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The General Assembly’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus released the following statement on Monday:
“For years, Americans have endured an ongoing escalation of racist rhetoric from the former president. We had hoped that this hateful fear-mongering had peaked when Donald Trump insisted, without a shred of evidence, that legal Haitian immigrants were eating pets in Ohio — a vile and self-serving lie that has threatened the safety of an entire community.
“Unfortunately, the MAGA movement’s racism and xenophobia reached a fever pitch on Sunday during a crude rally at Madison Square Garden. Over the course of this event, speakers chosen by the former president’s campaign referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage,” they made racist remarks about Jewish and Black Americans, and suggested that Kamala Harris — the first Black woman to serve as vice president — was a prostitute.
“The Connecticut General Assembly’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus was formed to advocate for the wellbeing of its constituent communities and does not engage in presidential politics.
“However, the statements of the former president and his supporters do not constitute politics. They are not arguments made in service of some discernible policy goal, nor are they intended to unify our country for the benefit of American citizens. They are simply hateful. They are racist. They serve to dehumanize and belittle our communities. And they stand in stark opposition to the values taught by the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths — in addition to countless others.
“The BPRC would like to remind everyone that Puerto Ricans are citizens of the United States. They serve in our armed forces, they pay taxes and they are our neighbors. They are not garbage.
“Furthermore, our caucus unequivocally rejects the hateful and divisive rhetoric that was on display at Madison Square Garden. We do this without reservation.
“Finally, we respectfully ask that anyone who considers themselves part of the MAGA movement engage in just one moment of quiet self reflection. Put aside your politics and ask yourself: what values do you truly stand for and what example are you setting for your children?”
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