BY NICKI MAYO
Ellicott District Democratic committee members endorse Rev. Darius Pridgen for the Common Council vacancy by a small margin over Buffalo Fire Fighter Byron McIntyre. Some GLBT leaders say Pridgen should not be considered. Nicki Mayo reports how the close race and GBLT issues will impact the council vacancy.
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Ellicott District Democratic Committee members voted to back Reverend Darius Pridgen to fill the vacancy on the Buffalo Common Council.
“There were six candidates to begin with,” said Lenihan. “We wound up with a very close result in the end,” he added.
Pridgen garnered 3,325 votes closely followed by Buffalo Fire Fighter Byron McIntyre with 3,152 votes.
“We recommend the person who won the endorsement of the party committeemen and that was Rev. Pridgen,” said Lenihan.
Pridgen’s name will be the official recommendation, but the close margin between the reverend and McIntyre will be noted as the voter breakdown heads to the Common Council for review.
Ellicott District Democratic Committee Votes
Darius Pridgen 3,325
Byron McIntyre 3,152
“It’s encouraging to people to let them know that someone who is not from a big organization, or have big money is able to be an effective force in our government,” said McIntyre.
“When do we get counted in? When do we get to be part of our own community?” asked Ellicott District resident Kitty Lambert.
The Outspoken for Equality President stood with Stonewall Democrats of Western New York members outside the Olivencia Center before the meeting. The group wants the next Ellicott District council member to take a strong stance on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues such as civil unions and hate crimes.
“Nobody knows how many hate crimes are in Buffalo. Our elected officials don’t know,” said Stonewall Democrats’ Paul Morgan. “The police can’t accurately say how many hate crimes and biased crimes there are because they are not counting them,” Morgan added.
The GBLT supporters say Ellicott District frontrunner Rev. Pridgen should not be considered until he clarifies a 2003 comment in Ethics Newsweekly Viewers Guide. In the article, Pridgen is quoted as stating:
“You have to call sin sin, but HIV/AIDS is not the sin, it’s the disease… Until you separate the sin from the disease, people are not going to get tested.”
“We’re talking about an out of context statement in which I was defending people in gay lesbian community and people who have unprotected sex who are being blamed for HIV and AIDS,” said Pridgen.
“Can you represent us, when you publically preach that we are the ‘sin?’ No you cannot,” said Lambert.
The remaining eight council members will consider the committee’s recommendation. They are not required to vote for the same candidate. The council is expected to replace the vacancy in the upcoming weeks.
