Jackson Heights Life

Join us in asking Council Member Helen Sears to

DENOUNCE THE POLITICS OF HATE

Sunday, August 9th at 1pm
outside her office at 37-32 75th Street
in Jackson Heights

Regardless of the candidate you support or the council district you live in, homophobia in any form cannot be tolerated.  Join us this Sunday in asking Council Member Sears to denounce hateful tactics and stick to a race focusing on issues important to the community.

If you cannot attend, please call Council Member Sears at (718) 803-6373 and ask her to make a public statement against these tactics.

August 6, 2009--"Daniel Dromm, a longtime community organizer, advocate for LGBT equality and currently a candidate for the 25th District of the New York City Council, has recently come under attack by anonymous forces using homophobic tactics to smear his reputation.

As a teenager in the 1970s, Dromm endured encounters with law enforcement officers that were typical of those times—when being gay was reason enough to be arrested. Now media outlets like NY1 are asking Dromm to answer questions about decades-old charges that were never upheld in court and replaying the interview multiple times daily.  To many in the LGBT community who had to endure similar persecution back then, this type of coverage is insulting and brings up painful memories.
We are glad that one candidate in this race, Stanley Kalathara, has denounced these attacks, and disappointed that Council Member Helen Sears declined to denounce them.  We call on her to immediately denounce these tactics and we call on NY1 to stop this sensationalist reporting.

It's time to stop talking about dropped charges from years ago and instead focus on the real issues of the 25th CD, including the recent bias-based attacks on transgender residents in Queens."

Sad but true hatred is a powerful force in politics. But, I don't think it's at all unreasonable to ask our current city council representative to make a statement that hatred and smearing have no place in any political campaign especially one she's involved in.

What were the charges? 

Its important to note that not only were those charges anonymously mailed, but the earliest charge occurred when he was 16, a minor. Offenses committed by minors are supposed to remain sealed. This information was illegally obtained. If sears can not at least come out and denounce these illegal and cowardly practices then she may as well have done them her self.

I am not saying she did do this or has anything to do with it. What I am saying is her silence on the matter speaks volumes for condoning these dirty tactics.