Commentary from State Senator Herron Gaston:
There is nothing normal about this moment in American history.
We are living through a profound and alarming shift — one that threatens the foundations of our republic and the democratic values we’ve long taken for granted. In the span of just a few months, we have seen a steady march toward authoritarianism: attacks on institutions, the erosion of the rule of law, and a dangerous normalization of government-sanctioned lawlessness.
This should make us all profoundly uncomfortable. It should grind our gears. And yet, far too many of us are watching in stunned silence — hesitant, exhausted, or uncertain about what to do next.
But here’s the truth: there comes a time when silence becomes complicity. That time is now.
We cannot afford to be passive observers of democracy’s unraveling. Our Constitution is not self-enforcing. Our freedoms are not self-sustaining. They survive only because people choose to protect them — in courtrooms, at the ballot box, in the public square, and in everyday conversations with neighbors and friends.
The moral imperative of this moment is clear: we must stand together — not apart.
Authoritarianism thrives on division. It gains power when we see each other as enemies, when we become too cynical to believe in collective action, or when fear drives us into isolation. But democracy, at its core, is a shared promise — one that requires solidarity, trust, and a willingness to act for the greater good.
Now is the time to reclaim that promise. To remind each other that dissent is patriotic. That protest is not only a right but sometimes a duty. That protecting the rule of law and the dignity of every person is not radical — it’s foundational.
We will be judged, not just by future historians, but by our own children and grandchildren, for what we chose to do — or not do — in this pivotal moment.
Let’s choose courage over comfort. Let’s choose unity over division. Let’s choose to speak, act, and stand — together — before it’s too late. This is not about whether you are a Democrat or a Republican— liberal or conservative— but it is about valuing our shared humanity and the dignity of ever person regardless of where they come from, what they look like, what language they speak, or who they choose to love. We are better than the version of ourselves that we are witnessing before us.
Rather than lofty rhetoric signifying nothing on the national front, Sen. Gaston should turn his considerable oratory to the very serious problems in CT cities.
We already have Sen. Murphy ranting and raving anywhere there is a TV camera about the impending collapse of the U.S.
How about some freaking solutions on a practical level for a change?
I interrupt this dumb posting for BREAKING NEWS:
City Council members Nieves and Valle have filed a court challenge as to the validity of Democratic Primary Petitions allegedly circulated by Sanchez.
Tony Barr posted this on his Facebook page but, left out the reason why Sanchez and Dickerson were served:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EtLfTcmNX/
Denis,
Please help to inform other readers “of the very serious problems in CT cities” from your point of view. You have already accused State Senator Gaston of “lofty rhetoric signifying nothinr” on one front we face, but then you also paint US Sen Murphy with “ranting and raving” while getting media attention. Two sentences. Two accusations from you. But neither issues nor even one “freaking solution on a practical level for a change”from you. Here is your chance.
Or you might join in a Casual Civics Conversation on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 9:00AM at Fruta, Lafayette Blvd., Bridgeport. As the sign welcomes ALL. Attend with your current knowledge, opinions, and questions. Will you listen and speak your mind? Time will tell.
John do you not see the irony in your statement?
https://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/senator-gaston-push-back-on-trumps-national-guard-tactic/
When did policing become a criminal complaint form elected official elected to grow the quality of life/standard? Unless all these arrests in DC are bogus and trump up charges, pun intended. Why would anybody elected official condemn proactiveness policing in an efforted to keep crime low? Outside of racial/political identity polities.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/umass-student-house-intern-dies-washington-dc-shooting/story?id=123429541
Senator Gaston crafted a timely essay that is especially appropriate for an elected Democratic official serving a working class/poor constituency. Indeed, such an essay — crafted by any citizen of the United States — would be timely and appropriate in the context of our worsening national constitutional and fomenting social/economic crises.
That the Trump regime is a dangerous, unhinged threat to the existence of our Republic has been made manifest by his illegal actions involving the military, defiance of the courts, abrogation of human and constitutional rights of legal immigrants and citizens and attempts to circumvent the democratic processes and checks and balances that define our constitutional Republic.
The irrational, gravely injurious cuts to health care, social services, and education (even as the Administration builds a mighty, monstrously expensive secret police force — ICE — and a gulag archipelago) destabilizes and undermines all aspects of our society, especially our ability to sustain the democratic oversight/function necessary to maintain itself in terms of being a viable, “free” republic.
And now, Trump has proclaimed that he’s going to address the social problems of American cities [e.g., indigence (chronic unemployment, crime and homelessness)] by the illegal use of the National Guard/military to police civilians! So essentially, he has declared martial law without actually doing so, giving himself illegal, extremely dangerous, authoritarian prerogatives that can only spell political and socio-economic disaster for our country.
As all of these actions are being taken (including the dismantling of our free-market economy, as Trump imposes illegal tariffs/”sales taxes” on the public and shakes-down American companies for shares of export profits, et al.) , we must realize — from the obvious that we can observe with our own senses as well as the assertions by many mental health professionals — even from his own family — that the autocrat in charge of this Administration, Donald Trump, is a mentally ill, low-IQ megalomaniac placed in office by $. He’s a low-IQ Hitler. He has no business being in charge of anything, much less the most powerful country in the world.
When such a person speaks about having the prerogative to police the indigent/homeless, it has to send shivers down the spines of all those that are wary of his authoritarian whimsy and related desire to silence criticism and dissent — after all, a movement such as “Occupy” could appear to be just a situation of mentally ill, homeless individuals (gathered to promote crime and anarchy) that must be confined and controlled for their own good. The variety of socially problematic situations presenting as requiring/justifying forced control is virtually limitless for a totally unhinged, frontal-lobe compromised autocrat enacting the agenda of a right-wing reactionary “movement” (Trump/MAGA).
Senator Gaston is appropriately reacting to extraordinary government action/inaction in the face of both exigencies and non-exigencies, with respect to this Administration’s use of the military to control behavior at the societal level even as he decimates the support systems that enable its function and viability. (Of course, if it were anticipated that certain actions were going to destabilize and impose intense distress on society, what better situation for a would-be dictatorship than to pre-impose martial law/military presence in the cities in order to suppress any reaction to the imposition of oppressive mandates on society, including the abrogation of the democratic rights of that society?!…) (We must also recognize that, in terms of the military occupation of Washington, DC, we have a dangerous, inappropriate measure taken by Trump in order to create a diversion to get the “dogs” off his pedophile tracks, even as he desensitizes the people of the US to extreme, inappropriate measures that might be enacted by an autocrat to suppress and control a population…).
So, kudos to Senator Gaston for going on record regarding the political and socioeconomic dangers presented by the Trump regime by way of admonishing us to take action, by all legitimate means, to preserve our freedom and democracy in the face of the ongoing attempt by the Trump regime/MAGA to replace our free republic with an oppressive, irrational, incompetent dictatorship.
President Trump calling on the National Guard to help protect the citizens of DC is dangerous? But carjacking , robbery and murder were a huge problem. DC has no State Police to call for backup like Bridgeport did a few years back. The DC police needed back up. It seems to be working. Ask the DC residents if they feel safer and if this is working.
Dangerous in what way? Why would it be dangerous for the elected president of the United States to utilize their authority in such a manner?
What is the National Guards purpose? I can’t see them being deployed without some validation, as well as some political purposes, that’s a given. Unless all these arrests in DC are on trumped-up charges.
Now, I can’t see the National Guards being used like the Gestapos, rounding up political dissidents. With 800 arrests in less than two weeks you have to assume that these people have been arrested on some criminal charges, and they will get their day in court, No?
I did read that 300 people were rounded up based on Illegal immigration, by ICE. That leaves 500 on other criminal charges.
Outside of the “Ds” party not wanting to arrest someone based on immigration status, you have to wonder why they moved on the other 500?
It seems to me this action is within the scope of what elected officials’ duties and responsibilities are to its constituents/citizens/office they represent. While not always an easy lift, considering they have to balance their actions/political rhetoric game with the many view points and opinions of voters who voted for them as well as those who didn’t and disagree with their political ideology/ga me. particularly on a national level.
https://www.facebook.com/Maher/videos/1406440573763361
It is fair to say Denis’ opinion is not off base. This opinion of peace has nothing to do with Sen Gaston constituents and issues they are facing. But you have to agree that peace is more about political ideology, identity politics more than the nuts and bolts that affect every day people’s lives/standard of life. Though perhaps in some ways there is an indirect correlation to issues people face and ideology politics and always accompanied with personal optional perspective. No?
The Port doesn’t generally have that political racial identity party politics anymore. The “Ds” party won. According to that political communist/socialist manifesto. The Port should be in the state of Kumbaya. 🙂
Who do you think is going to be the biggest threat to Sen. Gaston seat in the next election? A Republican/Trumpster? No? A Democrat no doubt about that. A minority, very, very little doubt about that. His best contender is Moses of the Port, a black man, a Democrat.
So the socialism ideology/political racial identity politics is somewhat a moot point in steering up racial motivation. Thus I would have to as sum there is a coded side that each identify with that may differ, John, L?
At the end of the day, considering the people who were set up to protect Trump tried to blow his head off on live tv, iit is fair to say shit would seem to have gotten out of whack with the oligarchie who runs America’s democracy/polities, on a level, perhaps the world.
All this talks about Authoritarianism, but is it? Trump was democratically elected to do a job, No? But to say,
“But democracy, at its core, is a shared promise — one that requires solidarity, trust, and a willingness to act for the greater good.”
Was “Trump” action to call up the National Guards in DC for the greater good of DC and its residents? Would he be wrong to call them up in Chicago where crime, shooting and murders seem to be at high levels year in year out. Hundreds of deaths, perhaps mostly blacks and brown being victims.
The only time shit seems to hit the fan is when a black/minors death is voiced is when it’s at the hands of a white cop. But ask yourself, if white cops don’t care enough to not violate your rights and are heavy -handed in arresting blacks to lock up a black and brown person. How much do you think they would care about black on black crime, black killing each other or cleaning up their crime ridden neighborhood. I would even put “packet” classes in that dynamic to properly educate those they demand less, JS
While funding is always the perception to the political cause of racial identity politics does any believe that the audit of the Port’s found no fraudulent practice was accurate and honest? 🙂
That being said, nice to hear that the school bus service was restored and students don’t have to walk an hour. Never did make any sense. I mean there are only many roads leading up to the school and if I don’t like them, the buses are going out of their way. They are going to school. So basically the bus is going to be driven by the walking students. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5rXrZXUjdY
P.S john L, we can expand on such “lofty rhetoric”
https://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/senator-gaston-this-is-not-a-normal-moment-and-silence-is-not-an-option/
While no real issue or serious problems in CT cities it is on the back drop of Trump’s big beautiful spending bill that still adds trillions of borrowing and constant ever increasing national debt. (I believe)
Though it walks a political tight-rope with regards to immigration and the erosion of the traditional “black” community. It is like the N-word that can’t be spoken or the word “white” when addressing poverty in America and a lower standard of living. AKA black, brown and “poor” people.The political racial identity game in America can’t attach the word “white” to poverty/inequality. Like residing in a trailer park constitutes affluence and respect. So ask yourself. How genius it is, or should I say “disingenuous” is the cause if it can’t use the word “white” in the fight for that equality? The rural trailer parks are just the white man’s, I mean “poor” man’s” projects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7U6AoZ27yE&list=RDQ7U6AoZ27yE&start_radio=1