Congressman Jim Himes on Monday will host a forum to discuss current race relations in America, 6:30 p.m. at the Darien Public Library, 1441 Post Road, Darien. Doors open at 6 p.m.
“Recent killings across the country have shown again that we have racial tension and gulfs in our understanding of each other and we must use this moment as a jumping off point to a broad conversation on race as well as groups driving the national discussion such as Black Lives Matter,” according to a Himes news advisory about the event. “These can only be understood and improved through sustained and open dialogue. We must move forward together to prevent any further acts of senseless violence.”
PANELISTS:
· Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04)
· Dr. Anthony L. Bennett, Head Pastor of Mount Aery Baptist Church and President of C.O.N.E.C.T.
· Deputy Chief Ashley Gonzalez, City of Norwalk Police Department
· Rev. Cass Shaw, Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport
· Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean, Quinnipiac University Political Science Department
Somebody should let our esteemed “Spanish” speaking Congressman that Fairfield County is not simply Black and White, we would like to see someone (not associated with Law Enforcement) of Puerto Rican decent at the TABLE. YES, THIS IS MY MUCH-NEEDED NEW THING. IT IS FAR TOO EVIDENT IN BRIDGEPORT WHERE WE PRACTICALLY OUTNUMBER EVERYONE ELSE, WE MAY NEED TO LOOK INTO A COMMUNITY RELATIONS PERSON WHO WILL REPRESENT THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
Hector, I’m in full agreement with you. Rev. Bennett who is the co-President of C.O.N.E.C.T. with a Hispanic pastor from East Haven, which is a statewide organization. I bring this up only to let you know there is an organization that is a mix of different groups of religions and race and efficiency who are addressing issues. I would think this is a oversight in not giving the name of someone who is Hispanic who will be a part of this event. Either way it’s a bad sign for Rep. Himes.
Ron, it is likely C.O.N.E.C.T. is regional rather than statewide with a range from East Haven westward to Norwalk, the last time I looked. Faith-based communities of many kinds are represented, participate and support the larger efforts they decide to work on. Geographic, political party and racial lines are regularly crossed to address the human goals that are selected. Perhaps too many people have given up being part of faith-based religious communities on a regular basis and this is where the communications gap developed. Time will tell.
Do you two think having this forum in Darien tells you anything? How many minorities are in Darien besides the cleaning ladies and nannies?
Andy, you forgot public housing (lol), many of the minorities who work on Wall Street make their homes in Fairfield county with households earning well over $200,000 yearly. I actually have NEVER met a Puerto Rican cleaning lady or nanny outside of Puerto Rico, have you?
Yes, and Hector let’s not start a racial discussion over what I wrote. There is no shame in doing hard work. You never mentioned the irony of a conference on race in Darien.
Who is going to be the rep. for the local D.A.R. and don’t forget to include the rep. from the local hunt club.
A man as smart as Himes should not forget everyone.
*** How about a forum with all the local, State and Federal political representatives in office; to go over the do’s and don’ts of the job, the logic of not overspending in general and ways to keep your district constituents better informed on what you’ve been working on and what the government has on the drawing board for the future and how it would affect this State’s citizens? Keep the citizens informed and help improve the taxpayers’ lives! ***
Wow! Holding a discussion on race relations in racially tense Darien. A truly bold, ground-breaking move. I’ve heard leaders of Darien’s large, black community have promised to work to mitigate the tensions in order to avoid large, unruly protests during the forum.
Also, a special screening of “The Help,” followed by a silent, one-minute sensitivity session will take place prior to the discussion by forum panelists.
It is expected representatives of the Clinton Campaign will be present at the forum in the hope of tapping into the largess of the expected large turnout of Democrats in that predominantly liberal, Democratic town.
(Actually, I’m thinking about going to the forum, but I’m going to wear sunglasses to avoid the possibility of snow blindness at the event.)
Jeff, maybe Trumbull would be better suited for this.
Lennie, maybe Himes should resign.
The question was asked why is this event being held Darien. Well when I was a firefighter they would come up about race and at times it would get heated. There is a person named Robert Morton who is now a Battalion Chief and is white, now Bobby and I don’t agree on anything but we liked to talk to each other. I would tell Bobby the issue with race is a problem for whites and they needed to to each other about race. Blacks talk about race all the time but whites need to get comfortable about race. I liked Chief Morton because he would be honest. I would tell Bobby if he liked me or another black person then he needed to stand up against those whom he likes, white or black.
You’re right, Lennie. Trumbull would have been a better venue. They could have gotten the Long Island Psychic to start the forum by channeling Sen. Alvin Penn. Maybe a follow-up forum in Trumbull AFTER the State Senate primary. That would be interesting.