Black and Puerto Rican lawmakers in Connecticut have called on the state’s Republicans to condemn the racist comments made at Donald Trump’s campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
A comedian’s comment at the rally that Puerto Rico is an “island of garbage” is racist and dehumanizing, said state Representative Juan Candelaria of New Haven, a member of the General Assembly’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus.
He said it offends all Puerto Ricans, including those in Connecticut.
“We are tired of being mistreated, disrespected and ignored,” he said. It’s galvanized them to vote against the GOP.
“If you have the ability to register, come out and vote because on November 5 we are actually going to throw the trash out,” Candelaria said, encouraging his community to vote.
“We also have a lot of Puerto Rican families here that have Puerto Rican families elsewhere, Pennsylvania, the Midwest, Florida.” state Representative Antonio Felipe of Bridgeport said.
“And we hope they can go talk to their neighbors and their family members and get them to vote as well,” Felipe said.
Candeleria, Felipe and other members of the caucus were joined by U. S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and other Democratic state and local elected officials at the East Side Senior Center in Bridgeport, frequented by local Puerto Rican seniors.
“The B&H Caucus has it wrong,” state Republican Party Chair Ben Proto pushed back in a written response.
“It's the Democrats who are spewing hate, and who have incited violence, who will do or say anything, including driving wedges between neighbors simply to retain power,” he said.
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