“liberty is ancient, and it is despotism that is new”

Unknown authoress

“liberty is ancient, and it is despotism that is new”

In New London the Charter revisions were made by those with the intent of becoming an all-powerful strong mayor. Not one of these people ever considered an outsider would sweep in and take that power to a level of despotism as we see with this administration today. We did not elect a despot, we ended up with one.

Despotism, government by an absolute ruler unchecked by effective constitutional limits to his power. In Greek usage, a despot was ruler of a household and master of its slaves. The title was applied to gods and, by derivation, to the quasi-divine rulers of the Middle East. In the Byzantine Empire, despot was a title of honor of the emperors and their relatives and of vassal princes of the tributary states and dignitaries of the Eastern Church. The Ottoman Empire perpetuated the term as applied to church officials and territorial princes.

In New London we have a city council and a city council president and a charter. The council under the guidance and leadership of the council president are sworn to uphold the charter and elected by the people to serve as a check to the power of the strong mayor. Why has this role escaped all but three of the current members of the city council? Why has the city council president abandoned his leadership role to lead the council as a body to serve as a check to the office of the strong mayor? Terrorist leaders are despots. What is happening to the people of New London with the increased violent crime in the streets is terrorizing the community. When gangs of young hoodlums on dirt bikes and scooters stop cars and block their path while shouting and banging on the car, that is terrorism, a scene you expect to see on TV from a nation under siege. The new despotism in New London has brought this about and the inaction of the city council leadership has only made it worse. New London has become a community under siege.