Letter To The Editor: Vote For Moderation, Results In The 94th

To the Editor:

When I first approached my family about running for New York State Assembly, I knew the tremendous sacrifice I’d be asking them to make. I worried about the missed dinner conversations, the late nights I’d spend campaigning rather than helping my children with their homework or helping my wife prepare for the day ahead.

So why do it? I’m running because this is a time for action. I’m deeply troubled that our elected officials aren’t representing the values and needs of this community and working families like yours and mine. I’m deeply troubled by the focus on empty talking points and inflammatory rhetoric instead of delivering results that make a difference. I’m worried about the kind of community and future we grown-ups are leaving for our children.

The tragic events that unfolded recently – the mail bombings sent to political officials and members of the media, the murder of Jewish Americans in their house of worship – this is not who we are as Americans. Add to that the local defacing of political offices and election signage – this doesn’t represent a discourse of divergent opinions. Instead, they tear at the fabric that binds our community. Despite these acts, it’s important we remember that we’re greater than the differences in our opinions.

While the extremists are loud, I know there’s a much larger group of us in the middle – a group that’s fed up with the nastiness of our current political process, ready for results, and can hold each other in great respect even in the midst of disagreement. Dissention itself is patriotic. Our disagreements can lead to conversation. Conversation leads to compromise. Compromise leads to results. But, we can’t get to any of that without a fundamental understanding of values like honesty and respect.

At the League of Women Voters debate, my opponent wasn’t honest about his record. But his record is clear: on March 30 of this year, he voted against Senate bill S08121, which keeps firearms out of the hands of convicted domestic abusers. Voters can verify this fact for themselves on the NYS Assembly website. He also voted against Assembly bill A6994, commonly known as the Red Flag bill, which keeps firearms from those who may cause imminent harm to themselves or others, as decided by a judge. His positions on these bills are consistent with his effort to repeal the NYS Safe Act, a law passed in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting. This, too, is a public record that voters can verify.

I’m a gun owner, and like most Americans, I support common sense reform, like universal background checks, and keeping firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers. Yet, despite our stark differences, I still hold my opponent in respect as a member of this community, fellow American and human being.

Now more than ever, our community is in dire need of leaders who can stand by their record, welcome differing perspectives to yield better outcomes, sacrifice personal gain for the good of the people, and bring us together as one.

On November 6, we can help our community do better, together.

Vedat Gashi

NYS Assembly Candidate (D) (I) (WF) (WE)

94th District