A New York City Council member leading
in the 12-person Democratic primary race to represent the 15th
Congressional District of New York is vocally opposed to LGBT rights.
On Thursday, Ruben Díaz, Sr. reminded
followers on Twitter about his socially conservative views, which
also include opposition to abortion.
Díaz, a 77-year-old Pentecostal
minister, retweeted a response to a user who pointed out Díaz's
anti-LGBT views and how they do not align with the people living in
the district.
“This is a progressive district and
[Díaz's] anti LGBT views and alignment with Trump is not what we
need here in NY 15,” the user wrote.
“The Word of God never changes,”
@title1advocate replied and Díaz retweeted. “Repent & come
back to the Lord before your soul goes to Hell. Once there you can
never come back & you will be wiped from the book of life.”
Last year, out Council Speaker Corey
Johnson called for Díaz's resignation after he claimed that the
Council was “controlled by the homosexual community.”
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the
nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, on Thursday released a video
calling Díaz “bad for the Bronx.”
“Rev. Ruben Díaz, Sr. is one of the
most virulently anti-equality and anti-choice Democrats that New York
has seen in a generation, lacking respect for even the basic humanity
of LGBTQ people,” HRC Deputy Campaign Director Jonathan Shields
said in a press release. “Not only has he used his platform as an
elected official to vote against marriage equality and freedom of
choice, he’s used his bully pulpit to dehumanize us.”
New York is expected to hold its
Democratic primary on June 23.