Paul Bass Photo
New Haven Democrats spent more than two hours not fighting Sunday night.
They came together at 50’s On Fitch restaurant & bar to raise money and noise for the reelection of City/Town Clerk Michael Smart (pictured above greeting supporters at the door) — and to call for the spirit of energetic unity to continue to the big political contest, the 2020 presidential election.
State legislators, alders, city officials, labor leaders, and activists from both sides of the current hard-fought Democratic mayoral primary showed up for Smart, who is running unopposed for a fourth two-year term overseeing the city office that maintains land records, distributes and counts absentee ballots, certifies candidate petitions and election results, and processes liquor permits, dog licenses and trade name certificates. The Democratic Town Committee endorsed Smart’s candidacy. So did the Working Families Party. Smart, a former Wooster Square alder, has a history of drawing racially and ideologically diverse supporters, as was evident Sunday night.
State Rep. Juan Candelaria (pictured) alluded to Smart’s kept promise to diversify the office by hiring Spanish-speaking staffers “so people who look like me walk into the office” and feel comfortable.
State Rep. Al Paolillo Jr. spoke of how Smart has expanded public access to the office, including through expanded Saturday hours before elections.
“Everyone wants to come to an event for Mike Smart not only because he’s universally loved, but because he’s running unopposed — so it’s a very safe place to be,” noted State Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney (pictured with Beaver Hills Democratic ward co-chair Audrey Tyson).
“Teamwork makes the dream work,” said State Rep. Robyn Porter, continuing the party unity theme …
… which New Haven Rising/UNITE HERE organizer Scott Marks (in video) tied to 2020, when Democrats hope to be able to unite behind a presidential candidate after a drawn-out primary season in order to vote the president (“Donald Trump and the rest of his mob crew”) out of office. “This room I’m standing in looks like the room that can change this city. If there ever was a time when we needed to come together, that time is right now,” Marks said.
Attorney Michael Jefferson, organizer of the group Black Men Vote Too, also spoke of the need to turn out at the polls or risk having leaders like Trump, whom he called “a complete moron.”
Smart’s daughter Mariah offered a rousing musical number (in video), followed by closing remarks from Smart himself (also in video). Afterwards Smart said his goal in a fourth term is to continue the work of expanding public accessibility to government and the political process.
New Haven Democrats spent more than two hours not fighting Sunday night.
They came together at 50's On Fitch restaurant & bar to raise money and noise for the reelection of City/Town Clerk Michael Smart (pictured above greeting supporters at the door) — and to call for the spirit of energetic unity to continue to the big political contest, the 2020 presidential election.Teamwork makes the dream work," said State Rep. Robyn Porter, continuing the party unity theme .
Malcolm X said it well.
There can be no black-white unity until there is first some black unity.There can be no workers' solidarity until there is first some racial solidarity. We cannot think of uniting with others, until after we have first united among ourselves. We cannot think of being acceptable to others until we have first proven acceptable to ourselves. One can't unite bananas with scattered leaves.
"Everyone wants to come to an event for Mike Smart not only because he's universally loved, but because he's running unopposed — so it's a very save place to be," noted State Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney (pictured with Beaver Hills Democratic ward co-chair Audrey Tyson).
The white liberals control the Negro and the Negro vote by controlling the Negro civil rights leaders. As long as they control the Negro civil rights leaders, they can also control and contain the Negro's struggle, and they can control the Negro's so-called revolt.
Malcom X
State Rep. Juan Candelaria (pictured) alluded to Smart's kept promise to diversify the office by hiring Spanish-speaking staffers "so people who look like me walk into the office" and feel comfortable.
My latino brothers and sisters.Just as we african americans have Judas Goat leaders,You have Latino Judas Goat Leaders who are selling you out.You must get the spirit of Jose Coll y Cuchi and Pedro Albizu Campos to form a Latino Nationalist Party.In fact The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922
Part One.