New York City Council Members Rebuke Mayor Bloomberg's Exploitation of Boston Attack
I do find it concerning that any politician would use what may be a planned exercise gone way wrong to push another agenda.....
"Two City Council members are now speaking up about Bloomberg’s comments. The progressive Brooklyn politicians Brad Lander and Jumaane Williams sent a letter to Bloomberg today. Both of them are sponsors of the Community Safety Act, a set of bills pending in the City Council that would bar discriminatory policing and institute an Inspector General that would provide oversight of the NYPD. Here’s an excerpt from their letter:
We find it distressing that you would politicize the memory of those killed in the tragedy in this way. To suggest that New Yorkers who stand both against terrorism and for civil liberties are “special interests” that “the terrorists are waiting for” is both inappropriate at this tragic moment and degrading to our public dialogue. We ask that you reconsider your comments...
We believe that we can and must keep New Yorkers safe without violating fundamental Constitutional rights. If we have a “special interest,” it is simply equal justice under the law. We are concerned that the NYPD’s Stop, Question and Frisk policy targets African-American and Latino young men, and LGBTQ residents, without reasonable suspicion, the vast majority of whom are guilty only of fitting a bias-based profile. We are concerned that the NYPD’s intelligence program profiles Muslim mosques and student associations for undercover surveillance, even in the absence of any specific leads.
Bloomberg is hardly the only politician exploiting the Boston Marathon attacks. The mayor now joins the likes of Republicans Louie Gohmert and Steve King, who both made anti-immigrant remarks in the aftermath of the Boston attack and implied Muslims had something to do with the bombs with no evidence to back their claims up."
http://www.alternet.org/speakeasy/alex-kane/new-york-city-council-members-rebuke-mayor-bloombergs-exploitation-boston-attack
