Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz and the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization are Going to Long Island

On  Saturday, September 5, 2009 at 10:00am, New York State Senator Reverend Ruben  Diaz and members of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization will board  a bus at Christian Community Church, located at 1437 Longfellow Avenue in The Bronx  to travel to Patchogue, Long Island and protest the ongoing  hatred  toward Hispanics in Long Island.  The group will arrive at the Iglesia Evangelical Refugio de Salvacion, located at 102 Railroad Avenue at 12:00 noon. The Long Island church was burglarized on Tuesday night and a note with anti-Hispanic comments were left on the altar.
 
Senator Reverend Diaz, Chair of the Senate Puerto Rican/Hispanic Caucus stated: “The ethnic hatred of  Hispanics in Long Island is frightening.  These are not isolated  incidents.  They are attacks on fellow human beings with baseball bats, bb guns, pepper spray, and other items.  These attacks include arson against churches.  They are part of the ongoing atmosphere of anti-immigrant hatred and racial intolerance against Latinos  in Long Island.  During  the  next  few  months, Members of the New York Hispanic Clergy and I intend to meet with as many local leaders, public officials, police chiefs,  and district attorneys as we can.  Our intention is to actively engage the community to put an end to racial intolerance in Long Island.”
 
The  Southern Poverty Law Center issued a report this week stating: "Latino immigrants in Suffolk County live in fear.  Political leaders in the country have done little to discourage hatred and some have actively fanned the flames.”