BROCKTON Oct. 8, 2007 – A group concerned Cape Verdean-Americans from Brockton started a online petition last week, demanding Mayor James Harrighton to apologize for offensive comments that have enraged the Cape Verdean community in Brockton.

The group argues that Mr. Harrington “blatantly and publicly blamed the community for the crimes in Brockton in a live broadcasted mayoral debate on September 6, 2007. The comments were reported the following day by the Brockton Enterprise:

“He (Mr. Harrington) said he had addressed a group of Cape Verdean residents on the issue of crime. One person stood up and said to me, 'Well, why is it a Cape Verdean problem?’’’ he recalled. “I said, 'Because your kids are killing each other, that's why.'…” Brockton Enterprise, September 7, 2007”

The petitioners elaborated that “Mr. Harrington had made the same comments to a group of Cape Verdeans during a Catholic mass at Saint Edith Stein Church weeks before, where he was criticized on the spot by concerned members of our community...”

To read the whole petition, copy and paste this link into your web browser: ipetitions.com/petition/brocktoncapeverdeans

What do you think about Mayor Harrington's comments?
Please, feel free to leave your opinion.

Gee, talk about racial profiling and stereotyping. This is outrageous and unacceptable specially coming from a Mayor!
This guy blames everything and everybody for his failure and ineptitude to lead Brockton; and what better than the the usual suspects, the "easy-to-target" Cape Verdeans.
Let's give him the same response he go from us on the September 18th primaries again- don't vote for him on November 6.

This petition should be signed by all those who are de facto Cape Verdeans. That kind of generalization is an horrendous mistake which shows lack of leadership and low expectation from the Cape Verdean community. An immediate and public apology by the Mayor must take place as soon as possible. We understand that the Mayor cannot undo what that kind of statement has done to the Cape Verdean community as a whole. At least he should recognize his mistake and move on with ways that empowers the CV community. It will remain in the collective memory of Cape Verdeans with or without the Mayor’s immediate and public apology. The mayor deserves a huge thumbs down from all Cape verdeans world wide. He needs to learn a lesson from such a huge mistake. We question him why should he expect a single CV vote after having given a black eye on all of them. That is a lose lose situation. He should give up from this race and let the way to Jass stewart who is a leader with vision and passion for all without any exception.

Brockton Mayor should be ashame for what he said. I think its rediculous that all these crimes committed in Brockton, MA are done my Capeverdeans. I wondering why they always looking into Capeverdeans Community as a bad example to others.

An apology is all the capeverdeans are asking. The damage is already done. Just like the participant above said, What is the police of Brockton is going to think when they see a young capeverdean in the streets, or driving on the road after the Mayor's comment? What is the people of other ethnicity is going to think of the capeverdean community as a whole? What will the employers think of the Cv young men and women? How will the court officers and judges begin to act when there is a crime in Brockton? Everybody will be after the capeverdean young people.

This approach is provided by people who don't want to change the old mentality, even though Brockton now is a different city than it was 20 years ago.

SAME PEPOLE, SAME MENTALITY, SAME PROBLEMS, SAME APROACHES TO PROBLEMS.

56% of the people of Brockton voted for CHANGE.
JASS STEWART 43%
GAYLE KELLEY 13%
______
56%

That means that people of Brockton want change. Everybody feels that they don't want the same thing over and over again. For that to happen though, we need to GET UP AND GO TO VOTE on NOVEMBER 6th.

It is not going to happen otherwise because Mr. Harringhton has his machine at work.

I'm still waiting to hear an apology from the Mayor. Is he going to ignore the Cape Verdeans again like has done during all him mayorship except during the campaign season

do I have to go on stage to get him do what he should do after profiling an entire community?!

Viva freedom of choice!!!