The Bizarro Logic Of NY Sen. Ruben Diaz

From a just-published interview with Steven Thrasher at the Village Voice:

All right, let me ask you about this. You believe marriage is between one man and one woman, yes?

Yes [laughing] So? Why are you asking me this? You know that, you know what I believe. Why are you calling me? Marriage is between a man and a woman.

But you yourself have been married twice, and are divorced.

Yes. So?

So do you believe it is alright to be divorced?

No. Divorce is wrong. Gay marriage is wrong.

You think you are wrong, then?

When I got divorced, I was wrong, yes. Why are you asking me this?

But you believe that gay marriage is wrong and divorce is wrong, but that you should be allowed to get divorced and remarried, and gay people shouldn't be able to marry at all.

When I got divorced, it was wrong, but marriage is between a man and a woman.

So is being divorced OK with your religion?

No, it is not OK. Gay marriage is still wrong. This is what I believe.

You may recall that Sen. "Reverend" Diaz once grandiosely declared, "I am the the church AND the state."

NEW YORK: Leading Spanish-Language Paper Endorses Marriage Equality

The most widely-read Spanish-language newspaper in New York has published an editorial endorsing same-sex marriage. Capitol Confidential sees a jab at Sen. Ruben Diaz in the second (translated) paragraph below from El Diario.

New York needs and is ready for this change. Our gay population is bigger than the seven nearby jurisdictions (six states plus the District of Columbia) that have legalized same-sex marriage. And close to 60 percent of New Yorkers support gay marriage.

Governor Cuomo’s campaign merits all the the support of the Latino community, including those who are opposed for religious reasons. Officials in this position should remember that they were elected to serve the public (independent of its sexual orientation) under American laws, which were established with a clear distinction between church and state. Latinos should also remember our collective fight is against discrimination and marginalization.

Homosexuality is a human reality. The majority of New Yorkers have a friend, colleague or relative who’s gay. It’s time to give these people the opportunity to develop families and build communities. Our government shouldn’t be in the business of telling the people who to love or who to marry.

(Tipped by JMG reader Larry)

Queer Rising Protests Sen. Ruben Diaz

Queer Rising's protest at Sen. Ruben Diaz' fundraiser in the Bronx last night was primarily meant to shame Democratic state Senate leader John Sampson for aligning himself with the state's most vile homophobe. However Sampson didn't show up, even though he was a co-sponsor of the event. Does Sampson finally get it? Or was he just afraid of being photographed while being screamed at by angry LGBT activists? Note how Diaz makes his entrance accompanied by a much younger woman who disdainfully blows kisses to the protesters.

THURSDAY: Queer Rising To Protest Fundraiser For Sen. Ruben Diaz

Via press release:

Queer Rising is outraged by New York State Senate Majority Leader John Sampson's decision to hold a fundraiser for anti-LGBTQ Senator Ruben Diaz of the Bronx on Thursday, August 12th. Senator Diaz led the Democratic revolt against Marriage Equality in the Senate last December, and he is a key target of a unified LGBTQ effort. In response, Queer Rising invites all to join us at "The Sampson & Diaz Bigot Gala" paparazzi protest. “Queer Rising is in the business of holding people accountable for their anti-LGBTQ actions, attendees of this function are supporting a bigot and need to be exposed.” Natasha Dillon, a founding member of Queer Rising.

Date: Thursday, August 12th
Time: 6 pm
Location: Maestro's Caterers: 1703 Bronxdale Avenue

NEW YORK: Activists Attack Senate Leader Over Support For Anti-Gay Dems

New York Senate leader John Sampson met with the Stonewall Democratic Club in Brooklyn this weekend where activists ripped him a new one over his support for Sen. Ruben Diaz and Sen. Shirley Huntley, both of whom vigorously oppose marriage equality. Things got so heated at the meeting that Sampson threatened to walk out.

Sampson has angered gay advocates with his pledge to support all Senate Dems seeking reelection, including the six who voted against the same-sex marriage bill, killing it, 38 to 24. He's also refused to promise to put the controversial bill up for another vote. "I don't think the senator is a homophobe by any stretch of the imagination, but we'd like to see him working on our side a little bit harder," club President Joe Hagelmann said about Saturday's meeting at Junior's Cheesecake. Eight Democrats joined all 30 Republicans in opposing the bill. One opponent, Hiram Monserrate, has since been expelled from the Senate. Another no-vote, Sen. George Onorato, is retiring. Five of the remaining six face serious primary or general election challenges.

The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender [LGBT] community is especially concerned by Sampson's support of Queens Sen. Shirley Huntley, a "no" voter facing a primary challenge from gay-marriage supporter Lynn Nunes. Sampson gave Huntley $9,500 from his own campaign cash and tried unsuccessfully to prevent the Empire State Pride Agenda, New York's largest LGBT organization, from endorsing Nunes. Sampson is also supporting Bronx Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., the most vocal opponent of gay marriage in the Democratic conference. Sampson is headlining a fund-raiser Thursday for Diaz Sr., whose primary challenger is ex-Assembly staffer and community organizer Charlie Ramos.

Catch that last line? The Democratic leader of the New York Senate is headlining a fucking fundraiser for Sen. Ruben Diaz, who says that he is the church AND the state for New York. Click over to the Advocate for Julie Bolcer's detailed report from the meeting.

Empire State Pride Agenda Calls For Ouster Of Arch Homophobe NY Sen. Ruben Diaz

Today the Empire State Pride Agenda endorsed 2010 NY Senate candidate Charlie Ramos in his bid to unseat the state's most vile homophobe, Sen. Ruben Diaz. Via press release:

As you probably know, Senator Diaz is our most vocal foe on marriage equality and transgender non-discrimination in the State Senate. He led rallies against marriage equality, spoke and voted against it on the Senate floor and is reported to have struck back room deals trying to prevent it from ever even coming to a vote. He led the debate against the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act in the Senate Judiciary Committee with unfounded and disproven myths. And he asserted a “one-man veto” to remove budgetary language that would have allowed legally married same-sex couples to file jointly on their New York State income tax returns.

In stark contrast, Charlie Ramos has committed to co-sponsoring marriage equality legislation, and has stated his full support for a statewide transgender non-discrimination law. He is also pro-choice and supports full access to reproductive health. Senator Diaz and all state legislators need to know that their attacks against the LGBT community will not go unanswered. New Yorkers understand fairness and equality, and want legislators who work to better the lives of their constituents and their families, not to find opportunities to discriminate against them. We want to send a loud and clear message that it is unacceptable that Senator Diaz chooses to thwart equality and justice for all New Yorkers.

Contribute to ESPA's 2010 PAC here.

GENDA Dies In NY Senate Committee Thanks To Arch Homophobe Ruben Diaz

Today the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act failed to move out of the New York Senate Judiciary Committee by ONE vote. And who was the lone dissenting Democratic vote that killed the bill? Our old nemesis, the evil Sen. Ruben Diaz. Via press release from the Empire State Pride Agenda:

Today the Senate Judiciary Committee took up the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and failed to move it forward by a vote of 11-12. All the Republican Senators on the Committee voted against it, as did Senator Ruben Diaz as the lone Democrat vote in dissent. Some senators raised concerns about the use of bathrooms and other gender-segregated facilities, and a number of senators who voted against the bill expressed a willingness to support it if this issue could be sufficiently addressed. Committee Chair John Sampson promised to take these concerns back to the prime sponsor of the bill, Senator Tom Duane, for discussion.

Diaz, an evangelical pastor representing the Bronx, has a decades-long record of opposing virtually all LGBT rights bills. In 2008 he orchestrated the largest anti-gay rally in the history of New York when he led 10,000 Hispanic evangelicals in a gay marriage protest outside the Manhattan office of Gov. David Paterson. Diaz claims he is a not a homophobe because he has TWO gay brothers whom he "loves very much." Diaz showed his brothers that love in 1994 when he tried to block NYC from hosting the Gay Games because the event would "bring AIDS to New York."

Fight Back New York: What The Diaz?

Fight Back New York, the action PAC formed to fight anti-gay New York legislators, has launched an amusing attack on state Sen. Ruben "Reverend" Diaz. Go play here.

Challenger Announces Bid To Unseat Anti-Gay NY Sen. Ruben Diaz

Bronx Democrat Charlie Ramos has announced his intent to run against New York's most famously evil homophobe, state Sen. Ruben Diaz.

"This September I will run for the State Senate and take on Reverend Ruben Diaz, Sr. in the Democratic primary,” Ramos wrote in a “Dear Friend” e-mail he is poised to blast out this evening. “I’m running because the people of the Bronx are hurting and our State government is not helping our community, but making living conditions worsen.” “…The people of the Bronx deserve better than this. I would go a step further and say the people of the Bronx are at risk because of the failure of our State government. If I become your State Senator – I will be accountable only to you. My very first priority will be to protect our children and bring jobs to our community.”

In 2008 Diaz organized the largest anti-gay rally in New York history when he railed against same-sex marriage before thousands of Hispanic evangelicals outside of Gov. Paterson's NYC office. Diaz has very strong support in the Bronx and Charlie Ramos is going to need all the help that the LGBT community can muster. I'll provide his campaign and fundraising details here when they become available.

UPDATE: Contribute to Ramos here. Campaign website here.

PhoboQuotable - NY Sen. Ruben Diaz

"I love them. I love them. But I don’t believe in what they are doing. They are my brothers. They are my family. So how could I be a homophobe? The people of the nation don’t want gay marriage. They didn’t want it in California; they didn’t want it in Maine. And the people of upstate New York, after what happened to the candidate in the 23rd Congressional District, they sent a message they don’t want gay marriage. Forget about it. People don’t want it." - NY state Sen. Ruben Diaz telling the New York Times that since he has two gay brothers, he can't possibly be a homophobe.

This, despite the fact that tried to stop the Gay Games from coming to NYC because it would "spread AIDS." And that he sued to the city to have its LGBT high school shut down. And that he held the largest anti-gay rally in the history of NYC, in which over 10,000 placard-waving Hispanic evangelicals were bussed in to scream about Sodom and Gomorrah.

The NY Senate may finally take a vote on same-sex marriage today. If it fails, Ruben Diaz will be at the top of the list of people to blame.