Statement By NYS Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) On Today’s Assembly Vote For Homosexual Marriage

As a legislator of Hispanic origin, today I am very disappointed with those members of the Hispanic delegation in the State Assembly for supporting homosexual marriage in New York.

It is sad that the Hispanic legislators in the NYS Assembly will vote in favor of homosexual marriage today. Our community as a whole, Black, White, Asian, Islamic and Hispanic is at least 80% against homosexual marriage. Most New Yorkers are from communities that believes in moral, traditional and family values.

My fellow legislators, Adriano Espaillat, Jose Peralta, Jose Rivera, Felix Ortiz, Peter Rivera, Naomi Rivera, Luis Diaz, and Adam Clayton Powell all have decided to vote in support of homosexual marriage.

This is against the Jewish Religion, the Islamic Religion, and Christian Religions. These religions do not support the belief in or practice of homosexuality.

Even though the members of the New York State Assembly, controlled by the Democratic Party and guided by the Speaker Sheldon Silver, today will approve and authorize gay marriage in New York State, I am confident that the New York State Senate, controlled by the Republican Party, will not allow this to come to the floor of the Senate.

I would like to praise those members of the New York State Assembly who resisted pressure from the Governor, from their fellow members, and from the gay and lesbian communities and will vote against this bill.