A racially charged comment under a post on the Connecticut Republican Party Facebook page targeting State Rep. Robyn Porter has been brought to our attention. Racism in any form is offensive, inappropriate and dangerous and must be denounced by individuals who purport to call themselves leaders, including the leader of a major political party.
In 2020, our country was rocked by a global pandemic, but it was equally rocked by the uprising of racial tensions and social injustice. The murder of George Floyd set in motion a worldwide response against bigotry and racism. 2020 forced us all to confront the evils of inequity and inequality, and further examine our role in shaping a better future for the human race. And while the death of George Floyd led to one of the largest social movements in recent history, we still have work to do.
We all value the freedom of speech. However, there are limits and the citizens of Connecticut, like anywhere else in the world, must be held accountable for the use of any communications or dialogue that is incendiary and cruel. We will not tolerate any vitriol that is directed at our members or any member of the Connecticut General Assembly, who aside from being citizens themselves, work hard to serve the best interests of the people of this great State.
All political parties must be vigilant and monitor their social media for hateful language – words matter. The State Republicans were right to remove the comment, but hate must be called out and repudiated.