OntheWilderSide

The Green Party of Suffolk calls for the prosecution of Suffolk County Leg. John H. Kennedy (R-Hauppauge) under New York State anti-bullying laws, for his ostracization of homeless school children in his district.  Leg. Kennedy’s actions remind the Green Party of the atmosphere of hate that was created against Latinos in Suffolk County, by form​er County Executive Steve Levy (D/R), which ultimately led to violence.

Kennedy has been leading a witch hunt against innocent school children in his district, simply because of their housing status.  He has failed to recognize that these children, and their parents, are also his constituents who he is required to represent.  It is Kennedy’s job ensure that these children enjoy their legal right to a public education.

Kennedy presents the strawman argument that home-owning parents in the district are making a complaint against these children.  This argument is hollow, because it fails to recognize that all property owners in a school district — regardless of their familial status — pay school taxes to educate all children within the district.

Suffolk County Legislative candidate William Stevenson (G -15th Dist.) stated that: “Actions like these are outright offenses to human dignity.  It’s sad to see our elected leaders taking steps which encourage their constituents to be at odds with one another.  In Suffolk County, we need a government that embraces – or at least permits – diversity of cultural background and social status.  Legislator Kennedy is going in completely the opposite direction.  He’s demonstrating the age old habit of politicians giving special attention to the concerns of their wealthier, property-owning constituents, at the expense of the needy.’ 

“Children need the stability of settling into their lives at a young age, if they’re going to have adequate opportunities to grow to be successful, conscientious, citizens,” Stevenson continued.  “Leg. Kennedy is placing an undue obstacle before that goal.  I would hope that as the Majority Leader of this deliberative body – and as the Chair of the Human Services Committee – my opponent would speak out against Leg. Kennedy’s actions.”

Business studies have recognized that the primary engine in improving the economy is educating our children. It is unconscionable of Leg. Kennedy to try to remove from the families who need it most, the best path for improving their children’s lives.

The Green Party finds Kennedy’s actions to be part of a larger scheme of class warfare promoted by Newsday.  The Newsday articles about Kennedy’s misdeeds have failed to underscore that all children have an equal right to an education free of harassment.[/caption]

Newsday has followed a similar pattern of lop-sided reporting in detailing the threat of force by Suffolk Democratic Party Chair and Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer (D) against homeless families in his town.  Schaffer’s response to the increase of homeless in his town is to shut-off utilities and call Child Protective Services on families trying to find shelter in abandoned homes.

Just like Kennedy, Schaffer fails to recognize that these homeless parents, and their children are his constituents.  Schaffer has a duty to try to help these families find safe shelter.  Instead, he callously has called out the might of government to drive them from the shelter they have found without providing an alternative.

The Green Party of Suffolk calls upon our elected officials and our media to recognize that their services are needed most by those people who have the least available to them.

The four pillars of the Green Party are: Social and Economic Justice; Grassroots Democracy; Ecological Wisdom and Non-Violence/Peace.

Filed under: 3rd party, Action Alert!, activism, Babylon Politics, Green Party, Long Island Politics, New York State Politics, nonviolence, social & economic justice, suffolk county, third party Tagged: | Child Protective Services, homeless, John H Kennedy, Newsday, Richard Schaffer