28 comments

  1. It should be an amazing day at one of our greatest assets, it should also be a day of politics and great music and food. I hope some of Bridgeport’s best East Main Street restaurants support the efforts. I hope the weather is perfect. The only downside for me will be hundreds of students saying hey Mr. A as I am shoveling sancocho down like a glutton. It’s all about the food and celebrating the Puerto Rican culture.
    .

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  2. Congrats to my daughter London Dazlyn Diaz for winning the pageant for “Little Miss” Puerto Rico this year and thank you for those who helped. donj, “hoodrats?” Wow, you must be very “soft.” If there is any part of the city in which you feel FEAR let me know and you can hang with me I’m sure you will have a good time and understand your fear is totally unfounded. Because I can almost understand your ignorance I’ll take a much different approach than you would have gotten from me 30 years ago.

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    1. Hector, donj is a self-hating young black man who is running from himself, he’s just another wannabe. To call those at the Puerto Rican Day Parade “hood rats” is a damned disgrace. One of the reasons I love this parade is it goes into Seaside Park and ends there where families and friends get together to enjoy our treasure, Seaside Park. There was a time when the Barnum Festival Parade ended or started at Seaside Park but they have totally gotten away from Seaside Park with the parade.

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  3. C’mon, Hector and Ron. I have a question for you guys. Please tell me for what other parade in the city does the police dept activate the ESU (SWAT) and request assistance from the State Police? I’m just saying. I’m Puerto Rican and about 12 years ago I stopped going to the parade. It’s not the same anymore. Now you’re not sure if you are at the Puerto Rican day parade or at the Juneteenth parade. Many individuals take this parade to engage in illegal activities. For example and not limited to smoking weed all over the parade route, ridding quads and dirt bikes when they know it is illegal, playing vulgar music, males carrying sneakers on their necks etc. 90% of what you see in the parade does not represent my Puerto Rican heritage. I pray no innocent people get shot or stabbed at the parade on Sunday.

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    1. They (swat) weren’t needed and they weren’t called for by our local police. If there is ONE day you can feel safe it is on the day of the Puerto Rican parade. People who smoke weed don’t need a parade to do it, and yes they do smoke in Black Rock also.

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  4. This parade will be very well attended. Smoking weed? Omg. Get ready it will be legal here in 24 months. You must have been raised in a vacuum. At what point do people come together and just appreciate the value of all cultures, the food and a lot of fun–the city is cranking. Be part of the fun and stop dwelling on negativity. Last night, between City Lights, Tiagos and the Bijou, every culture, stereotype, shade and language meshed together in a perfect blend enjoying our downtown = on the verge of a massive overhaul! Get on the bus or get out of the way!

    Congrats to Hector!

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  5. I call it like I see it and guess what, soy Puertorriqueña.
    What other parade in Bpt does the SWAT team need to be activated?
    For what other parade does Bpt have to ask assistance from the State PD?
    That says a lot about how safe it is for me to take my kids there. Read my post again and stick to the issues. Yes, smoking weed you said it. Still illegal.
    Hey Officer, I’m smoking weed because it’s going to be legal in 24 months.
    What do quads and dirt bikes have to do with Puerto Rican heritage?
    I don’t see any of this at the Black Rock Day parade, Columbus Day parade, St. Patrick’s Day parade or the just recent 4th of July parade.
    Why is it okay at the Puerto Rican day parade?
    Steve Hurtmyback and Ron Mickey Mouse, why don’t you guys do a little research and tell me how many homicides, shootings, stabbings, fights we had at past Puerto Rican day parades compare to any other parade in the city.
    When I take my kids to any of the other parades I mention all we see is order, respect and we feel safe.
    I definitely don’t want to be in your bus to hell.
    Will talk some more on Monday after the parade.

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    1. Holy crap, I have only 12 hours left to post.

      Ron Mackey. You are welcome.

      Ron, I have friends who left Bridgeport during the corruption trial of Joe Ganim. I think she had to testify. Since the demise of Joe Ganim and Bridgeport’s reputation, I have had to listen to her droning on about Bridgeport. It is not worth it. We here in Bridgeport are very lucky. We really do have it all. Location and diversity, a renewed sense of pride when we are not tossing political footballs. Personally, I feel at home in all communities and donj is not the only self-loathing black man. Every group has their own embarrassing individual who is totally disconnected from their heritage. People need to expand their horizons. If the parade has a swat team you should feel even safer. You cannot raise your children in a vacuum. Go enjoy the parade!

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  6. Boohoo to Steve and Ron and Hector, I mean what I said, I have been there before and like Vale said, a lot of illegal stuff happens all over that parade, fights etc. Been there twice not my type of crowd, hood rats indeed. Black Rock day parade much better. Ron, self-hating because I speak the truth???

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    1. RON, I’m CONVINCED HE (donj) is either not black or he’s an orphan, no one with any type of upbringing and of color would speak the way he does.

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  7. Hector, do some real research. From Ctpost.com
    July 11,2012
    Sadly, Puerto Rican celebration turns into a flop
    July 9, 2012
    Man shot along Puerto Rican parade route
    July 16, 2013
    Gunfire follows parade festivities

    Too many more to list them all.
    Educate yourself before you post something.

    So far neither Steve Hurtmyback, Ron Mickey Mouse or you Hector Animal Diaz have answered my questions.
    For what other parades is the SWAT team is activated?
    For what other parades does the city ask the State PD for assistance?

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    1. Vale la Pena, every parade in New York City, the Boston and New York Marathons and any large gathering of people with the security is a national issue.

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    2. I don’t have to do the research because if you read the article you would see that shooting had nothing to do with the parade and the culprit wasn’t Puerto Rican.

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  8. Ron, once again I’m not talking of other cities’ parades. I’m talking about Bridgeport.
    For what other parade in BRIDGEPORT is the SWAT team activated?
    For what other parade in BRIDGEPORT does the city ask for assistance from State PD?

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  9. Ron and Steven, let me give you some info I just became aware of. I spoke to a few officers today and they tell me they were mandated to work 16 hours for the PR parade. When I asked why was this, they explained the department could not find enough cops willing to work the parade. Then I asked if this is the case for other parades. They tell me NO, only for this parade. Then I asked why is that. They said too much nonsense goes on at this parade and they are almost forced to look the other way for things that otherwise they’ll make an arrest. One of them called it “Blood money. A big joke.” One was Puerto Rican and said it is embarrassing to see what goes on. He said even Hispanic officers don’t want to march in the parade.

    I’m just saying.

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  10. Vale la Pena, if you are so dissatisfied with the parade, join the committee that runs it and work to make changes, all parades have problems as well as any major events. What constructive ideas do you have to improve the parade? The anger in your post seems more personal than the parade.

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  11. Constructive ideas, well some people would rather bitch and moan and others say what can I do to help make this better. The easy way is to bitch and moan because that doesn’t require anything. As usual I had a hard time getting through the traffic after church to get home but it was no big deal. I know I must have seen at least 10 Jennifer Lopezes in the crowd driving. Today’s event was about Puerto Rican Pride.

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  12. I love the parades in Bpt but this one troubles me and only for one reason and that’s the overtime for all involved. I would be willing to bet this event cost $100k in just police overtime. I really feel they need to scale down the parade route to cut down on the number of officers needed. I don’t think any other parade comes close to the cost of this one, there has to be a better and more cost effective way to have this event.

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