Swastikas were found in an apartment building elevator on Friday afternoon in Brooklyn's latest antisemitic hate crime. This time, the incident occurred in Williamsburg, a mixed neighborhood with a large Hassidic Jewish population. This incident comes on the heels of the firebombing of cars and antisemitic graffiti in Midwood and graffiti changing a sign at the Avenue J train station to "Avenue Jew" earlier this month. Moreover, this is the second such incident in this particular building this month.
That is what some vandal or vandals changed a sign at the Avenue J train station in the Midwood neighborhood in Brooklyn to read. As of now, the sign has been removed and police are investigating this as a bias incident. This is the second incident in Midwood in less than a week. Last Friday, antisemitic vandals firebombed several cars and spray painted swastikas and "KKK" on other cars and benches less than a mile away (also see fizziks' diary about the incident and the neighborhood).
We are looking to create something pretty special just blocks from Zucotti Park and #OWS.
Several hundred people including union members and organizers, non-profit staff, online and offline activists, bloggers who focus on city, state and national issues, elected officials, candidates for office, thought leaders and top influencers are expected to attend.
As our Steering committee Chair, Elana Levin explains, "All too often, these constituencies operate in separate worlds. We are going to provide them a common space, in close proximity to Occupy Wall Street, and start a conversation about what we want our future as New Yorkers to be."
We could really use your help, since this will ultimately be your event.
Netroots New York will offer high quality, specialized training in the techniques of online organizing and digital strategy, along with networking events and panel discussions around important movement and policy issues. "We know that there is a need for more of this, based on sold-out events run by Organizing 2.0 in the past," adds Levin.
Conference events will be amplified with the full spectrum of digital media: Twitter (@netrootsny), Facebook, and the website www.netrootsny.org which will host online chats and livestreams.
Confirmed speakers include Darcy Burner, former Executive Director of the Progressive Congress Action Fund and candidate for Washington's 1st Congressional District, Occupy Wall Street activist and Daily Kos blogger Jesse LaGreca and hip-hop artist/activist Jasiri X. Additional speakers will be announced soon.
I'm Terry Gipson and I'm running for the New York State Senate in the Hudson Valley. At the moment, Rhinebeck, where I live, is in the 41st District, just so you can get your bearings. Who knows what the redistricting map will eventually look like... and that's really the subject of this diary. It's my first here at The Albany Project, but, rest assured, it won't be my last.
I've actually been very busy these last seven months. I've been traveling all around Dutchess and Columbia counties listening to voters' concerns. They aren't happy, and this campaign will be about protecting the middle class from the constant assault from the power elite in our state government. I was talking about the 99% long before that phrase reached the headlines...and I'm sure glad that it has.
I hope you will take a minute to check out my web site to find out more about me and the campaign. First, I want to share with you an article of mine that was printed in the Hudson Valley News about my testimony before the LATFOR committee hearing on Long Island.
I'd also like to hear from you, so drop me a line and let me know what's on your mind and how the people can finally occupy our state government in Albany.
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The Game is Rigged
GUEST COLUMN
by TERRY GIPSON
Recently I testified at a hearing of The New York Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment, also known as LATFOR. This task force is supposed to produce new district maps for all U.S. Congressional, NYS Senate and NYS Assembly Districts in New York. Our United States Constitution requires that all states do this every ten years in conjunction with new U.S. Census results.
LATFOR is composed of State Senators and Assembly Members, which is the equivalent of putting the wolf in charge of the hen house. The very idea that elected officials should have the opportunity to draw their own district lines works against the democratic principles that they are elected to uphold.
LATFOR is one of the most effective incumbent protection programs in this country. It has been around since the 70's and I would encourage everyone to visit the Senate and Assembly websites to see how many officials have been in Albany since the 70's, 80's and 90's. I know we like to think that this is a result of their hard work and diligence. The truth, however, is that this occurs more often than not because districts are drawn to favor incumbents, special interests, and the reigning majority in both houses. This will not change until we remove politics from the process - and LATFOR is politics at its most political.
We need redistricting that is fair, transparent, and independent. During the last election cycle, it looked like we might be headed in that direction when many Legislative members signed the New York Uprising Pledge. This pledge promised support for the creation of an independent, non-partisan Redistricting Commission and the entire Republican Senate block, signed it. But that was as far as they were willing to go.
In a cynical move last session, the Republican Senate majority turned their backs on the pledge and broke their promise. This includes Mid-Hudson region Senators Saland, Larkin, Seward and Ball. As a "cover", they created the concept that fair redistricting requires a constitutional amendment. They proposed a constitutional amendment "redistricting bill", knowing full well that amendments require action by two successive legislatures and a public referendum. They did this knowing that it would delay any redistricting until at least 2022, and there would be no guarantee that those future legislative bodies would even take the necessary action to approve the amendment and set a public referendum.
In other words, the reigning Senate majority came up with an idea that would make fair redistricting impossible. They quickly put that idea into a bill and passed it. In doing so, they blew a historic opportunity to show America that New York is above all the partisanship that has paralyzed this country, and LATFOR is now in the process of doing their partisan business as usual. It is completely unfair to every voter in this state.
I, for one, refuse to stand by for another minute and let our democracy be held in jeopardy by a process that routinely allows our State Legislators to select their voters instead of the voters selecting them. It is exactly this type of self-serving behavior that has inspired me to take on the enormous challenge of running for the State Senate myself. My goal is to help finally end this type of political gamesmanship.
Hopefully my actions will influence others across the state to not wait another minute to campaign for office against entrenched career politicians at both the state and federal level. "Waiting" is exactly what they hope we will do, and this partisan redistricting process is just another wall incumbents have created to protect themselves.
There is an important state and federal election just 13 months ahead. Every day that goes by without new and fairly drawn district maps increases the weighted chance of an incumbent's re-election. Just imagine how difficult it is to get to know one's constituents and raise the necessary funds without knowing where the district lines are or when the primary will take place.
LATFOR is not only engaging in partisan gerrymandering, they are also discouraging many highly qualified candidates from running for office - for both parties. New York deserves to be represented by the best and brightest among us. We deserve a non-partisan process that encourages all citizens to come out and take part in their government. If LATFOR represents the best we have to offer, then it is a sad day indeed for all New Yorkers.
During my testimony, I asked that they halt the LATFOR proceedings immediately and go back to Albany to pass the independent redistricting legislation that was promised to the people of New York last year. "Stand up for democracy", I said. "Tell your respective leaders what all New Yorkers already know: This game is rigged! Tell them you refuse to take part in this embarrassing process any longer. Wouldn't you rather be remembered as those who took part in a historic movement to make New York a shining example of democracy?"
I know that I would, and for the sake of our great state, I hope that LATFOR will return our state government to its rightful owners, the people of New York.
Republican New York Assembly Woman Janet Duprey shares her experience of changing her vote on marriage equality from "No" to "Yes" in 2009. It's a great read in the upstate Times Union. I hope her colleagues in the Senate read it.
Of particular interest is once again, predictions of the sky falling on the issue of LGBT rights turn out to be unfounded. She says:
"After the vote, some were quick to write my political obituary. They said my constituents would never forgive me for changing my vote. They said the extremists who promised to defeat me would win.
They were wrong. The outpouring of support and appreciation I received was overwhelming. It came from my constituents and from advocates committed to standing behind those who support the freedom to marry.
That community of support made a difference. The moral and financial support, strategic advice and counseling and dedicated commitment by volunteers proved too much for those who campaigned against me because of my vote.
I did not lose my election because of my stand. Neither has any of the 72 Republican legislators who have voted for the freedom to marry.
They'll be collecting signature and encouraging Queens voters to call their Senators. This outreach action is aimed directly at critical population in the key Senate districts of Queens, NY.
Forest Hills Action; Post-carding and 'Stop and Dials' on Queens Boulevard. Take the E F M or R to Forest Hills 71 Av.
Shift: 5pm-8pm
It is an ideal location due to its easy access to the subway and because of the heavy and friendly foot traffic. A central commuting hub techinically is in Senator Stavisky's disctict, but is adjacent to critical swing Senators Shirley Huntley and Joseph Addabbo.
Seen on a listserve:
I love this location, and it was super easy getting signatures here last week. Plus - many of the signatures hit Huntley's district as well, so it's doubly effective as a site.
Press is expected, so nice photo-op for them would be nice.
As announced last Wednesday in the New York Times, two dozen of the state's top business leaders have released an open letter to Albany legislature urging them to pass the marriage equality bill that will soon come to a vote.
To remain competitive, New York must continue to contend with other world cities to attract top talent. Increasingly, in an age where talent determines the economic winners, great states and cities must demonstrate a commitment to creating an open, healthy and equitable environment in which to live and work.
This is why it is so important that New York State grant full rights to all of its citizens by passing marriage equality.
I don't employ hyperbole lightly, but I will use it where appropriate. And "Titans" is a pretty accurate word to describe the list of 23 signatories that includes the past and present CEOs and top executives of Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Revlon, Viacom, Reuters and a wide variety of finance, real estate, media, law and other professions. With only a few exceptions they all have dedicated profile pages on Forbes.com. How many of us can say that?
And it should be noted, the list also includes more than a few well-known Republicans.
Kudos to New Yorkers United For Marriage the coalition of advocates that successfully enlisted our friends in the world of business to stump for the cause. The full letter after the fold.
They provide a nice map tool that unfortunately is not compatible with DailyKos. Fortunately, they also provide 2 map pictures. This one shows the percentage of change by county:
With deep green being largest gains and deep purple being counties with largest losses.
The new 2010 Census figures are out. You can find all the charts, spreadsheets, etc at the Census web page
For New Yorkers the bottom line is that we lose the 2 seats projected earlier. Florida gains 2 seats to match us as the 3rd largest states at 27 Congressional seats.
Despite the fact that Florida's population remains over half a million smaller...
The Albany Times Union reports that New York will get up to $7.3 million additional funds, from the HSR funds designated for Ohio & Wisconsin which was rejected by Republican Governors-Elect as too costly.
Larger states, such as California will get $265 million. The division of funds was based on the proportion of funds allocated for each state.
In New York City, once you've filled out the front of your paper ballot, turn it around and vote Yes or No on the two questions sneakily hidden on the back of the ballot. The Times has a rundown on what these questions are about here. Or check out Citizens Union's take here.
If you encounter problems at your polling place or suspect irregularities, call the DNC's voter protection hotline at 800-311-VOTE. If you're on Twitter, retweet that phone number here.
If you need to find your local Democratic Party office, click here.
Polls will be open statewide until 9 PM.
The weather forecast in the metropolitan area is sunny but chilly, so dress warmly.
Real-time election coverage, courtesy of The New York Times, here.
And when it's all done, have a drink with OFA, Drinking Liberally and ACT-NOW at Dewey's Flatiron, 210 5th Avenue (between 25th & 26th). RSVP on Facebook here. Not in New York City? No problem: post your after-party in comments.
I'm one of those people that almost always vote. President, check, off-year Congressional, check, statewide, check, City, most of the time, primaries, sometimes.
This year, with all due respect to those seeking or in office, has been a harder sell. Between the catastrophic governorship of David Paterson, the Senate coup - and subsequent buy-off of the putschists and all the other greater or lesser scandals instead of that era of reform we were all promised once the Democrats took that majority - and the ongoing debacle that is the Assembly, really, why bother?
Then, of course, there was the marriage vote, which neither myself nor many other LGBT New Yorkers are in any mood to forgive anytime soon.
But this year offers the chance of a new start.
In Andrew Cuomo, we have a very thoughtful and by all appearances hands-on candidate for governor. After the vacuum of the Paterson era, that's exactly what we need.
Kirsten Gillibrand, obviously, is a rock star of the Senate and possibly the most exciting leader to emerge from this state in decades.
Eric Schneiderman is someone I've known for years and think highly of. When New York City activists couldn't get anyone to listen to them, Eric was the one who took the call and made the meeting.
So yes, tomorrow morning, I'm going to go vote. And the more I think about it, the more I look forward to marking that snazzy new paper ballot.
These people deserve my vote, and, I think, yours too.
[Note: Dave was co-Chair of the NYSDC during the Spitzer administration and previously led DL21C, the well-regarded activist group. This landed in my inbox last night, and I think it's quite on point enough to share.]
An urgent appeal from Dave
Friends, there is a very important election Tuesday that could decide the path of our Country for years to come. There are many critical races here in New York, but there are two I want to highlight for you.
Two great Democrats, Tom DiNapoli and Eric Schneiderman are running for State Comptroller and Attorney General. If we allow these seats to fall into Republican hands, the new occupants - no matter how moderate they might seem, will be high-profile all-stars for the Republican Party nationally. The Republican Party will use these spots to raise money for Republican candidates for Congress and the RNC, to promote a right-wing agenda nationwide.
We must must MUST keep these seats in Democratic hands!
We're in the home stretch. What happens in the next ten days will determine who governs this state for the next two to four years, who draws the district lines, and who makes decisions about your kids' future.
Gillibrand, Schneiderman, DiNapoli, & Jacobs to lead rallies in Manhattan, Nassau County, and Westchester County
This Saturday at 11 am Democrats will be holding a massive statewide day of action to build energy and spread the Democratic message.
Dubbed "Mobilizing for Victory," Democrats will hold simultaneous rallies in Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Suffolk County, Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo - followed by a coordinated canvassing operation to reach out to everyday New Yorkers on behalf of the entire Democratic ticket.
The show of force comes as the Democratic coordinated campaign ramps up its efforts going into the all-important final stretch. Since kicking off just three weeks ago, the Democratic Coordinated Campaign has already set up shop with 13 regional field offices, knocked on close to 200,000 doors, and called well over 100,000 voters.
Check the link for a list of locations and get out there.
Few things have been more unsettling about our political discourse recently than the worship of Stupid on the part of the Republican Party. I'm all for cogent debate about ideological differences, economic policy and it's effect on the job market, the role of government and regulation in our society, but the embrace of mind numbingly idiotic ideas to turn voter frustration into votes is a reflection of how little the Republicans care about the greater good and how much they care about themselves and their corporate sponsors. To my added dismay, Nan Hayworth is a card carrying member of that club.
Perhaps no other policy position exemplifies the embrace of rock brained dumb more than the "privatization of Social Security." (Okay, climate change denying comes close.)
Rush Limbaugh is at it again, stoking racist fires on the public airwaves.
This afternoon on his radio show, Limbaugh used the death of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to hurl bigoted insults at African Americans. Limbaugh even had the nerve to imply that the NAACP is a racist organization.
Media Matters has the story:
Limbaugh had what he must have thought was the perfect opportunity to open his show with a little good old-fashioned race-baiting, saying that Steinbrenner -- "that cracker," as Limbaugh called him -- "made a lot of African-American millionaires." Limbaugh later stated that Steinbrenner "knew when to die," because there is currently no estate tax.
[...]
Limbaugh also took issue with Michelle Obama's comments at the NAACP, later wondering if she was talking to the New Black Panthers.
Limbaugh continued to serve up a heavy dose of race-baiting throughout the day. At one point, he agreed with a caller who said Obama is "enslaving" children to "the NEA plantation that is D.C. Public Schools." Limbaugh also insinuated that the NAACP is racist.
How much bile are we going to allow to spew from this man's mouth before we put a cap on it? Boycott his advertisers, complain to his affiliates?
Limbaugh has stepped up the race baiting as a common theme on his show in the past several months. So, I'm wondering, do bigoted rants give him higher ratings? What would possibly be the reason for taking cheap, racial potshots at African American baseball players, the first lady, and the NAACP? Is racial animosity the real backbone of the Republican Party's resurgence under Chairman Rush's watch?
I'm just shocked that Limbaugh gets away with this hate language and the radio stations that carry him, the advertisers, and media watchdogs do virtually nothing.
The latest Siena poll of NY-Sen finds that Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has her highest favorability ratings, for that poll, and that she's above 50 percent against the three announced GOP candidates, also for the first time.
Her favorability number is 42, up from 34 in April.
Gillibrand's solid voting record, plus her leadership on issues like DADT and children's health and safety, is impressing more New Yorkers every month.
I'm Terry Gipson and I'm running for the New York State Senate in the Hudson Valley. At the moment, Rhinebeck, where I live, is in the 41st District, just so you can get your bearings. Who knows what the redistricting map will eventually look like... and that's really the subject of this diary. It's my first here at The Albany Project, but, rest assured, it won't be my last.
