PHOTOS: JoeMyGod
One of New York State legislature's staunchest opponents of marriage equality took to the streets of the Bronx to march against its legalization. The rally was sponsored by the National Organization and led by Ruben Diaz Sr, the rabidly anti-gay New York state senator and Pentecostal minister.
The hate rally attracted only about an estimated 1,000 people—a far cry from the 10,000 strong May 2009 anti-gay march that Diaz organized on the streets of Manhattan.
The counter-protesters included member's of Diaz's own family. Erica Diaz, the 22-year-old openly lesbian granddaughter of the minister, publicly opposed her grandfather and called for legalization of same-sex marriage. Erica Diaz was discharged last year from the Navy under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
Erica Diaz briefly joined her grandfather on stage.
"What's gonna happen on the Senate floor?" said Diaz later, speaking of the renewed push for a marriage equality bill in Albany. "I don't know. I know last year we were instrumental in stopping it. We're fighting it."
Eight Democratic New York state senators helped defeat marriage equality by a 38-24 vote in December 2009. Of the New York Senate's ten black members, Diaz Sr. was also one of ONLY 2 who voted against the bill. In addition to his granddaughter, Diaz Sr. also has two gay brothers.
Don't these pendejos have anything better to do? With all the problems affecting Latino and other communities or color, you'd think they'd put as effort into those issues as they do with gay marriage and abortion. People joke about White folks being divorced from reality but where the hell do OUR folks leave their brains.
I'm sorry for the rant but I'm sick of this crap. It's so tiring.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 15 May 2011 at 23:54
True dat.
Don't even get me started. Just as bad in the UK, except there isn't that many of us at all.
Posted by: Rowan | 16 May 2011 at 03:42
What a sad, pathetic group. Barely a thousand showed up. The entire planet seems to be in free fall, and this is what the likes of Ruben Diaz is up to ...
Posted by: Dan Collier | 16 May 2011 at 08:54