Hamzy says goodbye

Here's an open letter from state Rep. Bill Hamzy to his constituents:
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the people of Bristol and Plymouth for the tremendous honor of serving as your state Representative in the Connecticut General Assembly for the last 16 years.
As the son of parents who immigrated here from Lebanon to a community with a handful of people of Lebanese descent, my parents instilled in me a sense of responsibility and a sense of duty to serve my community. They fully understood that if we were to enjoy the freedoms which many people around the world die for each and every day, then we also had to take on the responsibilities which accompany these freedoms. The sheer greatness of the people who founded our country and created this form of representative democracy never ceases to amaze me. I truly believe that my experience as state Representative for the 78th district is yet another example of the greatness of our communities, our state and our nation. It is yet another sentence in the stories of the people who make up the United States of America.
Yet today, I can’t help but feel worried about our future. I am worried because in today’s America, it seems watching the most recent reality television show is more important than volunteering at a social service organization; that following the latest drama in Hollywood is more important than learning the issues which are discussed in our state Capitol. I wish I could just snap my fingers to bring about a solution to this problem. But, obviously, I can’t.
I can tell you that for me, there could not be a more rewarding professional experience than representing the people of Plymouth and Bristol in this great institution. Has it been frustrating at times? Of course. Has it been demanding to get up in the morning, go to my law office, go to Hartford for meetings or public hearings or sessions until late into the night and then have to go back to my law office until midnight or 1 in the morning just to repeat it all over again the next day? Certainly.
But that is the beauty of this representative government. A son of immigrant parents can grow up in Terryville, Connecticut, open his own law firm, and be elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives. Our representative democracy allows regular Americans from all walks of life to be elected to serve and speak on behalf of their communities.
Juggling my professional responsibilities with my legislative duties wasn’t always easy, and therefore decided I just couldn’t miss any more baseball practices or any more dance recitals. While it might seem cliché to say I’m leaving because I want to spend more time with my family, for me, this is truly the only reason. I have often been told that there is no rewind button when you have children. Once those moments are gone, they don’t come back.
I have loved this experience and can only hope that more people will choose to serve their communities, not necessarily in the political arena but in all the other ways which are just as important to better our state and country.
I’d like to thank the people of the 78th District for putting their faith and trust in me to serve them in our state Capitol. Finally, I’d like to also thank my family for understanding enough to have allowed me to serve in this office. Thank you again and God Bless you.
Hamzy is retiring as state representative for the 78th district and will be succeeded by Rep.-Elect Whit Betts on January 5, 2011.

*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com