Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Diaz explains himself not very well
New York state senator Ruben Diaz Sr.needs to do two things this week-end: 1) he must fire everyone on his media staff, and 2) he has to hire people who can pen press releases that don’t ramble. A few days ago Diaz spoke to Daily News reporter Elizabeth Benjamin and he was full of venom. He had issues with former New York city mayor Ed Koch and the gays.
Today Diaz wanted to explain himself, but the explanation is nuttier than the original outburst. In his release he confuses Benjamin with gossip columnist Liz Smith (she works for another paper and has some years on Benjamin), and insists he never meant to threaten anyone or any group.
He did say something in his rant I’m going to agree with. As citizens it’s our right to voice our disapproval to our elected officials, but Diaz alleges some have crossed the line by using crude language to the people who work his phones. Resorting to barnyard epithets in a battle of ideas cheapens the discourse and moves the debate nowhere.
Then you just don’t know what debate means. And why isn’t it an effective strategy? Political strategy? Meh, it can’t possibly be less effective than what we’ve been pursuing with regard to confronting vocal demagogues. But you said it cheapens the discourse. How exactly does it do that? I renew my claim that it’s potty mouth that offends you. BTW, they work for the enemy, and should be spared no consideration.
Tank,
I curse like sailor; however, cursing out someone who works in Diaz’s office is not an effective political strategy.
And by the way: debate never ends. At least that’s what Ocatavio Paz said in “In Light of India.”
Sincerely,
James
The time for “debate” ended a long time ago, James. It’s disheartening that you’re not aware of this. This isn’t about sitting down at the algonquin roundtable and enjoying a stimulating debate about our equality and enfranchisement. There’s nothing to advance with people like diaz. His son? Different story. They have their bigotry justified poorly by dogma, and it’s going nowhere. But neither are we. I suppose we could do what corvino does and have debates about same sex marriage and the ethical status of homosexuality with religious zealots…but that doesn’t seem to change the hearts and minds of those who are heartless and mindless like the people at focus on the family. Many already know the arguments and don’t care…don’t want to care… Guys like diaz will take their hatred to the grave, and there’s no mercenary reason for that sack of excrement to change his mind.
Perhaps your real issue is with potty mouth…. Does potty mouth offend you? Potty talk? I didn’t know you were such a prude. Well, bad language is certainly not going to advance our cause any less than “civilized discourse” has….which has gotten us nowhere, james.
‘crude’ is a matter of perspective. Some people use blunt ‘illustrive’ words to express disdain.