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One of the staunchest opponents to same-sex marriage is a Bronx state senator with two gay brothers, a gay grandchild, and a gay chief counsel. Democrat Ruben Diaz, Sr., a Pentecostal minister, has been a die hard foe of any bill that would legalize gay marriage in New York State, despite his supposedly convivial relationship with many homosexuals. "I love them. I love them," says Díaz, who grew up one of 17 children in Puerto Rico. "But I don’t believe in what they are doing."
With so many gays in his life, he asks the Times, "How could I be a homophobe?" And indeed, his openly gay chief counsel, Christopher R. Lynn, describes Diaz as "my brother. [But] he said to me, 'For me to accept this, I have to turn my whole value system upside down.'" Yet it wouldn't be the first time Diaz turned his "system" upside down. In 1965 he was a drug addict who got busted for heroin and marijuana possession. Then he got religion, became a pastor, a community organizer, and ultimately a gay marriage-blocking senator.
It's looking increasingly likely that Diaz will get his way and a bill to legalize same-sex marriage will not come to the senate floor for a vote. In his Times interview, Diaz said, "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."
Try telling that to openly gay City Council speaker Christine Quinn, who yesterday held back tears during an emotional press conference, telling reporters, "If the bill is not voted on and passed, a week after a referendum passed in Maine that took rights away from the residents, if seven days after that, the New York state Senate stands up and says, 'All New York families are equal,' what a message that sends about what we believe as a state...This is literally a moment when people can stand up and say that everybody's family matters, that everybody's home is a blessed place and that everybody has the same rights. Tomorrow is really about bringing hope to fruition. It's about a moment where you lift people up or you drag people down. So I ask the state Senate to have the courage of its convictions and to act."
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I don't 'believe in what black people are doing'. Let's roll back some of their rights.
Substitute any ethnicity in for black btw -- you get the point Mr. Diaz.
i don't mean to be blunt, but fuck this guy right in his ignorant self-righteous ass.
http://nlsngrc.blogspot.com/2009/06/ruben-diaz-on-wnycs-brian-lamb-show-gay.html
Don't forget this fun exchange. This guy is a senator but can't even bullshit well enough...
How can he be a homophobe! He has gay friends! He just condemns their choices & lifestyle & doesn't believe they deserve the same rights as him. He's not AFRAID of gay people-- he just hates them with the irrational fires of bigotry. He's not homophobic, just a piece of crap.
I was about to say the exact same thing.
Guiliani didn't attend the marriage of the gay man who housed him when Rudy was kicked out for cheating on his wife.
Wait what happened to having your own opinion?
I have quite a few gay friends and they all know how I feel about this topic. It does not make me wrong. Just that I disagree with some things. That is all. We are ALL entitled to our beliefs. If you agree with them or not.
The difference here is, however, that Diaz and homophobes everywhere go beyond their beliefs and act to take rights away or keep rights away from others. Not cool. Our country was founded on the premises of liberty and freedom, and even though I might not want to bang another guy, two of them getting married does not affect me, so who am I to say that they shouldn't be able to? If that's what two consenting adults want to do and it doesn't affect others, then they should be allowed to do it.
i disagree with this notion that everyone is always "entitled" to their beliefs. you may believe whatever you wish but i'm under no obligation (and nor is the government) to respect you or your feelings, particularly when they result in certain harm to me and the legal standing of my relationship.
You speak about your gay friends like they are a token possession that you use as a pawn to say what ever you want. Believe me, they can sense your anxieties! I wonder if they think of you as their friend.
The reason they are my friend and Not someone like you is I am allowed to have my opinion with them. Unlike the morons on this site. You cannot pick and choose what you are allowed to say and not say. You are all on here preaching that if you oppose Gay marriage you are a homo-phobe. Or how you put it use my gay friends as pawns. you do not know me so why do you presume you know anything? So of us just disagree with it. it is that simple.
you are wrong.
It actually does make you wrong. Also wrong: thinking the Earth is flat, or that women are property. HERE IS A NEWSFLASH. YOUR OPINION IS WRONG. PAY ATTENTION. YOUR OPINION IS WRONG.
Why do you get to say what is wrong?. You are wrong because if I do not agree with you, I am wrong? Who do you think you are? Why do you get to decide? Why do you get to tell others what is wrong and what is right? Why do you think what you want is right? Your arrogance is why?
NEWSFLASH: Despite "Fag" Backwards in Username, Gothamist Poster Still Anti-Gay Marriage
Really? that is supposed to upset me? Dude! I do not hate gay people. I never even said what my stance was. My point was that you cannot have an opinion other than YAY!!! GAY Marriage. If you do....well just look at the posts.
So I do not know what the fag comment is about? I mean are you trying to say that I am a FAG and I should want gay marriage rights? I am not sure.
nah just messin' around, i'm more or less on your side.
What other kinds of things would you vote to make illegal? Are we going to make it illegal for people with different skin colors to marry each other? Or hey-- maybe we can make it illegal for people who live together first to get married. Just encourages sin, after all. What about people who aren't Mormans-- the aren't having the right kind of marriage, right? So we should ban that. Actually now that you mention it, I bet there are people who have all those opinions! They're all entitled to them. It doesn't make them not idiots.
Okay, I'm making a straw man, but to be fair, all you keep insisting is that you have a right to your opinion. Sure! I don't want to make it illegal for you to have your bigoted opinion. You are the one who wants to take away people's rights here, not me, after all. I just am here to tell you that your opinion is dumb. & wrong. & bigoted.
You are a very funny little boy. I took a look at your little piece of the internet. Now I understand why you like to argue points and make your self feel like a big man calling me a bigot etc... When you grow up and come out from hiding in your little internet world then I might take anything you say seriously. I am actually kinda sad for you.
Little boys like you need these rants to make yourself feel big and strong and all grown up. Because you do not get what a right is. People have the right to disagree with others. That does not mean that they are bigots or anything else. Since you have not really looked at my post. I never took a stance on the subject, all i dais is how if you have an opinion other then YAY for gay marriage you area bigot. But you automatically think I said that I am against it. Grow up Mordicai!
Opposing gay marriage doesn't mean you are a homophobe. Most Americans don't want gay marriage. This was made loud and clear this month by voters.
Americans shouldn't get to vote on a minority groups civil rights in the first place. And yes, opposing another person's civil rights does make you a bigot and a homophobe. But you tell yourself whatever makes you feel better about being a piece of shit.
i guess we should just let fundamentalist religious doctrine rule all of us, it worked out really great in the Middle Ages.
Americans shouldn't get to vote on a minority groups civil rights in the first place.
Wow, interesting idea; not the majority rules but the minority rules. Does that mean I should be allowed to marry a poodle?
opposing another person's civil rights does make you a bigot and a homophobe.
That's a statement with no reasoning behind it.
'Yet it wouldn't be the first time Diaz turned his "system" upside down. In 1965 he was a drug addict who got busted for heroin and marijuana possession. Then he got religion, became a pastor, a community organizer, and ultimately a gay marriage-blocking senator.'
The difference being: He went from being a self destructive drug user with an excellent chance of dying to a minister, and finally to a public official.
If you want to disagree with his beliefs, cool, but you make his going from a drug user to a minister sound trivial and inconsequential.
IMO, while his beliefs may be counter to his job as a public official, no one should expect him to change his religion.
oh, good point. let's make sure to strip out the provision in all those marriage equality bills that requires the legislators to forfeit their religions. oh wait that wasn't in there? nevermind then.
Well, on a serious note: That's what he has to reconcile and that's why I don't think Ministers should be elected officials.
His beliefs may not be in line with the wishes of his constituents and it's up to his constituents to decide what to do with him.
dilligaf: I'm not picking on your comment. Disagreeing on issues is great. Having one's own opinion is great. The problem is when ONE's personal beliefs and opinions trump the civil rights of others as in the case of the state Senator. Also, I always chuckle when someone makes a statement like ... "I have gay friends, I have black friends, I have *insert oppressed/disenfranchised group here* friends . . . . as if having "friends" validates a position. I'm a gay man who DOESN'T have any straight "friends" who are opposed to gay marriage. I have lots of acquaintances who are opposed to gay marriage and who differ on a lot of other issues. Maybe some of these acquaintances would call me a friend. I hope not because it's not reciprocated.
I will demonstrate why Diaz is homophobic and sexist, and sexually harassing his staff. Diaz is talking about his feelings towards his gay family members, and his staff. He is quoted as saying that he loves them, and then he becomes homophobic and sexist in his following comment. "But I don’t believe in what they are doing." He doesn't believe what they do in their private sexual lives. His homophobia is in motion by sexualizing gay men who are not anywhere near him, nor are any gay men having sex around him. He automatically associates gay men as being sexual. This is an aspect of homophobia. His sexism intersects with his homophobia by demonizing gay men only. He doesn't say anything about two lesbian having sex. Conversely, his mind doesn't associate sex when he is talking about two straight people, but only two gay people.
In light of this intersectional analysis of homophobia and sexism it is safe to say that he is sexually harassing his gay staff, who are not being sexual near him, and admonishing them for what they do in their private life.
The only thing you demonstrated is that your mind is in the gutter. "I don't believe in what they're doing" could easily be referring to their attending of Lady Gaga concerts. MUST EVERYTHING BE ABOUT SEX? Sheesh.
In the founding document...
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Apparently, gay people and a host of other people aren't endowed with these unalienable rights. So, are they not human? Almost but not quite human? Human except for certain alienable rights? Let's have those weak-willed phony politicians voting against gay marriage rights come out and say just where on the spectrum they stand.
That the establishment so long fights against the rights of gays, women, people of a different color or ethnicity is a shameful stain on our history. I am reluctant to add this at the risk of sounding patronizing, but want my gay brothers and sisters to know I am a straight white male who came of age in the 1960s. A lot marching and a lot of disturbing the peace back in the day. Many many of us are behind you and ready to lend support. We can't get the mean-spirited, close-minded bastards out of office, either. it's going on 50 years that we've been trying. Peace, love and equality.
Amen! Equal rights for all citizens! I am an African American hetero woman who is tired of my friends not being able to enjoy the same rights I enjoy.
religious zealotry is ruining this country.
Gay is not an ethnicity. It's an act of sexual perversion. We tolerate it, but we don't have to condone it.
Next you'll want to give subsidies for golden showers.
straight people can and do have gay sex, too, and they can do it while legally married. should they have their marriage licenses revoked because of their sexual habits?
marriage equality has nothing to do with what people do in their bedroom. it's about protecting the legal rights of two consenting adults in a relationship. just because you think guy-on-guy or girl-on-girl is "icky" doesn't mean the relationship shouldn't be recognized legally.
Hear, hear. Well said.
Why should the government recognize (and subsidize) any relationship legally? Seems like it's none of their business really. But if the people of a State agree that a kind of marriage is socially beneficial and wants to subsidize it, they can choose to do so.
At present, most people don't think gay marriage is socially beneficial, or socially acceptable, which is why it hasn't passed a popular vote in any of the 31 states where the people were given the democratic option to choose. Most people don't see a same-sex marriage as something worth a tax deduction and an enhanced ability to adopt children.
Maybe that will change in certain places in the future, but for the time being, gay marriage proponents are not the majority.
But just because the State doesn't officially condone and award gay marriage, that doesn't stop anyone from getting married. A marriage is really just a ceremony, an exchange of vows and promises, and a contract over property, all of which are legally available to any gay couple.
a legal marriage is much more than an exchange of vows. there are thousands of state-level and federal rights and protections awarded to a couple with a civil marriage license that is unavailable currently to gay couples in every state, even those that legally allow gay marriage.
if the road you're going down leads to that absurd point of "gay people have the same marriage rights as anyone else -- they can marry a person of the opposite sex already" then the argument ends here.
I'm not making the argument that "gay people have the same marriage rights as anyone else -- they can marry a person of the opposite sex already." That argument goes toward the Equal Protection / Constitutional issue, which is not what we're debating presently.
I'm taking the position that homosexuality is an act, and not an ethnicity, and I'm questioning what rights are lost with the State recognition of marriage. I know that a State sanction of gay marriage create a sense of pride, but that can wait for a majority vote from the people to condone it. Aside from tax deductions and enhanced adoption capabilities, it seems as though every other reward of a State-sanctioned marriage is achievable through contract. If that's not true, please list some of the other privileges / protections available to those with a marriage license.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rights_and_responsibilities_of_marriages_in_the_United_States
HAVE A BALL.
Actually, homosexuality, because it's a noun that ends in "ity" is a condition of whatever it's describing. Like "productivity" or "mediocrity" or even, "ethnicity."
who is "we" in that circumstance? are you a leader of something? nah, didn't think so.
You must be joking. And if you're not, then you are one fucked-up, beyond all help human being
He doesnt seem all that bright. The cool thing is that it is only a matter of time for somone to find some dirt on him -- favor swapping or taxes or payola whatever. Looking forward to that to happen.
"He doesnt seem all that bright."
Of course not. He found religion.
If the Civil Rights Act were put to a public referrendum, like Gay Marriage has, in all those states whose electorates Ruben Diaz so fondly refers to, it would have likely failed. This isn't an issue for the likes of shitbags like Diaz, it's an issue for likes of shitbags in the US Congress.
Why do so many commenters expect Rev. Diaz to change his mind on gay marriage? Would you expect his gay brothers to change their mind about sleeping with other men?
Why do so many commenters call Rev. Diaz a homophobe for opposing gay marriage? Would they call his gay brothers bigots for opposing Diaz's Pentecostal beliefs?
Diaz lives at peace with his gay friends, they found a way to "agree to disagree." Be happy he is not a fire-and-brimstone crusader like those Westboro folks. I doubt anyone at the Westboro Church ever shared a meal with a gay, so give Diaz some credit.
"Be happy he is not a fire-and-brimstone crusader like those Westboro folks."
so i guess that anti-gay-marriage rally he held last year (in which he bused in 20k people) doesn't count as fire-and-brimstone? the westboro dipshits are a group of roughly 15 or 20 crazies who have no political clout whatsoever. ruben diaz is infinitely more dangerous.
diaz deserves no credit for his constant spewing of untruths about gay people and what gay marriage really means. it has nothing to do with religion. absolutely nothing. we're not asking diaz to submit his religion and start worshipping gay devils. we're not forcing him to enter in a gay relationship. we don't want to marry goats and have sex with kids. we just want a fucking marriage license.
you have obviously never listened to interviews with this piece of shit.
Yes everyone has the right to their own beliefs and I believe that Sen. Diaz is an idiot and a coward. If he wants to use his religion as an excuse, then lets analyze it. He's a Pentecostal minister, he therefore has christian beliefs. He follows or believes in the bible. Where in the bible does it condemn homosexuality? In Leviticus, but lets not forget eating shellfish is also condemed in Leviticus as is any pork product...Mr Diaz ever had a shrimp? crab? lobster? oyster? mussel? bacon? ham? or pork rib just to name a few? Well then your going to hell already so might as well vote for marriage equality and quit hiding behind religion as an excuse.
I don't believe the government should conduct a referendum on morality - isn't it the government's duty to protect the minority in the face of the majority?
Here's what I really don't understand though - how can his gay chief consul work for someone like this? I'd like to hear him explain why he isn't disturbed by the senator's views.
I will tell Christine Quinn that she is less than me or anyone on this planet. She is a fucking sell-out thief and she is disgusting. After she stole our money and extend her term to 14 years, she deserves NO right. I don't want her as Speaker much less see her FUGLY face on TV and hear her annoying voice. LGBT needs someone else to speak for them, Quinn just turns people OFF!!!!!
When will people finally investigate Diez? Most people know what's going on and yet no one bothers to investigate him and he is allowed to continue in his pretend "Christian" diatribe against anyone he doesn't like. Wake up New York!!!
Chris Quinn may live a progressive lifestyle at home, but at work she is an homage to Boss Tweed.
I wonder what Diaz's position on misegenation is?
And why is Quinn even bothering to chime in? She's won the election.
I HATE QUINN
As a gay black man...i can tell you. I would not have wanted "THE PEOPLE" to vote for my civil rights in the 50's and 60's and i damn sure don't want them voting for my rights now. And Diaz is an idiot..and not just on this issue. Look at his history...Piece of garbage senator. But he's only a step above El Sucko Espada
The problem with the anti-gay-marriage stance is there is absolutely no valid, logical reason behind it. It's all either
a) I think it's gross.
b) The bible says it's bad.
c) Dumb stuff about "what marriage is" as if there is some fixed definition somewhere that can't change.
d) Dumb stuff about parenting.
or e) Fallacious claims that if this becomes legal anything can be legal.
These are all bad arguments. That's why anti-gay voters are assholes - not only do they want to impose their preference on others, but they don't really have a good reason for that preference. It's not like, say, disagreeing on health care because of what you think the budget ramifications are. It's just bigotry.
a) I agree, not valid
b) I agree, not valid
c) If marriage isn't defined, why are all those gays wanting it? So they want something that they can't define? The truth is there is a definition of marriage that has been in place for thousands of years and it involves a heterosexual relationship. Gays have civil unions that they can embrace; a tradition that they can define separate from marriage. Yet the ones with the biggest mouths refuse; probably because they relish throwing marriage in the face of their parents, or whomever else they hold a grudge against.
d) Never heard of this argument
e) It isn't fallacious; some judge mentioned something about this.
On the contrary, most arguments for gay marriage consist of extensive name calling.
By "some judge", do you mean a philosophy professor mentioning it as the slippery slope fallacy?
Dear JDS... that photo is 100% pure class. We all know why grown men become ministers, Diaz, who are you trying to fool? The sooner you come out of the closet the sooner you can resign in shame and the local government can get some work done.