I’m middle
of the road as a Republican despite what many may believe. My value systems are
built from my parents who were depression aged folk who believed in many
traditional things such as marriage, God and the 1950’s America. As much as I
don’t want to let that go it has become apparent that those values are becoming
increasingly sparse. I’m Generation X and I have seen many things. The end of
the Vietnam War, the Iran Hostage Crisis, The Reagan Era, The Fall of Communism,
A New World Order, 9-11 and the immigration of people of the Americas into our
country. Many of them are of Spanish origin from Central, South America and the
Caribbean. Some people distain these people but have we forgot that Spanish
influence has been in the Americas since 1492 when Christopher Columbus was
paid to come to America by the Spanish Monarchy. The Caribbean, South and
Central America, Western North America, The Gulf of Mexico and the State of
Florida were all a part of the Spanish Empire in America.
Today’s
states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Colorado, Kansas,
Montana, Nevada, North and South Dakota and Florida were all under Spanish
control where the indigenous people spoke Spanish and had Spanish culture. Yet,
we somehow have forgotten that as Republicans. How ironic that half of those
territories are in the Republican red territory! The Republican Party, the
party that freed the slaves has yet to embrace the largest growing population
in the United States and we wonder why we’ve lost two consecutive national
elections?
Culturally,
in many ways the divide in Europe in the 19th and 20th
century still exists here in America. When the Italians and Irish came to
America it was their fellow Europeans who also immigrated to America that
discriminated against them. They were Irish, Polish, German or whatever
Northern European groups. Today those Northern European groups could care less
about Irish, Italian, English or whatever yet we still have a problem with
Spanish. My question is why? Those Spanish that some despise have a direct
European link but are treated like they are 2nd class citizens. It’s
almost like there is Europe and then there is the Spanish. To me it makes no
difference and it is a terrible position the Republican Party has put itself in
because I can bet that the majority of the Spanish population has the same core
values of our party but because they speak Spanish, they come from Central
America, Caribbean or South America they cannot be Americans. In turn we have allowed the Democrats access
to this group uncontested and what a missed opportunity.
As for East
Haven, there is no better example of how not act than Joe Maturo. His ignorance
and his spice to be the class clown has alienated the growing Spanish
population of this Town. It’s people like Joe Maturo that give opportunists
like Fr. Manship, Eric Holder and Barack Obama the mantle of their cause and
frankly I’m sick of it. I know many Puerto Ricans, and by the way they are just
as American as I am. I know their Roman Catholic culture. I know their core
beliefs and I know at the end of the day they are like minded. I know many
Cubans they too are like minded and are very much aware of the dangers of
Socialism. I know some Mexicans and do you know what? They too are very similar
to us. Did you know that their system of Government is almost identical to
ours? They are the United States of Mexico with a Federal Government like ours.
So how can people that are of European decent, of Christian values, some that
fly an American flag and some that have a Representational government like ours
not asked to be with us? Why isn’t the Republican Party leading the charge to
get this group on our side of the issues? Why is it that people like Joe Maturo
continue to be the face of what we don’t believe and represent? Our Republican
party needs to move into the 21st Century and finally incorporate
others like the Democrats have so successfully done. It burns me to see a
neophyte like Gene Ruocco come on top and you know what? If you’re a Republican
in East Haven it should burn you too! It burns me to see it on a National Level
and we need to change.
There is no
one more qualified in this Town that can make this statement than I. Back in
2004, I made a major issue of Gay Marriage and I was wrong. I hurt people, I
embarrassed people and made many people uncomfortable with my approach. I made that
a political weapon and I was incorrect in calculating that there were many,
many like minds like me. Or was I thinking like my parents from the 1950’s?
Sometimes your thoughts and your actions cloud your vision. Sometimes it’s best
to let free people to decide on their own. Have I changed my personal beliefs
on the subject? No, I still don’t believe in Gay Marriage but I’ve learned that
I have no right to stop someone to have one either. That’s between them and God
and I have made peace with that. Do I think the Republican Party should have
anti gay marriage in their platform? No! I don’t anymore, why? Because it is
not politically savvy in the 21st century and with early childhood
indoctrination in the 1980’s and 1990’s it’s a losing cause. Once again the
Republicans were asleep at the wheel and allowed that teaching in our schools
and today it’s socially acceptable. That ship has sailed and that war is over.
There is
nothing more intriguing than a smart, self-reliant woman who has an opinion. I
live in household full of women. Even my dog is a female and I had no problem
at all with “fixing her” reproductive rights so why do I care if the girl next
door wants to have an abortion or has access to birth control? Am I socially
responsible for her actions? Is she my child that I have to care for? As I see
it, I have the responsibility to my three women in my home. I set my
expectations along with my wife and we together set the expectations in my
home. Do I believe in abortion? No, I don’t but then again, it is not up to me
to make that decision that’s between that person and God. Again, indoctrination
of children has happened, it’s socially acceptable and that ship too has sailed
and that war is over.
Do you see
the pattern fellow Republicans? We are fighting the wrong fights and there are
55% who are always going to be against those stances. You cannot mathematically
win. Is Dan McCann becoming a liberal? Not in the least, in fact maybe he’s
become a realist and someone who has to evolve with the times so that the
Republicans can win on the real issues that affect us all. Maybe all we really
need is to do away with the Republican label and call us the “Realist” party
that is open to everyone even if you speak Spanish, has an opinion on women’s
issues and has a same sex spouse. It could be that simple!
The 2012
campaign should be a LOUD wake-up call for all Republicans that taking minority
positions on social issues is a losing battle even though you might think
you’re right. It’s time to figure out how to get more people on our side of the
National economic issues, military issues, global issues instead of playing in
the Democratic Sandbox of personal attacks and distractions that really don’t
mean a whole lot. That also applies to the East Haven Republican Town Committee
that needs a big wakeup call and needs to find someone other than Joe Maturo
and Art DeSorbo to lead the Republicans of East Haven. We need young, fresh blood to lead this party
or there will be no party locally or nationally. It’s time to become real and
realize that Republicans got beat on issues that are between the four walls of
one’s ever changing home.
