Silent No More

By Leslie I. Diaz / Wife of Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr.

For decades I have often heard how intolerant we people of faith are. This sentiment has been hurled at us especially by the Gay Community. Other than being called intolerant, the Christian Community has had obscenities thrown at her. The abuse and intolerance hurled at people of faith has been constant and hidden behind the “separation of church and state,”. It’s as if this gives them a license to shut down those people we disagree with by violating their constitutional rights to religious liberty, freedom of speech and the freedom of expression.

It is not a secret that Ruben is a man of deep conviction, who is steadfast in his principles. He has never wavered or has sold out on his virtues in his quest to seek an elected position, or to get a positive news story. Ruben is a man of faith, a pastor. Ruben has never tried to hide who he is, or what he believes. Ruben as NY1 puts it, “did not just one day fall out of the sky.” Ruben Diaz has been involved in politics for over 35 years. So why the surprise? Why the outrage?

Every time I hear the news regarding what Ruben Diaz said, it’s as if I’m living in the town of Chicken Little. “The sky is falling!” All these elected officials, and news reporters running around in a frenzy like Henny Penny, warning everyone “The sky is falling, The Sky is Falling!” and all because Ruben Diaz said the Gay Community has control of the City Council.

To all you geniuses asking for Ruben’s resignation, or apology, if you would have just ignored this “foolish man’s comments”, as some news outlets so proudly describe him, no one would have known what he said, or if there is any fact to it. But now, anyone who is paying attention can attest that Ruben Diaz is right. Yup, the Gay Community does possess immense power, not only in the City Council, but throughout the entire State of New York.

Let’s take a look at all the recent goings on

. Let’s look at the politicians. They have come to our church, sat at our holy of holies, requested the support of our parishioners and who Ruben has spent much time away from home and his family to campaign on their behalf, now have so easily thrown him under the bus and requested his resignation or apology. Wow! Guess the pressure got to them. Even Governor Cuomo, and Mayor DeBlasio have called for Ruben’s apology. Well needless to say this angered an overly sensitive Chicken Little in the City Council, think his name is Bremer” who said in a press conference, telling the Governor and the Mayor “ “F” the apology, ask for his resignation.” Now that changes the meaning of “Tolerance”.

The Gay Community and its representatives have wielded their proven power, that even Ruben Jr., the Apple of his father’s eyes, was compelled to publicly request an apology from his dad. But that’s o.k. we forgive.

The members in the city council voted in favor to dismantle the Committee that has been so effective in helping the taxi industry, which were being brutalized under the TLC. So, my question to the members is this; and who does that action hurt? I will let you and the taxi drivers take a guess.

The control that the Gay community has wielded is such that I too have felt the weight of discrimination at the hands of Scott Stringer the NYC Controller. Why? Because I too oppose same-sex marriage.

So, does the Gay Community wield power. Ahhh yea! You see, because of all this senseless hoopla, now we all know it to be true. Before we just assumed it. So, thank you Mr. Speaker and all the Henny Penny’s at the City Council.

Throughout my years beside the man Ruben Diaz, I have witnessed his arduous work on behalf of the minority communities, all communities. He serves all, he befriends all, Christians and non-Christians, Gay or Straight, Jew and Gentile, young and old, those in and out of his legislative district. Just ask his annoyed staff.

I have voiced my opposition when Ruben reaches out to help a foe who has betrayed him and done him wrong. Ruben’s response has been, “you don’t kick a person when they are down, you give them a hand and help raise them regardless of who they are or what they have done.” Based on our faith that response must suffice for me.

Throughout the years I have remained silent as my husband’s character has been maligned. I was present when he was physically attacked by a member of the Gay Community during a CCRB (Civilian Complaint Review Board) hearing where he served as a Commissioner investigating police brutality. Moreover, the home care agency he founded had numerous, frivolous investigations launched by the NYS Attorney General’s office, the FBI, and other city, state, and federal agencies. In the process, our employees were harassed, intimidated and brought to tears. Why? Ruben’s opposition to Same Sex Marriage.

Also, the Gay Community attempted to interrupt our Sunday Worship Services, by holding a demonstration in front of our church, why? Because of our opposition to Same-Sex marriage. Members of the Gay Community have threatened my husband’s life, to the point that I fear for his safety when he goes out in public.

I have watched news stories that have been spinned to fit the narrative that he is a homophobe when so many know this to be so far from the truth. But it does not fit the narrative of victimization. So, the stories and attacks persist.

To Corey Johnson and the members of the Gay Community, I assure you my husband understands your pain. He must, in his role of a pastor, but more importantly, because he too has been victimized most of his life. He is a Black man, Latino, as he would say, “with a broken English, and kinky hair”. As a military man he came face to face with the ugliness and sting of racism while stationed in the segregated South in the early sixties.

With all due respect Mr. Speaker, if you were not openly Gay no one would know. Compare that to Ruben who is a Black man. He could not hide that fact even if he tried. As a result, he has faced racial bias not only here but in his homeland of Puerto Rico. You as a White male have the advantage of “White Privilege”.

What If both Ruben and Cory were in the segregated south and both were to board a bus, guess who has to take a seat in the back of the bus. I don’t mean to up one on victimization. I just want to make the point that there is enough victimhood to go around. We are all victims in some form or another. We should learn to respect and tolerate each other. The City Council’s grand standing this week serves no one, especially those members that were elected to serve.

Using victimhood as a crutch, and to inflict pain on others only prevents one from moving forward. It prevents us from leaving the pain in the past. I have seen Ruben do this so well and he moves past the pain and the fools, only to confront more fools.

I am silent no more in my quest for tolerance from the Gay Community and those that have so easily thrown Ruben Diaz under the bus, without a single iota as to the meaning of friendship, loyalty, and support.

You see my husband doesn’t need any of you when he is standing tall, and he doesn’t need any of you to kick him when he’s down. A virtuous thing to do, as Ruben would say, is to lift up a “friend” when he is down and in the midst of a fire storm.

Ruben is not alone. He has a community, a congregation, a wife, children and grandchildren that love and support him. He does not stand alone. Thank you, Chris Lynn for your unwavering friendship and support. You sir put many to great shame.

It appears as though many have forgotten the definition of “Tolerance”. So, for your convenience, I close with its dictionary meaning.

Tolerance means:

“The ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular, the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.”

Now write that down boys and girls. As for you Henny Penny, No, the sky is not falling.

This is Leslie I. Diaz, proud wife of Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr., and this is what you should know.