GMLKCI Friends and Allies, 

We hope that you are enjoying this holiday weekend! Enjoy the fireworks, etc., but be sure to use sunscreen and hydrate (you know, like the World Cup players do)! 

While this was printed in The Glastonbury Citizen, we wanted to make sure all of you saw it: 

What Does 250 Mean to the Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative? 

At this time in our history, with the specter of authoritarianism before us, GMLKCI joins all Americans in commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence! 

As we honor the Declaration, it is also important to consider our Constitution as our lives, liberty and pursuits of happiness depend on both of these treasured and renowned documents. 

The Declaration’s statement that “all men were created equal” was a powerful, unambiguous philosophical statement that stirs us to this day. A list of the misdeeds King George III and Parliament had visited upon the colonies follows, culminating in the severance of the ties between the colonies and the mother country which had granted them their charters. It took enormous courage to sign the Declaration, knowing that it would be seen as a treasonous act. 

The Constitution was written and adopted years after the colonies, now states, had won their independence. It remains the supreme law of our land today, but the framers recognized that achieving the hopes and promises of their still-new nation would not end with its ratification. They built in a process for revising, and hopefully improving, the original framework. Twenty-seven amendments have been ratified as our country has changed over the years. 

The Declaration proclaimed, “all men are created equal,” but, the Constitution did not mention women, indigenous people were not granted rights and those enslaved were considered 3/5 of a person for the purposes of representation. Importation of slaves could not be outlawed until 1808 as part of the great compromises that had to be made to get the Constitution adopted. 

Because sexual orientation and gender identity were not part of the discussion in society at that time, the rights of this community were not discussed. There were, however, many individuals who would have fit into one or more of these groups. The gay community must fight for their rights even today. 

America has changed demographically, culturally, economically since the Declaration and the Constitution were written. Progress has not been easy, but GMLKCI believes in the continuity of principles particularly relevant today: 

• ALL Americans are entitled to feel proud of and celebrate the birth of our nation. Such entitlement does not solely belong to one party, race, religion, or other group of Americans. 

• No party, race, religion or other group of Americans has an exclusive right to patriotism or our flag. We are all 

• Americans, with our own histories, cultures, and values that together make us one nation. 

We believe it is shameful that during this year in which the country is celebrating independence and our hopes for “a more perfect union”, we still must fight for social justice in America. The fact that our federal government is moving us backwards is a loss for all Americans. 

During the 1963 March on Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King stated that the founding documents were a “promissory note” that had not been paid by our nation.” He stated that, “when the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the ‘unalienable rights’ of ‘Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’" 

Sixty three years later, it remains the responsibility of all Americans to ensure that this “promissory note” can be cashed. 

Forming that “more perfect union” will never be finished. As the Framers realized, our Constitution and laws would need to be adjusted as the nation changed. 

It took the Civil War, our bloodiest war, to end slavery throughout the country and result in the constitutional amendments ending human bondage, protecting the right of all citizens to vote and providing due process and equal protection for all Americans. 

It took the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King and other social activists to help the public understand what Blacks and 

other minorities were enduring and to get the Congress to end legal racial segregation, discrimination and disenfranchisement in housing, voting, transportation and other sectors of society. 

The Founders had courage at a time of great risk, uncertainty and danger. To each other, they pledged their Lives, Fortunes and sacred Honor. Social justice advocates have also risked their lives and, like MLK, have lost them fighting for equality and justice. 

We must not squander these inheritances. All of us have a responsibility to advance American democracy by ensuring equality, freedom and the ability to pursue contentment, security and, yes, happiness for all our citizens. 

That is why we both celebrate the Anniversary and resolve to do more for our fellow citizens. 

Are you ready to do your part? 

Robert Rader 

President 

On behalf of the Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative 

Achieving the Beloved Community

Published in The Glastonbury Citizen, April 2025

 The Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative (GMLKCI) is comprised of volunteers who provide opportunities to apply Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s philosophies and principles to the greater Glastonbury and greater Hartford communities. We seek to encourage all to understand that the health of a community is based upon how its members relate to one another and realize what Dr. King referred to as a “Beloved Community,” where all members have a sense of belonging to, and ownership of that community.

GMLKCI is nonpartisan and nonpolitical. We spend no money supporting any particular partisan or political beliefs. Most of our work is accomplished through our educational events (please come to our next educational event, A Journey Towards Justice, 5:30 PM, April 23rd at the Riverfront Community Center). However, in certain circumstances, especially when our society seems to have gone off course, it is necessary to express our views and inform the public about how Dr. King's principles apply to these situations.

The news out of Washington, DC, has been alarming since January 20th. The Trump Administration, with no pushback from the Congress, has launched an avalanche of intolerance on members of the LGBTQIA+ community; destroyed DEI programs that provide access, not unfair advantage; arrested and deported noncitizens without due process; cut off the main American foreign aid vehicle (USAID); undermined the courageous people of Ukraine; compromised health services, research and tracking of illnesses; extorted law firms and universities; attacked attorneys who prosecuted the president; criticized the media; targeted the Smithsonian Institution and other museums for trying to portray all American history; and condemned the courts for trying to hold his administration accountable.

The way in which these actions have occurred has cast dishonor and shame upon our country. We understand Mr. Trump was fairly elected and parts of his agenda, such as reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, in government, if carried out thoughtfully, patiently and carefully with a scalpel, rather than a chainsaw, would benefit all Americans. Wisely making reforms, rather than disparaging and hurting the poor, those who are different, and others who are vulnerable is how we achieve the “Beloved Community.”

Dr. King had a philosophy of nonviolence, which contained six tenets, including: seeking to win friendships and understanding; looking to defeat injustice or evil, not people; choosing to love instead of hate; and trusting that the universe is on the side of justice. He believed in empathy, understanding how individual people would be affected by others’ actions.

If the new Administration governed by these principles and listened to the needs and desires of our people, all Americans would all be much better off.

Robert Rader

President

This letter reflects the views of the Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative.

GMLKCI: Protect Dr. King’s Legacy

Since it was begun in 2001, the mission of the Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative has been to increase knowledge about and understanding of the philosophy of Dr. King and provide leadership and active engagement to apply his teachings and build an inclusive community. One of our most important goals is to inform and inspire Glastonbury residents to better understand social justice issues.

Since the beginning, we have encouraged positive discussion about racial, gender, and LGBTQ equity and other issues to help strengthen our town and make it a better place to live for all of our citizens. However, the recent attacks by President Donald Trump and his administration on members of our most vulnerable communities has greatly alarmed us. Imagine how terrified you would be if you or your child were the target of the President’s executive orders that take aim at transgender individuals and those that don’t fit into a binary category. 

The Administration’s dismantling of  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs and firing of those who help provide these programs will set us back years in attempting to make our society more open, caring and equal. These programs are aimed at building Dr. King’s idea of a more just and tolerant society. The President’s blaming of the tragic Washington air crash on DEI programs is not only unfair, but also flies in the face of the very “common sense” that he invoked.

In addition, this Administration has stopped at least one military agency from commemorating the Holocaust, February’s Black History month, Juneteenth, Gay Pride Month and other “special observances”, including even the commemoration of MLK’s birthday. While aimed at the federal government, how soon can we expect these policies to affect our own State and communities, including our schools?

We understand that President Trump was fairly elected and has the right to put his own stamp on government (as long as he does not overstep boundaries of federal law and the Constitution). However, his Administration’s rhetoric and actions undermines Americans striving to build Dr. King’s dream of a nation built on justice, equality, freedom and love.

We ask all the people of Glastonbury, our town officials and State leaders to consider the path the new Administration has put the nation on and stand up for our values. 

This is what Dr. King would have done, and it will take all of us to do the same.

Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative

GMLKCI Comments on the Actions of the Trump Administration

The Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative (GMLKCI) is comprised of volunteers who provide opportunities to apply Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s philosophies and principles to the greater Glastonbury and greater Hartford communities. We seek to encourage all to understand that the health of a community is based upon how its members relate to one another and realize what Dr. King referred to as a “Beloved Community,” where all members have a sense of belonging to, and ownership of that community.

GMLKCI is nonpartisan and nonpolitical. We spend no money supporting any particular partisan or political beliefs. Most of our work is accomplished through our educational events (please come to our next educational event, A Journey Towards Justice, 5:30 PM, April 23rd at the Riverfront Community Center). However, in certain circumstances, especially when our society seems to have gone off course, it is necessary to express our views and inform the public about how Dr. King's principles apply to these situations.

The news out of Washington, DC, has been alarming since January 20th. The Trump Administration, with no pushback from the Congress, has launched an avalanche of intolerance on members of the LGBTQIA+ community, destroyed DEI programs which provide access, not unfair advantage, deported noncitizens without due process, cut off the main American foreign aid vehicle (USAID), undermined the courageous people of Ukraine, extorted law firms, attacked attorneys who prosecuted the president, criticized the media, targeted the Smithsonian Institution and other museums for trying to portray all American history, and condemned the courts for trying to hold his administration accountable.

The way in which these actions have occurred has cast dishonor and shame upon our country. We understand Mr. Trump was fairly elected and parts of his agenda, such as reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, in government, if carried out thoughtfully, patiently and carefully with a scalpel, rather than a chainsaw, would benefit all Americans. Wisely making reforms, rather than disparaging and hurting the poor, those who are different, and others who are vulnerable is how we achieve the “Beloved Community.”

Dr. King had a philosophy of nonviolence, which contained six tenets, including: seeking to win friendships and understanding; looking to defeat injustice or evil, not people; choosing to love instead of hate; and trusting that the universe is on the side of justice. He believed in empathy, understanding how individual people would be affected by others’ actions.

If the new Administration governed by these principles and listened to the needs and desires of our people, all Americans would all be much better off.

A Total Community Effort

By the Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative

Much has been written over the last few weeks about racist and antisemitic incidents in Connecticut’s schools. One such incident concerned a “16-year-old former GHS student accused of making threatening posts [against African-American students] on the social media site Discord,” according to an article on the front page of the July 25th issue of The Glastonbury Citizen.

The Hartford Courant, with its broader reach, also ran an article entitled, “An epidemic of racism is infecting Connecticut’s schools, officials say”. It noted the Glastonbury issue and stated that the juvenile “used a stolen media account to make death threats against Black classmates” at the high school. The article also cited other incidents of racism and bullying in other towns,

The Glastonbury Martin Luther King Community Initiative, whose mission is to “to provide leadership and active engagement to build an inclusive community” condemns all racist, antisemitic, Islamophobic and anti-LGBTQIA+ incidents. We support the comments of Superintendent Alan Bookman and the statement of the Board of Education that all students should feel safe, supported and included.

The Board’s statement calls for our citizens to consider these actions:

1. Support Inclusive Practices: Advocate for school programs that promote inclusivity, diversity, and anti-racism.

2. Expand your Family “Toolkit:” Learn about online hate and harassment and discuss this topic at home (see below).

3. Promote Community Programs:  Support initiatives such as the Glastonbury ABC House, ADL, and Open Choice.

4. Speak Up:  Be an ally. Speak up when you hear or see racism, bias, and hate.

We also support the efforts of Glastonbury Public Schools to make our increasingly diverse students more tolerant and understanding of each other, such as through the Anti-Defamation League’s No Place for Hate programs.

But, as the Board acknowledged, this is not an issue for our schools alone to solve.

Eradicating hate requires a total community effort.

For example, we must spread awareness of these concerns as voiced by the Racial Justice and Equity Commission in 2022.   The Commission was disbanded after setting forth its initial recommendations.  We strongly call for its revival and urge the Town Council to make it permanent to provide necessary leadership for our town.

Additionally, we encourage parents to consider this step: sit with your child for a few minutes and explain there is never a reason to make fun of someone for their height, weight, skin color, their home life, their gender identification or religion and that they should not exclude anyone for “being different.” Remind your children of this whenever the need arises.

We urge all citizens to be a part of the many opportunities to learn about both identifying and eliminating hate in our community.

Please join GMLKCI as we continue our educational programs aimed at carrying out Dr. King’s legacy of inclusion and tolerance. Our next program, done in partnership with Glastonbury Pride, is “Affirming Our LGBTQIA+ Community” and will be held September 25th at 5:30 at the Riverfront Community Center. It is free for all citizens, and we encourage those interested in learning more about the challenges that LGBTQIA+ individuals face in our community to attend.

Glastonbury can be a more diverse and inclusive community, a beacon to all the State’s cities and towns if we work together to address all forms of hate.

It will take all of us.