WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Councilman, Rubén Díaz Sr.
Bronx County, New York
You should know that instead of passing laws to protect our senior citizens and decent, law-abiding citizens, the New York City Council is planning to pass a law to stop the city from testing people who are on probation for marijuana use.
In an article titled “Pols set to back end of probation pot tests” in today’s New York Daily News, Graham Rayman reports that Council’s Public Safety Committee Chairman Donovan Richards stated: “ We’re trying to build stable communities … We want to stabilize peoples’ lives as much as possible.”
Oh really? Does another law that discourages people from obeying the law really make our communities stable? Will this law improve the lives of senior citizens, families and drivers?
You should already know that the purpose of putting someone on probation is to monitor their behavior when the district attorney has decided not prosecute. Good behavior is required.
Since the recreational use of marijuana is still illegal, why would this criminal offense be acceptable for someone who is on probation?
Should we just sit back quietly and watch some of New York’s elected officials support lawlessness by weakening punishments for people who jump the turnstile, urinate in public, or drink alcohol in public, and now, smoking pot while on probation?
You should know that efforts to lower our quality of life do not protect our senior citizens, our families, our neighbors or our business communities.
How is it okay for someone who jumps the turnstile to not get arrested? How is it okay for someone to urinate in an elevator or in public right in front of a Mom with a young child and not get arrested? How is it ok for someone who is on probation to smoke pot?
It’s not!
My dear reader I cannot understand some of our politicians so quick to unite their efforts and embolden people to violate the law, and excuse violators when they do.
There should be a greater effort to promote respect for ourselves, our families and our neighbors so we can protect our senior citizens, our families, our drivers and our business communities?
Ladies and gentlemen, we need to start passing laws that actually create stability in our city, and stop finding ways to make it easier for people to destroy our quality of life.
This is Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz and this is what you should know.
