At the Common Council meeting on Tuesday, the Council unanimously passed a resolution denouncing "hate crimes and hate incidents in the City of Hudson." The resolution contains some disturbing statistics. The following is quoted from the resolution:
. . . incidents of hate crimes, which involve acts and speech motivated by a victim’s race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or other protected characteristic, in New York State have been increasing over the last five years, with a increase of 12.7 percent reported in 2023 alone and a 69% increase since 2019; . . . between 2018 and 2023, anti-gay male incidents rose by 141% with hate crimes against transgender New Yorkers rising by 140%, and hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim New Yorkers rose by 89% and 106% respectively; . . . the number of anti-Asian incidents remains 11 times higher than those reported in 2019 with hate crimes motivated by race, ethnicity, and ancestry compromising 52.5% of all hate crime incidents nationally in 2023; . . . between 2018 and 2022 the number of hate crimes involving serious assault increased by 122% across the State of New York with simple assaults increasing by 139% and property damage incidents accounting for 45% of hate crimes in 2022. . . .
The resolution also contains this information:
. . . in response to the increase in hate crimes and hate incidents, New York State launched a new hotline (844-NO-2-HATE) and website (https://forms.ny.gov/s3/DHR-Bias-Incident-Form) to report hate crime incidents. . . .
The entire resolution can be found here.
Also at the Council meeting on Tuesday, a law was introduced that would make interference and harassment of any city officer a Class B misdemeanor. The proposed law, which can be found here, describes harassment as "strikes, shoves, kicks, or otherwise subjects a City Officer, Code Enforcement Officer,
or Building Inspector to physical contact or attempts or threatens to do the same." Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon has an article about the proposed law in today's Register-Star: "Hudson Council considering law against harassment of city officials." In the article, Council president Tom DePietro is quoted at length about the need for this law. It's hard not to be reminded of an incident that took place back in 2019, when DePietro, then as now the president of the Common Council, grabbed a constituent at the top of a staircase and shoved him against a wall.
The incident was captured on video and reported about by Roger Hannigan Gilson: "Video: Hudson Council President Grabs, Shoves Man Outside City Meeting."
COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK
Harassers are often the ones claiming to be harassed. Tom is a perfect example.
ReplyDeleteHaha, Hudsonian, right? “Billy’s Law” or the “Huston Harassment Act.”
DeleteBill, you better behave or see if you can get the ACLU to work pro-bono. They’re done playing around.
Please define harassment in the legal sense, not your idea of it.
DeleteIs there anything lamer and more cowardly than online criticism and suggestions from people who have chosen not to offer their actual name or identity? And for those same unknown, childish people to call others who do identify themselves by a different name?
DeleteOh, gee, it hurts me so much to be called William. Are you a kindergartner disguised as an adult, Mrs. Hudsonian? Are you going to refer to me as a poo poo head next?
Wouldn't the world be such a better place if their were more "Hudsonians" in the (online) world offering free advice to others? We would all get along and communicate so much better!
Suggestion for you Carole: stop allowing anonymous comments, so that all of your readers are on the same (and sane), human level.
LAME AND SPECIOUS, INSINCERE AND BOGUS!
DeleteLet's continue this discussion elsewhere, like adult human beings, say at the Spotty Dog where I can often be found socializing or drowning my sorrows in an IPA.
DeleteCarole and her readers don't need or want to hear any more of your whining, whoever you are! Or are you too afraid to show your face in public with all the Hudsonian crazies out there waiting to "harass" you? Is it easier just to stay at home and anonymously "communicate" your insights and criticisms with a computer or phone screen? Stop by the Spotty some time and leave your phone at home. Or do you already go there regularly? Would you admit if you did?
My apologies to Hudsonian, a.k.a. Unknown, who submitted a comment responding to this latest comment from Bill Huston. I'm not going to publish it. This has to stop. You've both made your points.
DeleteAs the person Tom tried to push down the stairs at the library I can attest to the fact that he’s dangerously erratic and an inherent coward. Don’t turn your back on this sad example of humanity — he only attacks from the rear. And he’s clearly frightened of criticism. He finds words scary.
ReplyDeleteThat was harassment in the legal sense from a hypocrite harasser and jerk.
DeleteA few weeks ago the jerk stepped in front of me as I ascended the city hall stairs, Tom trying to provoke me into physical contact HALF WAY UP THE CITY HALL STAIRCASE. Why? For being on his turf, of course: "What are you doing here?" he asked after stepping in front of me HALF WAY UP THE STAIRCASE. I laughed and asked him to get out of my way. He refused to budge. I slid by him and he later claimed that I "pushed" him.
More than concerning, Tom's behavior is pathetic, completely unwelcome and a legal liability to the city and taxpayers. He should have been shown the door long ago, as he would have been in most, if not all, other municipalities. But Kamal ain't much better, if at all.