Ruben Diaz

Ruben Diaz Sr. (born 22 April 1943) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, Diaz represents the 32nd District in the New York State Senate. His constituency includes the Bronx neighborhoods of Castle Hill, Clason Point, Parkchester, Morrisania, Hunts Point, Melrose, Pelham Parkway, Union Port, Longwood, and Soundview. [ [http://www.nyssenate32.com/32/Biography.aspx Ruben Diaz ] ]

Early life and career

Born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Diaz has been a resident of New York City since 1965. Prior to arriving in New York City Diaz had served in the United States Armed Forces beginning in 1960, ultimately obtaining an honorable discharge three years later.

He would go on to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree from Herbert H. Lehman College. Later, in 1978, he became an ordained minister of the Church of God, whose headquarters are located in Cleveland, Tennessee. At the same time, Diaz served as Executive Director of the Christian Community Benevolent Association, Inc., and as a pastor at the Christian Community Neighborhood Church.

In 1993, Diaz was appointed to serve on New York City's Civilian Complaint Review Board, and in 1997 he received an honorary doctorate from an evangelical university located in the Dominican Republic.

Diaz expressed anger at Governor Eliot Spitzer after Spitzer reversed course and abandoned his plan to allow illegal immigrants to obtain New York driver's licenses. Diaz said he had been betrayed by Spitzer.

Prior to his election to the State Senate in 2002, Diaz served on the New York City Council, where he was the only elected member who was also an ordained minister.

Senator Diaz has a son, Ruben Diaz Jr., who currently represents District 75 in the New York State Assembly.

Pro-life views

In 2008, Senator Diaz was described as "the state senate's sole pro-life Democrat." [http://www.silobreaker.com/DocumentReader.aspx?Item=5_868756992 Silobreaker: Pro-Life Dem Lawmaker Blasts Embryonic Stem Cell R ] ] Senator Diaz has taken prominent public positions against expanding access to abortion [ [http://hvcljournal.typepad.com/lifenet/2008/02/state-senator-r.html LifeNet: State Senator Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) speaks out powerfully against the Spitzer abortion bill ] ] and against state funding of embryonic stem cell research.

In a March 2005 speech on the State Senate floor, Senator Diaz made the following remarks: "Abortion is the American Holocaust.... The comparison is plain: six million Jews were exterminated by Hitler in Germany; Almost 48 million babies have been exterminated in the abortion clinics of America. We have simply been in the killing for a longer period of time than Hitler.... Hitler used the ashes of the Jews to make bars of soap. In America, we are selling fetal tissue to be used in: the manufacture of cosmetics as well as for medical research.... Do not point your finger at Hitler; we are worse." [http://newyork.democratsforlife.org/diaz/diazstemcellspeech.htm] [http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/2005/03/18/2005-03-18_diaz_hit_for_nazi-stem-cell_.html] In 2008, when a colleague proposed legislation that would expand abortion rights in New York, Senator Diaz described the bill as "one of the most dangerous and radical pieces of proposed legislation in New York State that I have ever seen." [http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/nyregion/18empire.html]

Opposition to same-sex marriage

In 2007, as his party, led by Governor Eliot Spitzer and Lt. Governor David Paterson, sought to recognize gay marriage and expand rights for the LGBT community, Diaz was a vocal opponent of the gay marriage bill and was highly critical of Democratic support for the bill. [ [http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2007/06/gaymarriage_bill_passes_fails.html Gay-Marriage Bill Passes, Fails, and Freaks Out a Bronx Dem - Daily Intel - New York News Blog - New York Magazine ] ] Senator Diaz's opposition to same-sex marriage continued in 2008, when he vowed to vote against same-sex marriage legislation [ [http://www.legislativegazette.com/day_item.php?item=393 Legislative Gazette ] ] and participated (along with hundreds of clergy) in a pro-traditional-marriage "Power in the Pulpit" rally held by New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms [ [http://www.nycf.info NYFCF ] ] in the Legislative Office Building; [ [http://www.nyssenate32.com/32/news/08-06-17/new_york_hispanic_clergy_to_defend_traditional_marriage_in_albany_and_washington_dc.aspx Ruben Diaz > New York Hispanic Clergy to Defend Traditional Marriage in Albany and Washington, DC ] ] at the rally, Sen. Diaz was reportedly presented with over 15,000 petitions in support of traditional marriage. [ [http://www.nyfrf.org/content/view/98/1/ nyfrf.org - Power in the Pulpit's Inaugural Debut ] ]

Gay community controversies

Opposition to Gay Games

In 1994, while on the Civilian Complaint Review Board, Diaz was critical of the city hosting the Gay Games, claiming that doing so would lead to an increase in AIDS cases and to wider acceptance of homosexuality by young people. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07E0D6123AF930A35750C0A962958260&sec=health&spon=&pagewant Board Disavows Diaz on the Gay Games - New York Times ] ] Diaz wrote that hosting the Games would lead children "to conclude that if there are so many gay and lesbian athletes then there is nothing wrong, nor any risks involved." The other members of the Board issued a unanimous rebuke of Diaz’s comments.

Criticism of Harvey Milk School policy

In 2003, Diaz filed a lawsuit to stop the expansion of the Harvey Milk School (a school for gay students who suffer discrimination in traditional settings), claiming that the school infringed the rights of heterosexual students. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DE4DB1430F935A2575BC0A9659C8B63 Lawsuit Opposes Expansion Of School for Gay Students - New York Times ] ] [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980CE3D91039F934A1575BC0A9659C8B63 ON EDUCATION; A Safe Haven Finds Itself Under Siege - New York Times ] ] The lawsuit was settled in 2006 after the school agreed not to discriminate against heterosexual students and not to restrict admission to students who identify as homosexual, and after the City of New York agreed that the school would be open to all students. [ [http://www.campusreportonline.net/main/articles.php?id=1071 Gay Only School Must Admit Straights ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.nyssenate32.com/ New York State Senator|32nd Senate District|Ruben Diaz] Senate webpage.
* [http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=473854&category=STATE&newsdate=4/21/2006 Funds followed senator's kin]
* [http://www.gothamgazette.com/eyeonalbany/senate/district32.shtml Gotham Gazette's Eye On Albany: New York State Senate: District 32]
* [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MTc1NThkYWRjNWJlNGQwMzBhM2FkOGVkNGVkNDI2MTE= Let Legislators Be Legislators]
* [http://www.observer.com/2008/politics/annoying-power-rub-n-d-az The Annoying Power of Rubén Díaz]