Are
we viewing the creation of a dictatorship? During a WCNY radio interview with
Susan Arbetter on “The Capitol Pressroom,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo
railed:
- “Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if that’s who they are and if they are the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.”
Cuomo also urged the “extreme” conservatives to “figure
out if your extreme conservative philosophy can survive in this state, and the
answer is no.”
What
are “New Yorkers?” Evidently, Cuomo doesn’t recognize those of us who are
opposed to abortion, same-sex marriage or weapon control as “New Yorkers.” I
guess that only those who share his views are New Yorkers. And, naively, we had
thought that he represented all the
residents of our state!
Would he then recognize us as Americans? Of course, if we
are not New Yorkers – and we are therefore stateless – then we can make no claim
to be Americans either! Are we now illegal aliens, liable to deportation merely
because we don’t share his political agenda?
I
wonder if we could still retain our New York residency if we believe in gun
control but not SSM and abortion? But then there is also the question of
pedophilia, smoking in public places and adultery! Here’s what I am getting at –
I wish that the governor would lay it out on-the-line. How many of his opinions
must we sign-off on in order to retain our New York citizenship? And if we can’t
pass the test, will Cuomo pay to have us resettled elsewhere?
I
doubt he is prepared to do this – not with the New York economy the way it is.
Perhaps if we officially become
“illegal aliens,” we will be treated a lot better. However, it seems that our
governor would deny us even this status – his words are far harsher towards us!
If
we are not New Yorkers after living here for all of our lives, what are we? It
seems that this is not the way this country had always been. My governor wants
to deny me the freedom to express my views. He claims that we “have no place in
the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are.” However, he had
sworn to uphold the Constitution, and the Constitution upholds our rights to
vote and to express ourselves, even if our opinions aren’t popular with the
governor. Is he seeking dictatorial control?
Ironically, the views that he opposes do not advocate the
violent overthrow of the government, the murder of the infirmed and elderly, or
even the denial of any constitutionally guaranteed rights. Instead, he finds
offensive beliefs that had previously been held by all Americans, even all American presidents. Even Barack
Obama had affirmed traditional marriage, and yet Cuomo is not trying to deny him
citizenship. Nor is he demanding that Bill and Hilary forfeit their New York
citizenship because of their advocacy of DOMA!
Perhaps, instead, it is governor Cuomo who should be
stripped of his citizenship for not upholding the very principles he had sworn
to uphold. Rather, it is necessary for all of us to find ways to live together
despite our differences. This is what it had once meant to be an
American.
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