Seems like there is a great deal of misinformation regarding the immigration battle in Danbury between the years of 2005-2010.

I'll make this simple...I was one of a VERY small handful of reporters/bloggers who say that they were at virtually EVERY single event that involved immigration in the city..and of that group, I'm the ONLY one still around.

A sample of some of the events I covered include:

* 2005 Danbury March In Unity

* 2006 May Day March

* Danbury 11 arrest. the rally, and court case

* Stop the Raids Rally at WCSU

*Formation, height and fall of the anti-immigration hate groups CT Citizens for Immigration Control (Paul Streitz) and the United States Citizens for Immigration and Law Enforcement (Elise Marciano).

* Anti-immigrant forum at Roger's Park School and at WCSU

* ICE ACCESS forums, (including debates and final vote on the proposal at the common council)

* Attack on Hispanic Center and it's director Maria Cinta Lowe

* Formation, height, and fall of the immigrant rights group Danbury Partnership for Unity/Danbury Alliance.

* Infiltrating and secret recordings of anti-immigrant meetings.

* Danbury GOP racist email scandal.

* Threats on my life by members of the same anti-immigrant group.

* Implementation of the Secure Communities program (which in many ways replaced 287g).

Over the years, I painstakingly videotaped all of these events as well as many other events surrounding the issue of immigration that occurred in Danbury as well as archived any and all documents, news video footage, and news articles on the subject...and I posted all of my work online.

Recently, there's been some rather breath-taking revisionist history regarding what actually transpired during those very difficult years in the city; some people are overstating their participation in opposing anti-immigrant efforts while demonizing others based on personal petty grievances. At the same time, people are spreading mischaracterizations about the things that happened in the city.

This can not be allowed to happen...and I will not allow it to happen on my watch. Too many people suffered because of that dark moment in Danbury's history...I haven't forgotten...and I'll challenge ANYONE who tries to distort the truth about what actually happened.

First and final warning...

“My Lord — we had more African American officers 25 years ago than we have today,” said Glenda Armstrong, president of the local NAACP. “We’re not moving in the right direction. Hiring them is not a police officer’s job, it’s on the Mayor’s Office.”

As someone who has lived in Danbury since the late 80s and can fondly remember complaints of a lack of minorities among the ranks of the Danbury Police Department over the decades...and it’s a shame that this topic hasn’t been properly addressed to the satisfaction of people of color in the city.

The Danbury Newstimes has the details...it’s worth the read...

August 2018 City Council Agenda (PDF)

This is rich.

After staying silent in face of the firestorm around her, on the same day that the Newstimes started an inquiry reagrding her offensive and racist commentary regarding Jahana Hayes, Danbury Democatic Town Committee memebr Martha Rhodes posted the following message before temporarily deactivating her Facebook account.

Unreal...

In apologizing “if my personal commented in any way offended" anyone, Rhodes shows that she didn’t learn a thing from denigrating a person of color.

I felt excluded by her because I’m white and she repeatedly harped on how government should look like her while veiling her own racism with allusions to diversity and fairness in her final remarks.

To add salt to the wound, in response to a comment of support for her, Rhodes shows her true colors in calling her critics as people with "clouded lenses" and appears to takes umbrage over the entire dust-up.

By deflecting blame to her critics and not honestly accepting full ownership for her remarks, Rhodes shows that she learned nothing from her actions and is unfit to hold a position of the town committee.

Rhodes needs to resign...and she needs to resign now.

Last Thursday, I was able to catch up with Greater Danbury NAACP chairperson Glenda Armstrong and get her to take on the offensive remarks about Jahana Hayes and subsequent apology/non-apology from Democratic Town Committee member Martha Rhodes and the need for the committee leadership to properly address the controversy.