Refuting the rosy picture painted by those who would sacrifice my neighborhood for more, and more expensive “housing units”
By Roseann Henry
The planning documents for City of Yes for Housing present a rosy picture in which thousands of affordable new homes flood the market, eliminating the housing shortage and reducing costs, with no drastic changes to any of our neighborhoods. That picture is not accurate at all, and the rampant disinformation needs to be refuted before this ill-conceived proposal comes to a vote. If passed, the City of Yes for Housing will permanently destroy many neighborhoods – especially, but not limited to, historic neighborhoods in Eastern Queens.
The Queens Village Republican Club hosted the US Senate Republican Candidates Debate on May 2nd at Marbella restaurant. Cara Castronuova and Josh Eisen were present for the debate and Mike Sapraicone, the New York State Republican Party’s hand-picked candidate, refused to attend. As of the day of the debate, Cara and Josh were still fighting for ballot access in court. Thank you to both Michael Ferrara and James Doukas for videotaping and processing the entire debate including Q & A, and a few Republican candidates running for local seats as well!
There has been a blatant assault on parental rights in New York for far too many years. Democrat legislators have introduced Bills that take advantage of and rob children of their innocence based on the presumption that the parents are not to be trusted with their children’s healthcare and that the children know better. With the passage of these laws, there will be no minimum age requirement for children to make medical decisions that affect their growth and well-being without their parents’ consent or knowledge at the expense of the taxpayers.
In May 2022,the New York Legislature passed Senate and Assembly Bills A9604/S8937, which authorize runaway and homeless youth under 18 to consent to their medical, dental, health and hospital care without parental knowledge. This legislation was sponsored by Richard Gottfried (D-Assembly District 75, Manhattan) and co-sponsored by Nader Sayegh (D-Assembly District 90, Yonkers), Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (D-Assembly District 34, Queens), Karines Reyes (D-Assembly District 87, Bronx), Andrew Hevesi (D-Assembly District 28, Queens), Linda Rosenthal (D-Assembly District 67, Manhattan) and Dan Quart (D-Assembly District 73, Manhattan). In December 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed these Bills into law that went into effect in March 2023. The real-world effect of A9604/S8937 is that parents lost all rights to make medical decisions for their children, or even know what is being done to them ifthey either run away from home or become homeless. This legislation passed without the support of Republican lawmakers. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-signs-legislative-package-address-health-care-disparities-lgbtq-community
What the Equal Rights Amendment Would Do
Under the guise of equality and inclusion, the New York Legislature is currently pushing through a radical ballot initiative that will strip parents of their rights to make medical decisions concerning their children’s health regardless of their age, among other things.
In January 2023, following the passage of Senate and Assembly Bills A9604/S8937 in May 2022, the New York Legislature, in its second consecutive session, passed Bills S108-A/A1283 (aka Equal Rights Amendment to the State Constitution – ERA). These Bills were sponsored by Senator Liz Kreuger (D-District 28, Manhattan) and Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright (D-Assembly District 76, Manhattan). The ERA was supported by Governor Kathy Hochul and opposed by Republican legislators.
According to the legislators, the ERA aims to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression and reproductive healthcare autonomy at any age; but in reality, the ERA threatens to undermine parental authority concerning their children’s life-altering medical decisions, including but not limited to access to puberty blockers, gender reassignment surgery, abortion, vaccination and participation in sports based on gender identity. The potential ramifications of the ERA would make it comparable to a “Parent Replacement Act.” It must be exposed for what it is. The ERA sponsors should be voted out of office since their actions pose great harm to our children and the preservation of the nuclear family. Shame on them! They do not represent the core values of the majority of New Yorkers. As parents and legislators, their actions are unconscionable and reprehensible. They do not deserve to be reelected.
Now, the Legislature is bringing the Equal Rights Amendment passed in January 2023 to New Yorkers for ratification on the November 2024 ballot. If voters approve it, the ERA will amend the New York Constitution, to the detriment of parental rights and the children’s well-being. Once the ERA is enshrined into the Constitution, the parents will have no recourse or ability to challenge the constitutionality of this law. Thus, it will be of no great consequence if other Bills detrimental to parental rights fail. To protect parental sovereignty, the Coalition to Protect Kids, a bi-partisan group, is working with numerous organizations to educate New Yorkers and urge them to VOTE NO on this disastrous state-wide ballot proposal called the Equal Rights Amendment on November 5, 2024. Protect Kids NY
During the 2023-2024 legislative session, Assemblywoman Karines Reyes (D-Assembly District 87, Bronx) sponsored Bill A6761, which extends the loss of parental rights already in place for runaways and homeless minors to ALL children. It proposes a new paragraph for Public Health law Section 2504. This Bill is co-sponsored by Amy Paulin (D-Assembly District 88, Scarsdale). Andrew Hevesi (D-Assembly District 28, Queens), Linda Rosethal (D-Assembly District 67, Manhattan), Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Assembly District 81, Bronx), Harvey Epstein (D-Assembly District 74, Manhattan), Chris Burdick (D-Assembly District 93, Mount Kisko), Rebecca Seawright (D-Assembly District 76, Manhattan), Yudelka Tapia (D-Assembly District 86, Bronx), Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (D-Assembly District 42, Brooklyn) and Jo Anne Simon (D-Assembly District 52, Brooklyn). Republican legislators oppose this Bill.
Bill A6761 is active, and its official description is misleading. The abstract of this Bill claims to address the challenges of homeless youth; however, the details reveal there are no restrictions. If passed, Bill A6761 will allow trans surgery and other medical procedures for ALL children without parental consent or knowledge. Thus, children of any age will consent to be given drugs (including psychiatric drugs), vaccines, dental procedures, hospitalizations and surgeries. Medicaid funds, your tax dollars, would be used to pay for any procedure.
There are other currently active dangerous Bills in the Legislature that are seeking to eliminate parents’ rights to make medical decisions for their children, as well as the return of Governor Kathy Hochul’s Quarantine Camps Regulation that need to be carefully watched and opposed. New Yorkers are encouraged to take action by contacting their state legislators on the following horrendous Bills:
On May 7, 2024, Autism Action Network, Teachers for Choice, Educators for Freedom, Bravest for Choice and other groups are going back to Albany one last time to rally outside of the Capitol and meet with lawmakers inside. Please join and spread the word!
