Let's talk
FIRST SELECTMAN DEBATE AT NEWSTIMES
It is time for an open discussion about race in New Fairfield
Updated: 10/13/2009 05:11:37 PM EDT
The New Fairfield Republican Town Committee did what it could last week to purge a connection to some controversial e-mails forwarded by two public officials. We believe it is important not to let the matter end at that.
Every thinking person in the area found the messages received and forwarded by Board of Education member Ralph Langham and Zoning Board of Appeals member Robert Jano -- both Republicans -- to be overtly and unacceptably racist. The e-mail showed the image of a black Labrador retriever, speculated on whether the dog would be eligible for welfare, and attributed to it a list of racist stereotypes.
Many felt Langham added sexism to racism in his addition to the message, which included an image of his own dog. In a revised e-mail forwarded to others, Langham said he considered having ACORN (the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, cited by conservatives as emblematic of Obama administration shortcomings) register the pet so it could run against Democratic incumbent Lucy DiRocco for a spot on the Board of Finance.
Some people have gone so far as to suggest the e-mail constituted a hate crime. Still others say it's all overblown, and that the worst Langham and Jano are guilty of are momentary lapses in judgment and of not fully reading what landed in their inboxes.
We share neither of those views. But their disparity in itself says there's much that could -- and should -- be talked about in New Fairfield.
Town officials have said they are planning to meet with representatives of the NAACP. A wider community discussion would help, as well.
We hope that whatever conversation takes place is honest, empathetic and genuine, and that it leads to greater understanding. Talking openly about racial issues can be awkward, but going through the motions and spouting platitudes just to avoid disagreement accomplishes nothing.
Langham resigned under pressure from the school board over the e-mail incident, after saying when the story broke that he would not. According to the town clerk, Jano was still on the Zoning Board of Appeals as of Tuesday afternoon, although his term ends on Nov. 17, and he had chosen not to run for re-election before the e-mail incident happened.
Both men have resigned from the Republican Town Committee, which said in a prepared statement that forwarding the racist e-mail "did not meet the standards of decency the party of Abraham Lincoln set for its members."
Langham and Jano will presumably be more careful with e-mails in the future, but that is no solution in itself. This isn't just a matter of knowing who can be trusted to keep a secret. There remains the disturbing question of why this e-mail was perceived as funny in the first place.
If anyone doesn't understand how such humor could be hurtful, they should talk -- or at least listen -- to someone on the other side of the joke.
