opinion-editorial
Be careful what you wish
for you might just get it
BY COUNCILMAN REV. RUBÉN DIAZ
You should know that in life
people should be sure of what they
want, because it could be that what
they wish for today, could be their
regret in the future.
You should know that NYC
Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, of
Dominican descent, has lent himself,
along with other elected officials
to submit legislation that will
legalize voting rights to non-citizens
in the city of New York.
We all know that New York City
has a tendency to set the agenda
on a national, and I dare say international
level. You well know that
there are countries, including the
Dominican Republic, where the
right to vote is denied to undocumented/
non-citizen individuals.
But something like this, should it
pass in New York City, will set the
wheels in motion nationally and
even internationally.
Right here in New York State,
organized groups are urging that
the Dominican Republic allow Haitians
and other non-nationalized
groups the right to vote in Dominican
elections.
Friends of Councilman Ydanis
Rodríguez and Congressman Adriano
Espaillat, such as Mayor Bill
de Blasio, went to Upper Manhattan
where there is a large Dominican
population, and asked for a
tourist boycott against the Dominican
Republic until the Haitians
and other non-citizens are afforded
the right to vote in the Dominican
Republic.
It is important for you to know,
that it is those same people, who
behind the scenes are pushing Rodríguez
and Espaillat to be, the socalled
heroes, by helping to pass
the bill that will allow New York
City to be the first to authorize
non-citizens the right to vote in
our elections.
Know this, my dear reader, once
this happens in New York, a national
campaign will be triggered
so that the same voting rights for
non-citizens be granted in other
states and countries. New York will
be the first and set the precedent.
If this passes the message sent to
all will be that if the United States
does not respect and abide by the
Constitution and established laws
regarding who qualifies for the
right to vote, then why should noncitizens
be afforded the right vote
everywhere else.
Personally, as a NYC Council
member, I oppose this bill and I intend
to vote against it, because as
presented it may seem as a noble
and fair thing to do but the ramifications
could be devasting. This
bill is in direct violation of our established
laws, and it violates the
United States Constitution. When
a person makes the decision to become
a U.S. citizen, they must first
pass an exam of 100 questions.
Those questions entail America’s
founding, the nation’s Founding
Fathers, and our nations three
branches of government, including
individual states rights. Becoming
a citizen is a privilege and the right
to vote is part of that privilege and
should be protected. In return for
the vote the citizen demonstrates
their loyalty to the country that
they chose to adopt as their home.
Voting rights and becoming a citizen
is vital to the survival of this
nation as a liberty loving Republic.
If Ydanis, Adriano and their
friends manage to pull this off,
they will not have a moral leg to
stand on when it comes to defending
the Constitution of the Dominican
Republic and any other country
who may also face this voting
rights issue.
My advice to them is “Be very
careful what you wish for, because
you may just get it.”
Councilman Rev. Rubén Diaz Sr.,
represents the New York City Council’s
18th District in the Bronx.
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