On Statue Removal Anniversary, Columbus Defenders Get Candidate In Their Photo

Showing up to have a conversation is one thing. Happily, knowingly posing for a photo with an "all lives matter" sign is quite another.

Oooohhh, Since when did KDW be the spoke person for "All Lives Matter"...If the picture never surfaced she would have never rebutted the claim to the reason she met with this small group protesting the return of the statue..
Any other time KDW would post her location..Nooo not today! She was doing what she criticized Mayor Elicker with not being transparent or ethical!
This group of protestors were there to put the statue back and stated all lives matter. She knew this...It's double minded to be with BLM and be in a photo op with protestors who is defending the return of the Christopher Columbus statue. Indigenous people had their land stolen, people slaughtered, enslaved and infected with diseases, women and children were tortured and their possessions and goods were plundered.

True leaders never wavier their beliefs and what a slap in the face to indigenous people, her supporters that are campaigning with her, BLM and New Haven community and the other communities that were protesting the removal of this statue..

Who would of thought with all the piggy-backing after Mayor Elicker she would have followed his lead!

Even Karen's will be complaining about Karen!

KDW this is so shameful and hypocritical of you. You just lost my vote.

KDW seems like she just keeps stepping on rakes. Might be time to take a couple weeks off from the trail, get rid of her current advisors, reflect and refresh, and come back stronger and wiser.

NEW HAVEN

These Elicker "Glee Club" hypocrites are unceasing.

Elicker traversed the city complaining about how Harp was so cruel to raise taxes on the working poor in the manner of 13%. So what did he do? I'm glad you asked. 15 minutes after he was sworn in, he raised them an additional 2%. In essence, (according to his actions) she didn't raise them enough! By raising them in succession with such immediacy, he took ownership of Harp's 13% raise!

It is so refreshing for the City of New Haven to have such a brilliant mind (KDW) running for Mayor. She was right to have stood with these activist of positive change. Christopher Columbus NEVER discovered America. Period! His statue should've never stood on that location in the first place. The Indians were here first and they discovered him. This myth was sold to all of us who matriculated through elementary schools nationwide as if it were true.

I encourage Dr. Walton to continue supporting these organizations of positive change in the city. In order for the city to experience a true and healthy relationship with all ethnic groups, they're going to need the genuine leadership of the likes of Dr. Walton.

Elicker sees the Black community when he needs a vote. Other than that, his GPS is turned off.

Let me end with this, Elicker's "Glee Club" members like to accuse Dr. Walton's supporters of race baiting. This deflection tactic is both pathetic and archaic. Analyze the track record of both candidates, and you'll wonder why the Proud Boys aren't in the city defending Elicker.

KDW states " Last year when a crowd was protesting the removal of the statue, this Mayor stayed in his office and refused to engage with the crowd, refused to help keep the peace."

• The Mayor stated he didn't want to intensify the conflict but he showed up to talk to protestors the next day, and he tried to talk to protestors outside his home where they harassed him, his family and his neighbors but they refused to talk with him.
  KDW states "Last summer, I marched with Black Lives Matter New Haven. I was in the streets protesting George Floyd and Breonna Taylor's murders. I helped shut down the highway, and I stood outside 1 Union Avenue for hours while, again, this Mayor hid inside and refused to engage."
  
• shutting down the highways is a negative disruptive tactic that has been used in excess in the city. While it is considered an effective attention getter for the media, it often alienates would be sympathizers and can be counterproductive. Protestors tried to illegally storm the 1 Union Ave police station potentially putting officers, detainees and protestors at risk. When refused entrance by police, objects were thrown at officers. The mayor later made himself available for discussions. I support the protestors causes but I have never approved of shutting down highways and streets should only be shut down by preapproved march permits so the city can provide security and traffic control for the safety of protestors and vehicles. I don't approve harassing people outside their homes, especially when it impacts their families or neighbors. I don't approve of storming public buildings to occupy them. I feel that the statues of persons with questionable histories belong in museums with contextual plaques explaining them, and no longer in public spaces. I agree with KDW that you should talk to all voters to gain understanding and promote dialogue. It is sad the group tried to exploit her presence and willingness to talk as support for their cause.

Like all good politicians, KDW will have it both ways. She'll support BLM and pose with ALM to try and squeeze a few of those white votes. KDW is just more of the same. Oops! There goes Morris Cove and what's left of the Wooster sq. area.

So KDW didn't have to pose in the picture if she was only there to "talk with the group." Controversial topics will always attract the attention of the media! If you disagree with a group, maybe a photo op wouldn't be in your best interest. A photo could easily have been of her talking with the group, not face front for all in front of the banner "All Lives Matter," "God Bless America," posing in front of what is the remains of a Christopher Columbus Statue.

Really?? "Last summer, I marched with Black Lives Matter New Haven. I was in the streets protesting George Floyd and Breonna Taylor's murders. I helped shut down the highway, and I stood outside 1 Union Avenue for hours."

Shut down the highway; that doesn't sound like the best of ideas! Stand outside of the police department with protesters throwing things at officers, again, not the brightest idea!

Good luck with these two, Mayor Elicker and KDW; the mud will sling from now until November! Oh Boy!! We need a few others to enter this race. We need options!

FYI- I believe that terrible things are happening today with bad police, but we can't condemn all the good police for the bad apples. Yes, all lives do matter and deserve equal opportunity in careers, education, and quality of life overall! No matter what the color of your skin is or what country your ancestors are from. Murder is murder, no matter who does the killing and should pay the price!

BTW - @Heather C - I agree with a lot of what you stated. :)

I think that this whole situation is unfortunate. KDW had to know that the folks who are part of this group and many others in Wooster Square would like to JE out of office because he took down the statue. I have talked to several folks who live over there and they are basically single issue voters they are so mad. I appreciate that she met with them, even though I disagree with there stance. I understand that they probably asked for a picture and the polite thing is to say yes. That being said she is either pretty naïve to pose in front of an all lives matter poster with a group that she doesn't agree with, but hates her opponent or she knew what she was doing and it didn't bother her. It is almost surely the former. This whole thing shouldn't be a deal breaker for most folks, but should be added to whole picture constellation of decision making. As KDW tries to separate herself from JE as the candidate who understands the current moment in race relations more, the picture above does not speak to that narrative. Of course she does not support the all lives matter movement and of course JE does want to talk to marching in BLM protests, but these are in the moment decisions that are difficult to navigate. It makes you realize that both of these folks are running to be mayor in a small city and while they are both very competent, they are both politically inexperienced.

Who is in charge of the DuBois-Walton campaign? How could any campaign manager not have told this candidate not to meet or be photographed with a group that celebrates the controversial legacy of Christopher Columbus, and wants the statue of Columbus restored to the Wooster Square park?
The meeting makes her appear to be a supporter of their cause to defend Columbus and his colonial legacy of brutality, genocide and slavery!
The Indigenous community would be incensed. One member of the BOE would probably consider this act tantamount to calling her the N-word! Some Blacks might be upset as well.
How could DuBois-Walton allow herself to be photographed with a group proudly displaying the banner ALL LIVES MATTER, which is the insultingly insensitive conservative Republican slanderous blacklash to the phrase BLACK LIVES MATTER?
The optics of this meeting and photograph are terrible for this campaign, despite the explanation given!
Just imagine the outrage from some in the Hispanic, Indigenous and Black communities if Elicker had posed with this group? Imagine what Boise Kimber and his group of ministers, BLM and the NAACP would be saying if this had been Elicker?
What are they saying now?
Don't hold your breath. You'd die of self-asphyiation waiting for that press conference!
Just for the record, most Indigenous peoples consider the term INDIAN offensive when applied to them. That term is directly derived from Columbus who mistakenly thought he was in the EAST INDIES, when in actuality he was in islands in the Caribbean in 1492.

@ BJenkins

Your bright comment: Christopher Columbus NEVER discovered America.  Period!  His statue should've never stood on that location in the first place.  The Indians were here first and they discovered him. 

Still does not negate the fact, she has followers that especially folks who are indigenous, black, white, latino, BLM etc they could be offended! Did she take that in consideration when she went to join that group?

Was KDW going to change their minds? Just last year that same group stood there protesting and yelling vulgar language that the statue should remain. Just yesterday they were protesting to bring it back..It's very clear they are not changing their minds. Could it be their mind does not follow the facts? Until that group admit that, then maybe their belief system will change. Those protestors basically believed that statue should have been there and nothing or noone was going to change that.

From the Elicker Glee Club,
KDW please keep taking advice from folks who have never walked in your shoes or no guts to run for mayor that are racially emotionally charged. It is actually adding membership to the Elicker Glee Club and we appreciate it!

🗣📣Go Elicker!

Oh by the way Brian, since I see you have not signed up to volunteer in GA on the HD34 runoff.. Stacey Abrams is looking for help with the SB202 discrimatory provisions within the act..Help GA get the word out for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act...

Act Now...Make a difference!

It is definitely to much happening in GA to be tied up in New Haven business!

KDW is no ALM person. She respects people and their beliefs. She marched shoulder to shoulder with BLM and has spoken out against racial injustice long before BLM, ALM and her campaign. For those of you who are so easy to say you wont give her your support due to a picture, does that mean you will support a mayor who has supported a "slip of the tongue"? He shut down the voices of those teachers who signed the letter printed here in the NHI, as he has followed a superintendent who demoted a person, who was found unfit, to continue to traumatize our community.
KDW is the best choice for New Haven hands down. She should continue to respect the voices of others, even if they do not agree with her, which is the hallmark of a true leader. Stay the course KDW!

This photo is somewhat newsworthy and was covered appropriately. (The real story is how KDW could commit such a gaffe, not whether she truly endorses the "all lives matter" message.) I tend to doubt, however, that the story and headline would have the same measured tone if it had been Elicker posing with this sign. In past cycles, I've defended NHI's even-handedness when folks have complained about bias. This time, though, it really does seem like the coverage is a bit unfair. (Not so much pro-KDW or anti-Elicker as pro-finding scandal in what is, for journalists, a regrettably boring administration.) NHI has tried to serve up two nothingburger scandals (the demoted principal and the neighborhood assistance grants) that are really just examples a mayor following the advice of the appropriate experts (superintendent and corp counsel). Meanwhile, this not-quite-nothing-burger (which at least shows terrible judgment), is presented to them on a silver platter but given to us straight. Again, I think this story was covered appropriately; I'd just like to see a little less panting in the Elicker stories.

KDW, Has a very good understanding of the uniqueness of New Haven. It is composed of many races and nationalities. She realized, when Mayor Elicker took office he did not have a good understanding of the bonds in our communities. Bonds in place for decades of respect given by and to one another.
KDW does understand this, it is an important element to New Haven's fabric. This fabric was deeply damaged by last years removal of a symbol that represented the nations largest Italian American community in America.
It is more of the way it was done then what was done. Mayor E, grew-up with privilege and he cannot relate to these bonds. Last year he gave orders to his Chief of Police to remove the statue no matter what the courts say. He took his orders from one segment of the city. Therefore making him divisive not inclusive.
Yesterday Karen showed courage, love and understanding. She showed Leadership qualities, the kind of leadership New Haven needs. A Mayor that is respected by all its citizens.

@Brian L. Jenkins
What can happen when individuals from afar comment on local New Haven issues? Their perceptions can be flawed.
The pro-Columbus group that posed in front of the base of the removed Columbus statue with DuBois-Walton are NOT "activists for positive change." These people want to restore the statue to its base! All the people who protested and demonstrated against continuing to honor Columbus on public land do not see this pro-Columbus faction as activists for positive change. They see them as proponents of maintaining and propagating the sanitized mythological legacy of Columbus.
Positive change groups do not answer BLACK LIVES MATTER, with the counter-protest ALL LIVES MATTER!
On this issue of celebrating Columbus, individuals cannot feel strongly both ways simultaneously.

So much intolerance. So much ignorance. And no accurate depictions of history; just raging propaganda. The statue was raised over a hundred years ago. in not just this city,, but many towns and cities. Why? 11 Italians, Sicilians were lynched in New Orleans for a murder they did not commit. And why were they in New Orleans? They were exploited immigrants, used to harvest sugar cane, after the emancipation of the slaves. As terrible as slavery was, these immigrants came, and suffered the hatred, degradation, persecution, and bigotry, because it was better than conditions in the home nation they came in. The President, and Congress contrived a holiday, honoring a man who was posed as Italian, (he was born in Cuba, Portugal.) This to pacify Italy. Who had far superior Navy at that time, and the lynching's had become an international trigger, that it was feared would launch that Navy to New Orleans. So actions were taken to pacify an angry nation. Some what like the removal of the statue. Done to pacify a mob, threatening Mayor's with violence, and ended patting themselves on the back for threatening and provoking attacks on a group of peaceful senior citizens, protesting for a public hearing before the removal of the statue. And if this media source, and those commenting consider themselves the ultimate judge of what is bias, bigoted, or racist, and were to decide remedies to those they decide are "The Racists", and are so confident in their righteousness, consider your own actions. In this media based culture, lynching's are done every day with the reputations of people destroyed every day. Thank God progress has brought the mob to this. The old way was so much worse; or is it possible that both are inhumane, ignorant, hateful, and disgusting? Let those without sin, cast the first stones. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

@Thomas Alfred Paine — In 2015, whlle speaking in an African-American Church, tone deaf Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton herself uttered "ALL LIVES MATTER."

It's painful to witness white people pretending to be offended in order to cut down a Black woman and prop up a white mayor who was literally hiding inside the police station while riot-gear-clad police officers pepper-sprayed Black Lives Matter protesters outside. It is obvious who the All Lives Matter candidate is in this race.

@Andrew Giering I think it is pretty fair to say that neither of these candidates are "All lives matter" candidates. Could JE have made better decisions last summer and going forward? Of course, but to his credit he made space to talk with people and attempted a dialogue. Would KDW be better on these issues? From what of I have seen and heard from her, Yes. Does that mean that JE is therefore the opposite of that? No. I think that we should be encouraging both candidates to continue to share with us their visions for the future of this city and try not to get bogged down in political gaffes like this.

The kind of decision making that we should be looking at is actually what they are saying explicitly. JE has decided that he is going to back up Superintendent Tracey on her decisions. This can be read that he helped hire a homegrown competent woman of color who has been doing a pretty good job comparatively to her predecessors or you can read it that he has decided to back up bad decision making and is not taking seriously the systemic racism and harm that the principal caused and continues to cause. KDW has offered that she would have made different decisions. We should be looking at these things and not an unfortunate picture.

@Thomas Alfred Paine: "...[the term Indians] is directly derived from Columbus who mistakenly thought he was in the EAST INDIES, when in actuality he was in islands in the Caribbean..."
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NO! The term comes from Bartolomé de Las Casas himself when writing 'History of the Indies'; he needed a descriptor for the peoples they had encountered in the New World, WHICH IS AMERICA! Columbus stated they MAY be near the western part of the Indies (they were travelling westwards) and had never seen those peoples, so they must be peoples that migrated from India. De Las Casas chose to call them "WEST INDIANS" which they are STILL called today, the inhabitants of the Leeward Isands in the Caribbean (WHICH IS ALSO AMERICA). You also sound smug as you think you would have known exactly where you were standing geographically in 1492...

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@Brian L. Jenkins: "Christopher Columbus NEVER discovered America. Period!"

And you are special... AMERICA during the first encounter was all of the landmass located in the New World that today encompases NORTH, SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA WITH THE CARIBBEAN. WE ARE AMERICA, YOU ARE THE UNITED STATES!!!
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Its funny how all you white anglo-saxon people keep yelling about "inclusion" in this country yet separate us by negating we are all citizens of the AMERICA- the whole continents. Then, you want us to respect your points of view at face value. The only difference between perspectives clung to by humans in this earth is EDUCATION, and here you are displaying your lack of education and prejudice for all of us to read in public.

We in the Caribbean know our story, however you are more adamant about telling us YOUR version of our story... So WHO are those racists you clamor are not for "inclusion" while chastising others for not seeing your "point of view"?

The Vikings were the first Europeans to reach and settle in North America. Columbus, however, set in motion a chain of events that bound Europe and the Americas, which had hitherto been rather indifferent to each other, (although Norway/Denmark retains its claim to Greenland to this day). Like other migrants, Columbus sought to improve his socio-economic status by being risk preferred.
Slavery, slaughter, genocide, oppression, and disease existed in the Americas long before Columbus, Cortes, or Pissaro. In fact, they are as old as civilization. They existed in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Interestingly, while the plague brought an end to the Hundred Years War because as the land to people ratio shifted, a similar human die-off in New England did not end the constant, often genocidal, warfare between American Indian nations, in spite of abundant resources for survivors of the die-off.

Betcha a dollar they all live out of new haven. If that's Iovanne , he lives in Branford. Wooster Square's demographics have changed. Is there a CC statue in North Haven, East Haven, Branford or Hamden ?

We should not get distracted.
This article is about a smiling Karen DW standing in front of an All Lives Matter banner. Smiling.

She did not get photographed while listening and talking to the pro-Columbus statue group. No. She took the time and effort to stand and pose in front of an All Lives Matter banner (clearly readable). Is she so desperate to chase any possible disgruntled Elicker vote that she is willing to disregard any principled stand? Or does she not have one? If she has one then this whole photo-op is disingenuous.

she is radical. Do you want a person that is a radical as mayor? She admits at putting people's lives in danger by blocking the highway in order to protest the murders of two black Americans.

@Hieronymous: Isn't the definition of a gaffe: when someone accidentally tells the truth.
No one believes KDW stand w/ ALM.
Points to her for being willing to listen to people she doesn't agree with.

If Elicker posed for a picture in front of an All Lives Matter banner - what would be the response?