WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Councilman, RubĂ©n DĂaz Sr.
District 18 Bronx County, New York
You should know that for more than 16 years I have written a column called “What You Should Know”. I write this column as a way to keep my constituents and community at large informed on my point of view regarding pieces of legislation, actions and events that may in one way or another our community especially my constituents.
For more than 15 years I sent out my column using the email address assigned to me by The New York State Senate. However, when I became a New York City Councilmen in 2018 that changed.
At the City Council, I was assigned a new email address, as are all members of the city council. Those e-mail addresses are a privilege granted to all members to help us communicate with our constituencies. As soon as I got to the City Council the first thing launched at me was an investigation, due to a complaint filed by an “unknown” source. I was then prevented from using my City Council e-mail as a way to communicate with my constituents which I did through my “What You Should Know Column”.
I was then forced to use my own funds to enter into a contract for a private email server. So I entered into a contract with a private e-mail company called “Mailchimp.com” and acquired my private e-mail.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, someone got to them, and again through “unknown” sources filed complaints which have led “mailchimp.com” to cancel my contract, blocking my ability from emailing my column. Clearly, I am being censored. This is in violation of my civil liberties, and constitutional rights to free speech, freedom of expression, and religious freedom.
It is important for you to know that stipulated at the bottom of all my emails there is an “unsubscribe” option. Any recipient can “unsubscribe” and will never receive another one of my emails by simply clicking on the“unsubscribe” option. So why file a complaint to shut me down?
Meanwhile, we have people, who without impunity, can use social media, emails, tweets, and even their City Council email addresses to spew their venom instigating violence against me, again without impunity but that’s ok.
Time after time my life has been placed in danger, my constitutional rights, and civil liberties are and have been violated, and my words taken so out of context that even friends have joined my adversaries.
I will not dwell on their actions. May God’s blessings be upon them. Meanwhile, I know that I will continue to be the subject of these abuses because I will not be a part of “group think” and I will not sell out on my beliefs and principles.
