Hey ‘Build it Bigger’ Bill, density kills!
We do not identify as ‘male’ or ‘female.’
End discriminatory ballot requirements
COURIER LIFE, MAY 1-7, 2020 13
OP-ED
BY HON. MAURICE H.
KOLODIN
Justifiably so, we are all
concerned and fearful of
COVID-19 and how it can –
and does – affect each of us.
Virtually all of us know
someone, possibly ourselves,
who has had the virus. Hopefully,
there has been a recovery
in that person. Sometimes
not!
New York City is the epicenter
of the virus in our
state and in our country. We
must ask why.
The answer is simple and
obvious – density! Large
numbers of people living in
a comparatively confined
space, having to be compacted
together in public
transportation, being on top
of each other in our schools,
and so on, leave all of us exponentially
more susceptible
to becoming ill when one
of us becomes ill.
The more of us that there
are, the more of us get sick
from any communicable disease.
And the more of us who
get sick, the larger the pure
number of us who succumb –
that means die!
Growth of a population,
in many ways, can be beneficial
but “density on steroids”
is destructive.
That is what has happened
in New York City. Our
mayor, “Build it Bigger” Bill
de Blasio, just seems to look
at one side of the coin. “Let’s
make more, bigger, buildings.
Let’s have more people
move here.” That seems
to be his mantra. Sorry, Mr.
Mayor. That’s what is killing
us – literally.
It’s not a new discovery.
Density kills!
You, as mayor, are responsible
for the public welfare
in our city. You are responsible
to see to it that there
are plans in place to have
growth, if needed, while not
creating over-density which
jeopardizes our health and
lives. In this regard, you
have failed.
In the April 2020 issue of
“Jewish Image” magazine,
an article by Rabbi Schmuly
Yanklowitz regarding
COVID-19, argues that there
is no value in placing blame
on large populations for the
spread of this virus. However,
he says, “Of course, we
must hold reckless public officials
accountable if they
neglect public welfare.”
You, “Build it Bigger”
Bill, have looked in only one
direction and with blinders
on. That is reckless and in
violation of the public welfare.
We deserve better than
what you have done to us!
Hon. Maurice H. Kolodin
is the president of the Shorefront
Partnership Alliance.
Editor’s Note: The opinions
expressed herein are
strictly those of the officers
of the organization and may
not reflect those of any of the
partners.
BY NANDANI BHARRAT,
CASEY BOHANNON, MICHAEL
DONATZ, DEREK GASKILL,
PAIGE HAVENER AND ANGELA
LASCALA-GRUENEWALD
This past March, the six of
us collected signatures from
our neighbors and submitted
petitions to run for seats
on Kings County Democratic
Committee, the governing body
of the Brooklyn Democratic
Party. Our hope is to represent
our communities as elected
members of County Committee
and help build and reform our
local political system.
Yet on Wednesday, April 22,
we learned that the Board of
Elections disqualifi ed our petitions
and, therefore, denied
us access to the June 23 Democratic
Primary ballot — not because
we did not collect enough
signatures — but because of
our genders. Our petitions did
not specify our genders as male
or female, a current requirement
in order to be accepted as
County Committee candidates.
We contend the gender-based
discrimination ingrained in
Brooklyn’s petitioning process
violates the 14th Amendment
of the US Constitution and our
city and state human rights
laws. And therefore, we fi led a
lawsuit to challenge the County
Committee rules that deny us
access to these seats.
As a group, we identify
across a range of genders, often
referred to as transgender, gender
non-conforming, and nonbinary
(TGNCNB). This means
we do not fi t neatly into categories
of “man” or “woman,”
“male” or “female,” and/or
“masculine” or “feminine,” but
rather we use many different
terms to describe our genders.
Our gender identities vary and
include non-binary, genderfl
uid, genderqueer, and trans
individuals.
The current requirements
to petition for a seat on County
Committee neglect a view of
gender that refl ects our lived
experience and the experiences
of tens of thousands of New
Yorkers. As both fi rst-time candidates
and former members
of the committee, we see how
gender and gender-based assumptions
permeate our local
Democratic Party structure.
For example, you must designate
whether you are male or
female to run for a membership
seat and to run for the next
highest offi ce, District Leader
on County Committee. Until
recently, roles on the Party’s
Executive Committee required
people of “opposite genders” to
hold the two highest leadership
positions.
As our case makes its way
through the Brooklyn Supreme
Court and others speak out on
either side of this lawsuit, we
are proud to represent a small
part of a bold, creative, and resistant
LGBTQI+ community
that is underrepresented in politics.
Representation matters.
One of us, as a genderqueer
person of color residing
in Brooklyn since 1990, feels
strongly about participating in
local governance in their hometown.
Prejudices that bar these
individuals from running and
make decision-making spaces
inaccessible to the very people
affected by these decisions are
unlawful, oppressive, and dehumanizing.
Each of us should
have the right to run to represent
our communities.
Removing these gender barriers
is critical to fi xing our local
political system. For many,
holding a seat on County Committee
is the fi rst stepping stone
before running for higher offi
ce in New York City. As Democrats,
we can and should do better
to support all people seeking
these elected positions.
In changing this rule, we
believe our local party will not
only include more TGNCNB
people, but also start the process
of developing paths that
encourage more diverse representation
for other groups historically
left out of the political
process, such as women, people
of color, and poor and working
class individuals.
Most importantly, we hope
this case brings attention to the
need for awareness and representation
on a grander scale–
from local issues around voting
rights and accessibility to more
diverse offi ceholders at the state
and federal levels. Brooklyn is
a great starting place, but we
must further the fi ght to uphold
the 14th Amendment across every
aspect of our political system.
The mental and physical
health and safety of LGBTQI+
people across our country depend
on it.
Finally, this is a community
effort and we want to thank the
numerous groups that have
made this possible: #RepYour-
Block and New Kings Democrats
for helping us run for the
fi rst time in ways that affi rm
our gender identities and give
us access to the most local level
of our political system; Queeramisu
and Lambda Independent
Democrats for representing our
communities in the fi ght for
gender justice in our political
system; Binaryfree NY for advocating
for non-binary, transgender,
and intersex inclusion
in New York City and New
York State; and, importantly,
Brooklyn’s vibrant queer grassroots
organizations and our fellow
community members (too
many beautiful organizations
and souls to name) who have offered
us safety, protection, affi rmation,
and a home as we live
out our lives in this borough.
Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Offi ce