statement. Have you drove on the East Side in the 90s with the Jersey barriers. The city has gotten better. Just another attack from a political side. Also, have you been reading the news? The Council has no choice but to be focusing on what has been going one, Have you missed the protest at BPD? If the people want it down it should be done by legal means and with the support of the residence of the city. Don’t you think? Although, If the Italians want to use a disgrace legacy of a man to represent them, so be it. People say not my president. Well, Columbus is not paying homage to any other races other than Italians. If the native wants to put a statue up they should be able to pick who they want to represent them. Shouldn’t the Italians have a say on who they want to represent them? If they pick a disgraced man, who is to tell them no? Everyone in this country should know Columbus had another to do with this country or the indigenous people of this land.
That being said, Harvey you a smart person and well informed on city politics, as many here on OIB. I have watched many debates here over the years on police overtime, AJ, the excessive force being used, etc. But never did I hear that BPD budget is 50% more the Hartford and with 40 fewer officers. Where the BPD budget is 103 million, not including overtime budget, to Harford PD budget is 46 million. I heard this on FB from the sister of the kid who got shot and killed by a “rooky” officer in the Port. There is no way many people who post on OIB didn’t know this, At that Hartford rate, the Port could have 900 officers to its current 400 plus. If I’m wrong please correct me.
Day, Ron what is the BFD budget compared to other cities? Is twice as much with the same man force as the BPD?
Harvey, you bring up the 500,000 dollars paid for lawyers. But no mentioned (if true) since Ganim was an election the Port paid 300 million more on the BPD from what our state capital city paid its police department. So since this is common knowledge to many insiders and no one seems to bring it up here on OIB, like you Harvey, just how Ganim hired his friend AJ. I will assume It’s not about stopping the candy store from getting rob by the clerks. It’s about getting your side in as the clerk so you can rob it yourselves. JS
To be fair, They say you get what you pay for so for the money the Port is paying on it PD it should super force compare to Hartford’s. Everyone likes money, but can we get some better value from it because i’m not seeing it. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTFJocQBLyE
Let’s put the Common back in the Common Council!
Why isn’t the Common Council meeting these days?
All we need to do is put up plexiglass barriers between the council members and begin to meet in public.
There is no outcry from the Common Council about going back to school in the fall. So why don’t we show them there is nothing to be afraid of or do they prefer testing it on the kids while their remote from home works fine for the Common Council.
Common Council chamber is large enough to hold the Christopher Columbus statue.
Do not release a single penny of stipend money until the Common Council begins meeting in person in public both in full council and committee meetings. No show no stipend.
All existence is forever injustice to one form of life or another. Blow up the world. Nihil Nihil Nihil
That’s correct Pete!! At some point in the worlds history everyone was a slave a slave owner, or even both. Everyone.
It still goes on today.
I’m still waiting for the reparation monies due to me from Moscow, for when they executed my grandparents and many other relatives at the start of WWII in September of 1939!!!
How about that now!!!!
*** Then move to Moscow & sue them for your reparations.***
*** Those that live in America should be concerned with America not other places in the world.*** Its time for the dark history of America that’s been white-washed for centuries to be exposed & taken down from public & governmental property. Like Columbus, (a converted jew) whom was turned down by Italy for his first trip to the new world but backed by Spain. A master navigator & admiral who’s 4-transatlantic voyages opened the way for european exploration & colonizations of the america’s, etc. A man whose real birth place may have been Spain or Portugal or elsewhere ; however it is known his career as a seaman began in the Portuguese Merchant Marine. The great explorer that brought many diseases that reached the new worlds, killed jailed & in slaved many indigenous people & non christians in his quest for gold, riches, spices & herbs, sugar, coffee & tobacco, rum, etc… Columbus’s discoveries changed the world forever & the course of history. Yet at the same time, he should never be regarded as a “hero” for his treatment of humans which was atrocious & should never be forgotten. ***
*** The current Bpt. City Council is nothing more than a political extension of the Ganim Admin. & the “what have you done for me lately”, sitting local district leaders & their puppet council members. ***JUST-SAYING***
@ Bob Walsh….It will be interesting to see how some members spent their stipend $$ this year.I can see it now…..”I spent $900.00 for a new laptop so I could participate via zoom,in the meetings”..guaranteed..
While I’m not trying to downplay your grandparents dilemma in Russia, but going back 9 generations my ancestor (She) was purchased by a white man named Robert Day.
Two generations of oppression, a walk in the park. 🤔🤭
9 generations ago and 2 generations of oppression. That’s 7 to the good right? Yes, I know there were many obstacles along the way. I get that.
2 generations ago my people’s lives were taken away forever.
In your words, ANY QUESTIONS?
My ancestor was the first Day purchased, early 1700’s, but many, many were killed a long the way to get me here to talk to you. Any Questions? I have plenty of Answers!
Don, the difference that Rich refuses to acknowledge is that his family has skin protection so who would know the Russian, the Italian, the Irish, the German until they spoke and they overcame the language barrier they were all the same. You could take all of the blacks in Africa and have them all speaking the language but their skin color is not excepted to be equal to any white person.
Day and Rich while you knuckleheads go at it about the grotesque human behavior and the plights of your ancestors, and Day drives two Benz and you Rich relax in your two lakeside home there are human beings dying of starvation today. So why do you go into your respective corner and give it a rest?
RT: You’re absolutely right. I posted here a long time ago that frequently I just enjoy getting people’s blood boiling . THESE GUYS ARE EASY!!
I clearly understand the plight of ALL people’s. As a matter of fact, in 1989 the Stamford advocate did a story on me when I was union president. In that anecdote, it was clearly described how I was raised and how my dad explained to me the plight of people from all over the world and how everyone should be treated equally, which is why I’m molded the way I am. He told me the stories because he witnessed atrocities towards people all over the world during his travels after he escaped from labor camp etc. and then went to fight in WWII. Sometimes I put the “bait” out here on OIB without naming anyone or even directing it toward anyone-knowing who will “take” it. Ron and Don always take it and then the “entertainment” begins!
In all seriousness though, I just find it unfortunate that people like them just can’t move on and try to be more positive about how far we all in society have come. I have always acknowledged the fact that there are problems in society, always have . I’ve done whatever I could to help those in need during my lifetime. Ron and Don‘s objective is to convince everyone that their issue is the ONLY issue of tantamount importance. They seem to believe that what happened to their people is the most egregious thing that has ever happened to any others throughout history. I only try to point out that many people’s have had really serious struggles against many different forms of oppression throughout history and even today. They continually just don’t accept that. Whether someone’s “not black enough” or whatever, their comments mostly indicate that they can’t accept that throughout history, many have had similar and even worse circumstances in life. I.E.: extinction.
Oh and RT, it beachfront not lake!!
Just kidding. Cheers!
They never seem to stop lamenting. Maybe they should just clearly state what they want. They certainly have the sympathy and empathy of many people but they never get to a point of what they are actually looking for. To me it seems that all they want to do is complain.
Rich, let me ask you again, what does your wife, children, parent and your white friends think about racism? Blacks live in it every day.
Yawn.
Ron, if you haven’t ever sought help I suggest you do so.
Your drum beat is so monotonous nobody can hear it anymore.
Rich, those black police and firefighters that you mention before ask them if they talk about racism with their wife, children, parents. EVERY black parent talks about racism with their children ALL the time in order tp prepare them for life after they finish high school, college or even if they dropout of school. A Yawn for you and your 4 and no more but for those blacks that you mentioned it’s about survival for their love one.
It not about moving on, its more of how they are fighting the cause of black treatment on America. In my opinion. I hear you. They forget to understand the people whose ancestor were lucky to not be a victim of the slave trade to America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gFKF9nsPkE
Exactly.
There are some fuck up shit police do though to blacks for no other reason but the color of their skin. But mostly because of the stereotype of penis size. The root of all of it. The Chinese don’t seem to have a problem. 🙂 So I see their point.
I saw home security video of a black man getting pulled out from his home and placed in a police car in his boxers because his home alarm when off. Come on now home many home robber dress in their boxers? Being a betting man with Ron’s and Day’s “privilege Job” and pension. Well, just say, bust out the Stanley. They don’t mention anything about the real discrimination of Black men, right NAACP JML? 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=278478373534231&external_log_id=0f06f15b-44cd-4fa1-9d6d-7acaf3f6b07d&q=raphie%20may
Rich, those black police and firefighters that you mention before ask them if they talk about racism with their wife, children, parents. EVERY black parent talks about racism with their children ALL the time in order tp prepare them for life after they finish high school, college or even if they dropout of school. A Yawn for you and your 4 and no more but for those blacks that you mentioned it’s about survival for their love one.
As a compromise to re-erecting the Columbus statue, in deference to the behavior of Bridgeport mayors and other political players of note in the modern era (especially since circa 1990), I would recommend creating a more appropriate Bridgeport historical monument, such that the extant Christopher Columbus statue (albeit removed/relocated under a “statue-protection” program under the auspices of BPD), be “repurposed” and melted-down for use in the creation of a “Tribute to the Mayors of Bridgeport” statue, the latter being in the form of a classical statue of Pinocchio and mounted at the base of the stairs leading into City Hall I at 45 LYIN’ Terrace…