<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr. Lopez-Pierre,</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We are writing in response to your hate-filled email of August 2, 2016, and to the many anti-semitic, misogynistic, and homophobic statements you have made in the past. We demand that you retract and apologize for these statements, and that you refrain from any further comments that targets anyone based on their religion, race, gender, or sexual orientation. Such rhetoric has no place in our society, and certainly does not belong in a political campaign.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your repeated references to “greedy Jewish landlords” in your most recent email play on a long-established anti-semitic trope, as does your past</span> <a href="http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new-york/council-hopeful-targets-jewish-opponent-racist-e-mail"><span style="font-weight: 400;">statement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that Jews are “like thieves in the night.” Your reference to your opponent as the “only Jewish candidate in the race” and frequent depiction of him in religious garb amount to gratuitous targeting of him based on religion. Additionally</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">your past</span> <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/131276430/March-19-Email-From-Thomas-Lopez-Pierre"><span style="font-weight: 400;">references</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to the holocaust are deeply offensive and inappropriate.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We also find your frequent misogynistic statements deeply troubling. You have made</span> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/21/nyregion/only-the-gorgeous-and-smart-club-s-rules-amplify-buzz-on-race-and-relationships.html?_r=1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">references</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to women as sexual objects who should be judged based on their physical appearances. You have also</span> <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/race-baiter-thomas-lopez-pierre-gropee-not-groper-scott-stringer-presser-blog-entry-1.1696019"><span style="font-weight: 400;">attacked</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> women with whom you disagree in crude, sexual terms, and have even made</span> <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:JIk6n_Z9SAAJ:columbiaspectator.com/2012/10/19/controversial-harlem-activist-launches-city-council-bid+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us"><span style="font-weight: 400;">threats</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of violence against them.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Likewise we are deeply troubled by your</span> <a href="http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2013/01/a-council-candidates-racist-email-and-a-response-000000#.UOc7QnwNjN0.email"><span style="font-weight: 400;">use</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of common racist epithets to refer to African Americans with whom you disagree and by your statement that you find homosexuality “nasty and disgusting”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Such shocking rhetoric runs deeply contrary to the values of the vast majority of New Yorkers. We need leaders who will work to bring our diverse communities together to work towards our common goals, rather than pitting members of the community against each other. Your divisive efforts have no place in our political culture.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For these reason</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">we are united in rejecting your hateful attempts to divide us along lines of religion, race, gender, and sexual orientation. We call on you to cease this deplorable behavior at once.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Undersigned,</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Melissa Mark-Viverito</strong>, Speaker, NYC City Council</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Scott Stringer</strong>, NYC Comptroller</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Letitia "Tish" James</strong>, NYC Public Advocate</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Gale Brewer,</strong> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Manhattan Borough President</span></p><p><strong>Jerry Nadler,</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">US Congress Member, New York's 10th Congressional District</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Adriano Espaillat,</strong> NYS Senator, 31st NYS Senate District</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Ritchie Torres,</strong> Co-Chair/Council Member, City Council Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, District 15</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Margaret Chin,</strong> Co-Vice Chair/Council Member, City Council Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus, District 1</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Ydanis Rodriguez,</strong> Council Member, District 10</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Helen Rosenthal,</strong> Council Member, District 6</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Shahabuddeen "Shah" A. Ally</strong>, Esq., Chairman, Manhattan Community Board 12</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Eunic Ortiz,</strong> President, Stonewall Democrats of NYC</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Michael</strong> <strong>McKee,</strong> Tenant Advocate</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Dr. Debbie Almontaser</strong>, President Board of Directors, Muslim Community Network *(</span><em>title is identification purposes not on behalf of organization</em>)</p><p><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>
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