09/12/2026
CAMPAIGN 2026 (STATE REP 2): RIZZO 9/11 POST SPARKS OUTRAGE
Yesterday, Danbury CT Republican Town Committee/Bethel Republican Town Committee 2nd District State Rep. candidate Debbie Rizzo (Debbie Rizzo Candidate, CT Representative District 2) is drawing criticism over language that links the September 11 terrorist attacks carried out by Islamic extremists to Connecticut's recently enacted legislation concerning Islamic and Arab studies in public schools.
In the post, the candidate invoked the nearly 3,000 people murdered on September 11, 2001, and questioned whether Gov. Ned Lamont and Democratic state lawmakers "think about 9-11" when supporting legislation concerning Islamic and Arab studies, concluding: "How quickly they forgot."
Critics describe the comparison made by Rizzo as bigoted, Islamophobic, and deeply offensive, as it seems to link the actions of the 9/11 terrorists with Islam and Muslims in general, and uses this association to oppose educational materials on Islamic and Arab history and culture. Rizzo has defended the post, which has garnered support from members of the public, including CTGOP Lt. Gubernatorial candidate Matt Corey, and at least one candidate who is also running for State Rep. in Danbury.
Here's the post in full, as well as the response from the Bethel Democratic Town Committee (Bethel Democrats). What's your take?
DEVELOPING...
(LINK TO ORIGINAL POST: https://tinyurl.com/4ux63wxt)
Yesterday, Americans paused to remember nearly 3,000 lives lost on September 11th, honor the heroes who ran toward danger, and reflect on the extraordinary unity our country showed in the aftermath.
Debbie Rizzo, a candidate seeking to represent Bethel in the Connecticut General Assembly, chose that solemn anniversary to target our Muslim American neighbors and their faith, suggesting that teaching students about Islamic and Arab history means we have somehow forgotten the attacks of 9/11.
That is shameful. It is reckless. And it is bigoted.
Connecticut did not mandate Islamic religious instruction in our schools. The law makes educational materials on Islamic and Arab history and culture available to local school districts, just as Connecticut has supported education about African American and Black history, Puerto Rican and Latino history, Native American history, Asian American and Pacific Islander history, the Holocaust and genocide, and other important parts of our shared history.
Learning about Islam is not endorsing Islamic extremism. Learning about Arab history is not forgetting September 11th. To conflate an entire religion and its people with the terrorists responsible for 9/11 is precisely the kind of anti-Muslim bigotry we should be confronting, not encouraging.
Political disagreements are fair game. Debate the legislation. Debate education policy. But bigotry is not a policy disagreement. Using one of the darkest days in American history to cast suspicion on an entire faith and our Muslim neighbors crosses a line.
The terrorists responsible for September 11th sought to divide America. We honor those we lost not by allowing their tragedy to become a reason to hate our neighbors, but by rejecting the fear and division that terrorism was intended to create.
Bethel doesn't need leaders who exploit fear, traffic in bigotry, and stoke hatred to divide us.
