Chris Harris

Stay Classy, Connecticut

bmichael:

NYT:

[East Haven Mayor Joseph] Maturo was being interviewed by New York’s WPIX-TV about alleged anti-Hispanic bias in East Haven, a shoreline town bordering New Haven and the subject of a federal civil rights probe that was launched in 2009.

The four officers arrested Tuesday are charged with depriving the civil rights of Latinos and their supporters, including by unlawfully searching Latino businesses and intimidating people who tried to investigate or report alleged misconduct.

Maturo was interviewed on video Tuesday by WPIX reporter Mario Diaz, who asked, “What are you doing for the Latino community today?”

Maturo’s response: “I might have tacos when I go home; I’m not quite sure yet.”

Diaz then said: “You realize that’s not really the comment to say right now, you ‘might have tacos tonight’?”

Maturo, who is of Italian heritage, then said he might have spaghetti or any other kind of ethnic food.

Growing increasingly angry, he added he does not believe the anti-Latino bias allegations are “a systemic problem within our police department or within our community” and told Diaz to “go for it, take your best shot” to make the “taco” comment seem to imply something he did not intend.

It looks like it is a good idea for reporters to point out ‘errors’ made by their interviewees, and politicians (many? mostly? all?) clearly have no regard for the truth.

I really like the part where he said “Again, being someone of Italian descent, I don’t know what you are and it doesn’t matter what you are. Being of Italian descent, I, in this community, have been at times thought to be of an ethnic background.” It just baffles me so much.

  1. chrshrrs reblogged this from bmichael and added:
    I really like the part where he said “Again, being someone of Italian descent, I don’t know what you are and it doesn’t...
  2. ekstasis said: Let’s be fair to the rest of my state and say that East Haven is a manifest punchline.
  3. derasso said: What, do you not like tacos or something?
  4. bmichael posted this