Bronx Councilmember Ruben Diaz Sr. got in trouble with his own son for his anti-gay ranting.
On Friday 9, news sources and politicians had a field day after 75-year-old Diaz Sr. made anti-gay remarks against openly gay City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who recently announced his interest in running for city mayor.
The NY1 reported that Diaz Sr. felt he was an outsider in a chamber “controlled by the homosexual community.”
“When I get to the City Council, I find that the City Council is controlled — most council members out of 51 council members — over there, everybody is controlled by the homosexual community,” Diaz Sr. said in an interview with a Spanish-language TV program for cab drivers.
Diaz also called Corey Johnson a “homosexual married to another man,” despite Johnson being single.
Corey Johnson later called on Diaz to apologize for his statement.
“Council Member Díaz Sr.’s homophobic comments are offensive to both the Speaker and the body, and have no place in New York City,” his communications director told the station.
“He should apologize to all of his colleagues, and the entire LGBTQ community.”
Now, it appears that Diaz’s own son, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., is asking for the same.
“NYC is a place where we celebrate our diversity and inclusivity,” Diaz Jr. tweeted Saturday. "The LGBTQ community is unequivocally an essential voice in our City."
“@revrubendiaz’s sentiments are antagonistic, quarrelsome and wholly unnecessary. He should apologize.”
In response to these calls to apologize, Diaz insists that he did nothing wrong.
“Apologize? No, for what?” he asked a New York Post reporter. “I didn’t say anything wrong. I am speaking the truth and the victim here is me. I’m the one.”
He also later tweeted, “What’s homophobic about saying that the gay community controls the nyc city council? I’m giving them credit for the power and influence they have.”
Diaz Sr. then later added, “I’m the one that is being harassed. Seeing all those elected officials joining against me, asking for my resignation and my apology, that shows how powerful and feared the gay community is in New York.”
In possibly proving his last point, some officials, like Comptroller Scott Stringer, are calling for Diaz Sr. to be stripped of his position on the council and his chairmanship of a new committee on for-hire vehicles.
“This is not the first time this has happened,” Stringer tweeted. “Rev Diaz has a practice and pattern of bigoted hate speech that has gone on way too long.
“Let’s send a loud message he will understand: strip him of his chairmanship and show New Yorkers this won’t be tolerated.”
h/t: NY1, The New York Post
