Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Looming marriage battle in New York
It’s not a good sign when a politician issues a threat to a reporter, but that is what state senator Ruben Diaz Sr. did. Elected to the New York State Senate in 2002, Diaz, Sr. has been in the news recently as one member of the Gang of Three, a trio of Democrats who promised to support state Senator Malcolm A. Smith as leader of the senate as long as he followed certain rules. One of those regulations was to keep same-sex marriage from being voted on.
Well that plan, which rightfully made many a bit a cranky, has gone the way of the do-do bird. However, Diaz is hot under the collar about the deal’s end and has a warning for gays and former New York mayor Ed Koch (apparently the former mayor called Diaz a rat).
“The gays are calling my office. They’re jamming my phones. They’re going to see what we can do. They’ve going to see exactly what we can do. Ed Koch is going to see what we can do. They’re just going to see. That is what I’m telling you.”
Now I know I better not, but this Diaz fellow is funny. He’s fuming, telling gay people to watch out, but refuses to say what the dire consequences are going to be. People with real power do their dirt and move on, minus a rambling conversation with a reporter.
And it isn’t like Diaz isn’t an open book. We know his strategy. If gay marriage comes to the state senate for a vote, he will be leading the charge against it. Anyone surprised about that?
Don’t forge to mention: Sen. Ruben Diaz is also Reverend Rubin Diaz. Good ole homophobic religion rears its ugly head once again. One more reason we supposedly have separation of church and state in America. Rev. Diaz needs to check his clerical collar at the Senate door. Pitty he feels so oppressed.
Give us his phone number please. Seriously, he has a right to speak out just a I have a right to speak out against his view, but if it comes to illegal or immoral stuff, then I object. The fight has to be fair…..
Personally I have a problem with a religious cleric holding political office. Isn’t that a direct conflict with separation of church and state. If not, the we should push for legislation to end the doublestandard. I don’t know about you, but I also have a problem with any politician, Obama included when after giving a speech, chant the mantra…”God bless America”. What the [heck] is that all about and why is it a rite of passage that anybody running for high office must declare a religious belief system to get elected. If that were the case in western Europe, they’d be ridiculed and not elected. It does make you wonder if there really is a separation of church and state. I wouldn’t mind betting there is some dirt on Diaz, most religious fanatics have a lot of skeletons in their closets. The other part of the trio, Pedro Espada I believe his name is, is a crook and his staff and organization were accused of misusing public money, and his archrivals, state Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. and his son, Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, Jr., are now reportedly under federal investigation for voter fraud. We should be organizing to protest these crooks and get them out and making big noise about the investigations that are underway.
As a gay Episcopalian, I firmly believe religion and politics are like oil and water, they don’t mix and should not mix.
Religious views are a personal and private matter and should stay personal and private.
Take your collar off, Reverend Diaz.
The “good” reverend’s e-mail:
diaz@senate.state.ny.us
His phone numbers:
304 Legislative Office Building
Albany, New York 12247
518-455-2511
1733 E. 172nd Street
Bronx, New York 10472
718-991-3161
Give him a jingle, and/or drop him a line or three.
Cheers,
Bud Burgoon-Clark
San Diego CA USA
District Office
1733 East 172nd Street
Bronx, NY 10472
Tel: (718) 991-3161
Fax: (718) 991-0309
Albany Office
304 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Tel: (518) 455-2511
Fax: (518) 426-6945
Well, all I can say to Mr. Diaz is, “Bring it, bitch. And pack a lunch, ’cause you’re gonna be here a while.”
Senator “the reverend” (NOT!) Ruben Diaz Sr.
304 Legislative Office Building
Albany, New York 12247
518-455-2511
diaz@senate.state.ny.us
SUBJECT: your mental health, and freedom FROM religion under the CONSTITUTION
Sir:
You are certifiable.
Threatening an individual or a group is a CRIME.
Exactly WHAT were you planning to do to Mayor Koch and the LGBT community?
Thump them with your bigoted “holy” book?
Burning faggots at the stake has been illegal for some time now.
Sorry.
Speaking of the “bible” …
Talking snakes?
Burning bushes?
You’re delusional at best.
You should be recalled and institutionalized immediately.
You are a threat to yourself and others.
Exactly what right have you to impose your religious beliefs upon CIVIL
marriage?
None whatsoever!
David and Jonathan WERE lovers, by the way.
Rusty Burgoon-Clark
happily and LEGALLY married in California
despite the best efforts of konstipated konservative kristianist kultist
krazies like yourself (KKKKK for short)
We need a Constitutional amendment banning ordained ministers, priests or whatever from holding public office. It is obvious they cannot leave their religion at the door when they go into their office. They cannot “protect and serve” all of their constituents equally if they are prejudiced against certain members that make up their voting population.
Diaz is just being cranky and acting out. I hope. Othewise, imagine a speech writer (who is by function, a political strategist) telling him to tell a whole group of his constituents, “You better watch out, I’m powerrul, irritated, and I’m gonna GET ya!!”
So does anyone know if Malcom Smith became leader of the Senate? And if so, did he do it without promising to NOT bring gay marriage up for a vote?
It’s not very difficult to become a reverend. What is his track record? Did he have a successful church? No matter, the guy sounds quite immature for either job.
Text of the email I sent to his office:
I am outraged that any public officeholder of any party in any locality would utter such a blatant threat against an group of people as Mr. Diaz has leveled at the gay community.
Threatening any community clearly indicates that Mr. Diaz does not have the moral or intellectual capacity to hold a position of leadership.
Do your constituents a favor, sir, and resign before you bring disrepute on your legislative body and the whole of your district.
A little repentance and personal reflection wouldn’t hurt you either.
I think the Democratic leadership should “educate” Mr. Diaz about how politics works. His choice is really rather simple:
EITHER vote for Smith for majority leader, and vote with the Democratic leadership about 99% of the time;
OR discover that the House has written a budget in which ZERO dollars are spent on or in Mr. Diaz’s district.
excuse me…but you didn’t include the kindly Senators’ phone number……