Eric Adams: "You can only question me if you wore a bulletproof vest"

[wellst0nev0ter]

Yes, no bashing Democratic officials and all, but this is completely unacceptable rhetoric. We did not elect an autocrat.

Link to tweet

[Sherman A1]

1. Well, That certainly seems like a good way to start things off......

[Sneederbunk]

3. I see a clown show in the offing.

[Sherman A1]

4. Happy that I don't live in the area

or really need to worry too much about what he says or does.

[George II]

62. Why, didn't you watch the video? He'll be a great Mayor, better than many of his predecessors.

[George II]

53. But what was portrayed in the OP isn't what Adams really said. I agree though, a good way to start.

[tenderfoot]

2. It was well known that this guy is a right wing authoritarian before he was elected

And he was voted in anyway.

[wellst0nev0ter]

7. A few Brooklyn-based party activists need to explain why he was the best choice

[greenjar_01]

13. ROFL

Right after the garden party, dear.

[wellst0nev0ter]

20. Guess I'll just head to a Crotona cookout

Since this'll take a while.

[greenjar_01]

27. Doing the winter break in Aspen with the Groton-Smiths of Darien

They'll get back to you.

[wellst0nev0ter]

28. The PAC checks don't write themselves

Don'tcha know

[KG]

17. I LOL'd

[George II]

82. He wasn't elected by a few Brooklyn-based party activists, he was elected by the people of NYC....

ALL of NYC - Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and yes, even Staten Island.

That's how elections go, especially in New York City. Do you have much experience with New York City elections?

[wellst0nev0ter]

91. I live in Highbridge

And I know about the fundraising and organizing machines of the boroughs.

Here's a crash course about how Adam's won with pocket votes in a low-turnout election.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/16/nyregion/eric-adams-fund-raising.html

[George II]

118. Mayor-elect Eric Adams got 73% of the votes. A big reason why it was a "low turnout election" is....

...that Curtiss Sliwa was a ridiculous opponent, and after the primary was over, the result of the General Election was all but determined.

A key to this is the Democratic Primary turnout (Democrats only) was almost three times that of the General Election.

PS - I don't need a "crash course" in New York City elections.

[wellst0nev0ter]

121. I recall there was a primary

Which was much more competitive.

Guess you do need a crash course in New York City elections.

[George II]

130. I mentioned the primary in the post you responded to. He won that primary in the first round AND...

....each of the subsequent 7 rounds of the ranked choice primary.

1st +9.4
2nd +9.4
3rd +9.4
4th +9.2
5th +9.3
6th +8.5
7th +10.0
8th +0.8

That's why he was the Democratic nominee in the General Election, where he got 73% of the vote.

What were you saying about crash courses?

[wellst0nev0ter]

133. The article I posted referred to the primary

This is really not as complicated as you make it seem.

[George II]

136. Which article is that? "This is really not as complicated as you make it seem."

[wellst0nev0ter]

137. Look up about four posts up

It's there, you must have missed it.

[George II]

142. I did see that, but it was irrelevant to this discussion. Michael Rothfeld is a cheerleader for...

....Curtis Sliwa. As we say in New York, "not worth the time of day!"

[wellst0nev0ter]

148. He wrote a total of one article on Sliwa

Want to check the dictionary to make sure you know what the word "cheerleader" means?

[GoneOffShore]

160. Well, I guess he is better than Sliwa. I guess. Maybe.

[electric_blue68]

177. He wasn't my first choice

[Polybius]

144. I voted for him

I believe he's best for what NYC needs.

[George II]

163. If I still lived in NYC I would have voted for him. Despite the slings and arrows he's facing....

....I think he's head and shoulders above the dozen or so he ran against in the primary.

He's hard as nails, which is what New York City needs right now. If this is an indication of how he'll govern, he's 180 degrees from the current Mayor who seemed to change direction based on public opinion polls.

[Thomas Hurt]

5. The malignant narcissist politicans are everywhere.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. He told everyone who he was. No surprises here.

[greenjar_01]

12. True fucking story

[electric_blue68]

179. Maybe I missed certain things...

He wasn't my first choice to begin with but what did you read/hear that gave you an impression of authoritarian tendencies.

(I don't like the his vest comment)

[dem4decades]

8. Good luck NY.

[Kid Berwyn]

9. Fascist Think

Political leadership does not require military or police service. Besides, political leaders serve the People. Don’t care what party he is, the guy’s no friend of Democracy.

[Hortensis]

101. Truth and respect for differences are necessary for democracy.

Lies and demonization of people because they have different opinions are inimical to democracy. They are extremely common, though not confined to, fascist think.

The same for black and white thinking, a dualistic view of the world as either good or evil. Of course self is typically good, which means other gets to be evil by definition. No shades of gray, no commonality allowed.

Again, inimical to democracy but classic for extremist ideologies of all kinds, including fascism.

[gratuitous]

10. I spent some time in an undeclared war zone without a bullet proof vest

The local, provincial, and federal law enforcement folks weren't shy about gunning down citizens, even staging an attack on a community of displaced persons gathered for a day of prayer. I counted several dozen bullet holes in the walls of the little chapel where they had assembled. I didn't wear a vest in that hostile foreign environment, Eric, so I'm not terribly interested in your little display of ersatz machismo. Aren't you supposed to be the mayor for everyone, not just a chosen few?

[greenjar_01]

11. Jeez...you're going to disrupt his biggest DU fans from their usual

critiques of Democrats.

[Bettie]

14. Wait...so, he's basically saying that the City Council

can just go pound sand, he's going to do what he wants to do?

Is that how the mayor of NY gets to run things? Is it a kingdom?

[George II]

183. No, that's not what he said. On this issue, 29 mostly NEW members sent him an obnoxious letter....

....even before he and most of those 29 members even took office.

That's not the way to do it - they tried to badger and embarrass him into doing something that he's not even totally familiar with yet. I like that he basically said he's not going to accede to the demands of people not in office yet and even before he's in office.

I like that!

Like Congress and the President, they legislate and he governs. He's not going to do it in the press, nor is he going to change anything "with the stroke of a pen" like members of Congress are demanding of Biden.

Let them all get into office first, then sort out the details of all the issues that face the city.

This reminds me of a sit in outside Speaker Pelosi's office just a week or two after the 2018 election. He's handling this in a similar way to how Pelosi handled that.

[NurseJackie]

15. That's not what he said.

Eric Adams: "You can only question me if you wore a bulletproof vest"

That's not what he said.

[wellst0nev0ter]

16. What did he say then?

Enlighten us

[wellst0nev0ter]

18. Okay, guess that answers *that* question

Thanks for playing

[NurseJackie]

23. No... your quote is incorrect. He did NOT say what you claim he said.

That's manipulative and deceptive... surely it's unintentional, I imagine. Anyone with an ounce of decency and integrity would correct the mistake, that's all I'm saying.

Okay, guess that answers *that* question

No, the only thing is proves is that I have a life outside of DU and I don't rush back to reply to every "challenge" or "ultimatum"

Thanks for playing

Good Lord.

[wellst0nev0ter]

26. I see you failed to provide the "right" quote

What are you afraid of?

[NurseJackie]

29. That's your job. What are you afraid of?

What are you afraid of?

That's your job. What are you afraid of?

[wellst0nev0ter]

30. I provided the video

And the tweet with the original quote because transparency. Glad to have this stimulating chat witcha

[NurseJackie]

31. And your "quote" was incorrect. That's deceptive. Purely accidental I'm sure.

[wellst0nev0ter]

32. Then what was the correct quote?

Ready when you are

[NurseJackie]

33. Be honest. Correct your mistake.

Or not. Whichever path you choose reveals much.

[wellst0nev0ter]

34. The quote is right there

Just repeat the actual quote and tell me if it puts Adams in a good light. It couldn't be easier to debunk me

[Torchlight]

38. It's can be tough to admit being wrong, but it's a sign of honesty and integrity.

If I remember correctly (and maybe I'm not), it was Wellstone himself who wrote “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”

You provided an inaccurate quote. That is both measurable and verifiable. That you're trying so hard to deny it as such is confounding to me.

[wellst0nev0ter]

40. You're really going to make a big deal of a paraphrase?

I guess if you're faced with the indefensible, you bang the table.

[sheshe2]

55. Hm

it wasWellstone himself who wrote “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”
You provided an inaccurate quote. That is both measurable and verifiable. That you're trying so hard to deny it as such is confounding to me.

[wellst0nev0ter]

57. This you?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216167633

And now you're joining a bad-faith pile-on over a paraphrased title?

[sheshe2]

64. Yes that was my thread.

And I never forget the person behind the screen.

You are a special person. I have read your remarks and how you treat other people here. You are one of those I was talking about. You called a member "sport" and condescending remarks including the F word.

You can DU better than that. Why? Because there is a human being on the other side of that screen.

[wellst0nev0ter]

67. Then we should all practice what you preach

And not engage in bad faith arguments that derail threads.

[sheshe2]

74. I am posting facts, not ridiculing a member.

[wellst0nev0ter]

80. You said falsely that I provided an inaccurate quote

That's not thinking about the other person across the screen.

[sheshe2]

83. But you did.

Just stop, you did.

[wellst0nev0ter]

84. No, the title was a paraphrase

The full quote, which was no different, was in the OP

Think about the poster across the screen.

[sheshe2]

104. You put quote "" marks in your title.

It wasn't a quote.


Dear, my post was for the ones attacked and maligned.

WE are one people.

[wellst0nev0ter]

110. So no quote marks means all is right in the world?

And we can finally move on to important things?

[sheshe2]

115. You quoted a non quote.

And we can finally move on to important things?

[wellst0nev0ter]

116. I quoted a paraphrase

Due to space.

Remember, think about the person on the other side of the screen.

[sheshe2]

120. A paraphrase is not a direct quote

Yes, I see the one on the other side of the screen.

[wellst0nev0ter]

125. Yes, and I assume you don't expatiate on internet forum writing style

If you're speaking with someone face to face.

It would be cringe.

[wellst0nev0ter]

114. Okay, I'll offer an olive leaf

I'll add a note right here for those concerned with writing style:


*Quote in the title may not necessarily be the full quote. See the tweet for the full, unedited quote*

[sheshe2]

117. A quote is a quote.

A quote is what was said...and it was not said.

[wellst0nev0ter]

119. You don't read edited interviews, do you?

[sheshe2]

124. You "quoted"an article.

Now you are saying it was edited and you were wrong?

I am tired and going to bed.

[wellst0nev0ter]

129. Call it "edited due to space"

I'm sure this discourse was exhausting for all of us.

[Zeitghost]

212. That's not how quotes work

It's dishonest and you know it. Why hasn't it been changed? Telling...

[wellst0nev0ter]

214. Or you can imagine the quote marks aren't there

If it makes you feel better.

[lapucelle]

198. He paraphrased a partial quote and then put quotation marks around it as if it were an actual quote.

[lapucelle]

196. Here's the right quote.

For people to continue to say "Eric supports solitary confinement", that's a lie. We don't want to live in a city where dangerous people assault innocent people, go to jail, and assault more people.

You cannot have a jail system where someone sexually assaults a staffer or slashes an inmate and then say that it is alright, I'm going to give you an ipad, hug you, and say "Don't do t again."
No. If you are violent you must be removed from population so that you don't inflict violence on other people. That's clear.

If you want to work as a partner, call me. Hear my understanding and belief.

The one thing that's different between everyone that signed the letter and Eric Adams is I wore a bulletproof vest for 22 years to protect the people of this city, and when you do that you have the right to question me on public safety measures. I think I know a little something about this.

I'm going to protect our corrections officers, I'm going to protect the inmates who are serving time, and I'm not going to allow violent people to do violence.and think they can do it without being held accountable.And we can do it in a humane fashion.

And if anyone wants to talk to me about that, don't write a letter. Call me and speak with me. That is how we are going to resolve this.

There's a body of people coming into the City Council, they have no desire to move our city forward. Their desire is to be disruptive. What I'm going to do, I am going to ignore them, I am going to stay committed and undistracted, and I am going to grind. If they like it or not, I'm the mayor.

[Tomconroy]

19. Watch the video.

[wellst0nev0ter]

21. What did he say?

The floor is literally yours.

[George II]

36. What he said is in the OP's tweet, and it is entirely different from the OP's subject line. Why?

[sheshe2]

59. You know why.

[wellst0nev0ter]

81. No, why?

I'm curious.

[sheshe2]

86. You posted it.

You tell us why.

Your OP. Your post. You tell us.

[wellst0nev0ter]

94. No, you know better than all of us

Just come out with it

[George II]

37. It's in the tweet and in the video. You posted it, surely you know what he said, right?

[wellst0nev0ter]

45. That's why I paraphrased it

Nobody except for literalist word lawyers would have a problem with it

[George II]

191. You didn't paraphrase it, you rewrote it.

[wellst0nev0ter]

193. This is one of these times

when a dictionary could go a real long way, fella.

[George II]

194. You put "quotation marks" around it, meaning it's a direct quote of Mayor-elect Adams, even though..

...he never said that at all.

A dictionary won't help, but a style guide certainly can.

[wellst0nev0ter]

195. Style Guide?

Are you mistaking a forum post for a newspaper, my guy?

[sheshe2]

199. My Guy?

sport. sparky. dude. man. my guy. i missed a few...

[George II]

207. Fact remains, he never said "You can only question me if you wore a bulletproof vest"....

....we're all just wondering why you would misrepresent what he said in that video by claiming he said it.

[lapucelle]

206. Why would anyone invoking "[publishing] industry truth", be unaware of the correct reference tool

(the standard style book), and it's role in ensuring ethical reporting? Who would research accepted practices in a dictionary?



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[JanMichael]

22. Do you know what paraphrasing is? Meh. Nt

[NurseJackie]

24. Yes. Do you know what QUOTE MARKS mean? Meh. nt.

[sheshe2]

108. Bazinga!

[George II]

35. That's far from an accurate quote of Mayor-elect Eric Adams.

This is what he said:

"I wore a bullet proof vest for 22 years and protected the people of this city. When you do that, then you have the right to question me..."

Which is entirely different, in so many ways, from:

"You can only question me if you wore a bulletproof vest"

I don't understand the reason for him being misquoted to the extent that his meaning and intent is entirely obscured.

[wellst0nev0ter]

42. Oh my god

[George II]

43. Did you watch the video? What did he say, your quote or the tweeter's quote. There is only one.....

....correct answer.

Yes?

No?

[wellst0nev0ter]

47. What did Adams say again?

Couldn't quite get it in your other post.

[George II]

52. The text is in the tweet that you included in your OP, and also in the video. Suggest you watch it.

[wellst0nev0ter]

54. Aaand that's why it's included in my OP

For transparency. Not sure what the problem is, champ.

But really, repeat what he said again. For posterity's sake.

[George II]

60. So why are you changing what he really said? As for repeating it, it's in this thread....

....for posterity.

No need to repeat it. Do you have a reason for that?

[wellst0nev0ter]

65. Because titles in OPs have character limits

Remember, sparky?

[George II]

68. You could have given the first part of his EXACT quote and used....

....to continue it.

And neither my name NOR nickname is "sparky".

[wellst0nev0ter]

71. Didn't know that was in the DU bylaws...

...Tiger.

[George II]

73. Well, it's common sense. And I don't play golf so don't call me "Tiger", okay?

[wellst0nev0ter]

77. Common sense recognizes a paraphrase when they see it

Like when they read newspaper headlines.



I wonder how many bored folks wrote to the Daily News to complain about exact quotes that day

[NurseJackie]

88. Not in quote marks! 🤣😂🤣😂🤪😜

Thank you!

[George II]

90. Drop Dead wasn't enclosed by quotation marks. What you presented was, so it wasn't....

....a "paraphrase", but the (at that time) right wing Daily News was a paraphrase.

Amazing when that headline appeared, we New Yorkers were stunned. But that was in the 1970s. Do you remember that?

[wellst0nev0ter]

93. Lol!

So if I just take out those pesky quotation marks, will everything be all better?

[George II]

97. Whatever, you've already misrepresented (and misquoted) what Adams said, so do what you want....

Can I assume by this post that you acknowledge what you said was a misquote of Mayor-elect Eric Adams?

Thanks, I appreciate that.

[wellst0nev0ter]

99. No, his exact quotes are in the post

While the Title contained the paraphrase, which is a common thing to do when printing interviews in publications. Don't know why we have to be precious about quote marks.

[NurseJackie]

102. It's not at all common to put quotes around something that's paraphrased.

Don't know why, you ask? Because honesty and integrity matter... To most people, i mean.

[wellst0nev0ter]

105. It is in interviews

And in newspaper headlines.

You'll get it if you're in the publishing industry.

[NurseJackie]

106. That's hysterical!

[wellst0nev0ter]

109. Yes, industry truth is hilarious

[NurseJackie]

112. It's not the truth. It's farce. Anyone who has even bothered to read this far...

... also knows it.

[wellst0nev0ter]

113. Yeah, it's pretty farcical

How people get so *honestly* exercised over quote marks.

[NurseJackie]

126. No, the farce is how absurdly the defense and excuses are...

... for something that's obviously wrong and deceptive and misleading. Everyone living in the real world knows it. Nobody is falling for the absurd explanations or excuses.

[wellst0nev0ter]

128. "Everyone living in the real world knows it."

Wow dial it down, this is not the trial of the century here.

[lapucelle]

200. AP Stylebook: Single quotation marks for headlines that are direct quotes. N/T

[MineralMan]

168. I spent most of my adult life in the publishing industry as a journalist

Quotes are put between quotation marks and identified as quotations. The actual words a person used are quoted exactly. Paraphrases never are treated that way.

So, I get it. It is you who apparently does not.

[wellst0nev0ter]

169. This is a very silly discussion

And it says a lot about the people who continue to pontificate about this point like it matters.

[MineralMan]

172. Oh, it matters.

When you alter quotations with deception of any kind in mind, you destroy your own credibility. That's why such things are taken so seriously by legitimate publications. Verifying quotes is part of the job of fact-checking. Nobody wants to misquote someone.

If you rephrase something someone else said, but put your rephrased statement between quotation marks, you are being deceptive, even if you don't think you changed the meaning. And, in this case, truncating what was actually said and changing the wording of it definitely changed the meaning.

I don't know what you do for a living, but I have been a full-time journalist since 1974. I take that shit seriously. My writings have appeared in a number of magazines with 7-figure circulations since that time and up until I retired from magazine writing.

You are wrong to misquote people. Just leave the quotation marks out. That signals that you are rephrasing someone else's words. I see you have still not edited your OP. You should.

[wellst0nev0ter]

173. You're applying your journalistic standards to a forum post

The problem embraced by the vocal minority is literally two little punctuation marks that are easily explained as cosmetic choices.

This whole discourse is all very weird and cringe.

[MineralMan]

174. Look, you wrote countless replies to people in this thread

who pointed out your mistake. You even resorted to sophomoric insults, like calling those who questioned you things like "sport" and "dude." Bottom line here is that you altered what someone said to cast that person in a different light for whatever reason. That got noticed and called out by people, including me.

Instead of fixing the issue by removing the quotation marks, you doubled down and got testy.

I mean, you have to do you, I suppose, but it ended up being a bad look for you, really.

Also, "cringe" is a verb or a noun, not an adjective. I think the expression you are looking for is, "cringe-worthy."

See, journalists have to be accurate in their writing.

DU is, in fact, a publication. It's just that its writers are not paid, nor are they required to be professionals. Still, if you break the basic rules of honest journalism, you're going to get called out for it. There are real journalists here.

[wellst0nev0ter]

176. This reads like a parody of what a scold would say

Also, "cringe" is a verb or a noun, not an adjective. I think the expression you are looking for is, "cringe-worthy."

I'm bookmarking and screenshotting this. The absolutism and complete lack of awareness is beyond perfect.

Also, drop the whole "journalism" thing. You are on a forum. Forum posts are NOT newspaper publications, no matter how much we wish them to be.

[lapucelle]

208. He initiated "the whole journalism thing" with references invoking publishing industrstry standards.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And now there's desperate back-pedaling laced with invective.

[MineralMan]

209. Oh, well...

The OP seems to have moved on.

[NurseJackie]

203. No. Only the great and embarrassing lengths that some take in their quest to defend the indefensible

This whole discourse is all very weird and cringe.

No. Only the great and embarrassing lengths that some take in their quest to defend the indefensible is what's actually "weird" and cringeworthy.

The problem embraced by the vocal minority

Actually, that's not what "minority" means. The evidence is clearly in favor of the majority who value the TRUTH rather than deceptive headlines that are falsely and wrongly attributed as actual quotes. --- Those who continue defend the indefensible are standing out there on thin ice... all alone.

[NurseJackie]

204. "I see you have still not edited your OP. You should." --- Don't hold your breath.

I see you have still not edited your OP. You should.

Don't hold your breath. It won't be edited. After so much time has passed (relatively speaking) it's fairly obvious to me that the OP is too heavily and emotionally "invested" in this to admit being wrong. The phrases "backed into a corner" and "out on a limb" come to mind. I think we've all been there before, so in a way I can understand... but fortunately I was able to teach my own children (when they were still in adolescence) that sometimes they'll need to swallow their pride and admit when they're wrong, and apologize.

[MineralMan]

205. Obstinacy is a constant problem in politics.

[NurseJackie]

201. Actually it says MORE (and not in a good way) about anyone who denies reality...

... and who isn't mature enough to admit having made a mistake (whether intentional or accidental). Clinging to the false notion that it's okay to put quotes around something that is NOT a direct quote (an easily disproved assertion) is actually the only "silly" thing about all of this.

And it says a lot about the people who continue to pontificate about this point like it matters.

Yes, it DOES matter. It says that the truth matters. Honesty matters. Integrity matters. Maturity matters. Intelligence matters. Additionally, that a person's willingness to admit when they're wrong MATTERS. (That's one value I made sure to teach my own CHILDREN while they were still in adolescence.)

Fortunately, people who feel the same way I do about such things are clearly in the majority.

[sheshe2]

111. Now it is "sparky" instead of "sport"

[MineralMan]

178. LOL!

I think I saw a "dude" upthread, as well.

[greenjar_01]

46. LOL

Under Pressure goes "Ding ding ding da-da ding-ding." But Ice Ice Baby goes "Ding ding ding DA-da ding-ding." Hear it? Completely different.

[wellst0nev0ter]

48. Lol, exactly

[greenjar_01]

51. Haaaaaa!

[George II]

70. That was pressure? It's clear you didn't grow up in Brooklyn or NYC.

[wellst0nev0ter]

75. Oh, wow...

Yeah, he probably grew up in Florida or someplace therebouts

[greenjar_01]

140. I grew up in NYC

We even had a whole conversation about neighborhoods several months ago.

In this case, you just didn't get the reference. A little bit embarrassing, I have to say.

[electric_blue68]

182. Don't you you think in essence that it's the same...

message?

Wore vest for 22 years. Proctectd people. When you do (have done) that then you have right to question me.

Still seems to be saying unless people have done close to what he's done they have no right to question him.

[George II]

184. Not even close to being the same. But the second half of your post is very much what he said....

It's not even that they're questioning him, they're telling him what to do even before he or most of them will be sworn in on January 1.

It's grandstanding on their part.

[electric_blue68]

186. Oh... Der on me! I didn't realize that this was from...

the incoming City Council members.

I should look up who the new ones are just to know for future reference.

Been paying more attention to Federal politics (I wonder why!), and Gov Hochul, Mayor DB still, too.

[George II]

187. Not all 29 are new, but many of them are. I don't know the actual breakdown.

Here's an article about the spat:

New Council Members Assail Adams’ Plan to Restore Solitary Confinement in NYC Jails

The progressive contingent of the incoming, new-look City Council launched its first shot against Mayor-elect Eric Adams on Monday, targeting his vow to bring back solitary confinement in city jails.

“Solitary confinement is considered by the United Nations, human rights organizations, and medical and mental health experts to be a form of torture,” reads a letter signed by 29 Council members and sent to Adams as he prepared to take office on Jan. 1.

Evidence shows that solitary confinement “leads to more violence” and alternatives like limited separation from the general population with full days of out-of-cell programming actually improves safety, the missive adds.

The letter, obtained by THE CITY, came four days after the incoming mayor vowed to bring back solitary confinement for detainees who act out violently amid the chaos plaguing Rikers Island.

https://www.thecity.nyc/2021/12/20/22847572/eric-adams-solitary-confinement-in-nyc-jails-plan-slammed

Another article:

Eric Adams pushes back on incoming NYC Council members’ demand to end solitary confinement at Rikers

More than two dozen incoming City Council members demanded Tuesday that Mayor-elect Eric Adams end solitary confinement at Rikers Island — sparking a war of words with the next mayor just days after he said he’d continue to segregate violent inmates from the jail’s general population.

Adams set the stage for the standoff last week after Mayor de Blasio began moving detainees out of solitary confinement, also known as punitive segregation. In response, Adams said he would maintain the practice.

But on Tuesday, Adams got pushback from 29 City Council members who sent him a letter demanding he “reverse the pro-solitary confinement position.” Incoming Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Caban also posted the missive on Twitter just before 8 a.m.

“Solitary confinement is considered by the United Nations, human rights organizations, and medical and mental health experts to be a form of torture. It causes intense suffering and has taken the lives of countless New Yorkers, including Layleen Polanco, Kalief Browder and Brandon Rodriguez,” they wrote. “We, the undersigned, urge you, Mayor-elect Eric Adams, to respect the sanctity of human life, and reverse [your] pro-solitary confinement position.”

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-elections-government/ny-eric-adams-solitary-confinement-city-council-caban-punitive-segregation-20211221-mbb7xwmshjfy3asnj6c72755zm-story.html

Of course Tiffany Caban is right smack in the middle of it and tweeting her demands via Twitter. Plus, DeBlasio is mucking it all up by starting to end the practice that HE used during his 8 years as Mayor! I guess he's beginning his Governor campaign early.

[electric_blue68]

190. TY 👍 Bookmarked. Will read later, or Fri Lotsa of errands and cleaningto do!

Double masked and distanced, of course when outside my apt. 👍

[Tomconroy]

39. He just lost the violent criminals who assault COs and inmates

vote. What was he thinking?

[George II]

44. Bazinga!

[Tomconroy]

50. NYC loves Mayor-elect Adams!

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CXqhCxdNNZH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading

[George II]

58. Bazinga X 2! Yes, they love him. He'll be the first Mayor who grew up on the streets....

...a teenaged gang member.

For what it's worth, he grew up in Bushwick, which is where I originally grew up before we moved to Queens, as did he!

I wish him luck, but I don't think he needs it.

[wellst0nev0ter]

69. He also lost Kalief Browder

Oh wait, we already lost him to solitary confinement torture

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/kalief-browder-1993-2015

[Tomconroy]

211. If you actually watch the video clip the first thing he says

Is that he is against solitary confinement

[wellst0nev0ter]

215. Yes, he supports "punitive segregation"

Which is a phrase he used to fool a bunch of goobers

Punitive Segregation (PSEG, also known as solitary confinement) is a restrictive housing area where people are locked in their cells for twenty-three (23) hours of the day as punishment for a violent offense (In June 2019, the Department of Correction implemented punitive segregation reforms in order to provide all individuals in restrictive housing a minimum of four hours out-of-cell daily. These reforms implement new NYS Commission of Correction regulations for jails).

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/boc/jail-regulations/punitive-segregation.page

[lapucelle]

210. He may have won the votes of the inmates he is protecting from violent assault by other inmates.

It's almost as if their rights don't matter here.

[Zeitghost]

41. NYC needs a strong mayor.

Mayor Adams is going to do great things for that city. As a man of color in power he's bound to be attacked, but I think he will shrug off the attacks and keep moving forward.

[George II]

49. I'm really impressed with him. He's the first really hard-ass Mayor I've seen since.....

.....actually I don't know.

And he does it with a smile!!!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

78. Smiling while advocating torture is kinda gross.

[George II]

87. How did he advocate torture?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

92. By saying he'll reverse the current policy against solitary confinement.

[Sewa]

159. The last hard-ass mayor was Rudy

Is that really what you want?💀🤙

[electric_blue68]

185. That was my immediate thought... (uh,oh)... Otoh...

his (Adam's) life experience is quite different.

He wasn't my first choice. As I'm posting I do remember an interesting article on him posted on DU before the election.

[ecstatic]

61. Troubling when context-free

What was the context? And yes, that does make a difference. For example, was the topic regarding crime and/or how to make all neighborhoods safer? Or was it a broad declaration that he shall not be questioned or challenged on any subject?

[wellst0nev0ter]

63. He used criminals as an excuse to dismiss city council members' concerns about solitary confinement

Then he went extra in his rant and said they have no right to question him if they weren't law enforcement officers, and he specifically says he's going to ignore them.

"If they like it or not, I'm the mayor."

[ecstatic]

150. Ok so I finally watched the clip and the substance of what Adams is saying

pertains specifically to the use of solitary confinement for violent criminals. When you focus on the actual point that was being made regarding keeping correctional officers and other inmates safe, Adams makes perfect sense and I agree with him 100%.

Everything else he said was not meant to be taken as literally as it's being taken in some corners. To focus on that part of the comment instead of the substance comes across more like a deflection or a bad faith attack from detractors.

And who are these people who are insisting that violent inmates should be able to wreak havoc across jails? What's in it for them? Favors from the violent inmates? Of course, there's a lot I don't know regarding the other side of the argument and the clip was edited. However, this is just my honest opinion based on what I saw in the clip.

[wellst0nev0ter]

152. Solitary confinement was abolished because it was subject to abuse

Rikers has always been violent because it is a broken, laughably dysfunctional jail.
.
Anyways, it doesn't matter since state laws banning lengthy solitary go into effect next March

[George II]

66. The context is in the video. He explained it and his position clearly.

[wellst0nev0ter]

72. Yes, and he said he's going to ignore certain constituents

That's not how Democrats do it, right?

[George II]

76. What exactly did he say? I don't think he said he'd "ignore certain constituents", did he?

[wellst0nev0ter]

79. "What I'm Going To Do"

"I'm going to ignore them. I'm going to stay committed, undistracted, and I'm going to grind."

And he said this to fellow Democrats. Shameful.

[George II]

85. That's not in the subject line of your OP. Clearly he said a lot more than those few words.

[wellst0nev0ter]

96. Glad I'm not a stickler for style

It would be exhausting combing through forum posts for every single perceived error.

[George II]

98. It's not style, it's a misquote for whatever reason it was done.

[wellst0nev0ter]

100. You would go crazy when you realize how newspapers edit quotes

Especially in headlines.

[George II]

103. No I wouldn't, especially since newspapers don't edit quotes and then print them in quotes....

...as though it was the actual statement/quote.

So, you still haven't explained why you rewrote what Mayor-elect Eric Adams said and presented it as though it was what he actually said. Care to do so?

[wellst0nev0ter]

107. I already explained earlier in this thread, dude

I know you didn't forget already.

[George II]

123. No you didn't, but whatever. BTW, I'm not your "dude", or "sparky" or any other disrespectful....

....nicknames you've attributed to me in this thread.

[NurseJackie]

127. That type of behavior is a tell-tale indication of when someone knows that they're...

... arguing from a position of weakness, or when they're skating on thin ice. Bluster and bluff, nothing more. Passive aggressive bullying. Ugh.

[wellst0nev0ter]

134. Yep, you figured me out

You know a lot about this stuff.

[wellst0nev0ter]

135. Yes I did, and we already discussed it

No need to rehash our points here, sir.

[George II]

138. You didn't and we won't. You clearly have a problem with the duly elected DEMOCRATIC Mayor....

...of New York City for some reason. I do not.

Eric Adams may wind up being the best, most popular Mayor in my lifetime, which goes back to Mayor William O'Dwyer. I won't judge Adams based on a 2-minute, misquoted video in a tweet. There's much more substance to him than that.

[wellst0nev0ter]

141. So much for Democrats uniting

Just as long as we get to punch a few hippies, right?

[George II]

143. Democrats are united. Period. What do "hippies" have to do with it? The last time....

...I saw a reference to hippies was in the '60s, man.

[wellst0nev0ter]

145. You were alive in the 60s?

Much respect, mister.

[George II]

146. I was alive in the 40s.

[wellst0nev0ter]

149. So that makes you what generation?

Gimme some time, lemme think about it.

[George II]

167. Why should that matter?

[wellst0nev0ter]

170. Does it matter to you

pal?

[NurseJackie]

89. ...

[George II]

202. So you think him saying he's going to do his job and ignore distractions...

...(note, no " ", THAT is paraphrasing) is "shameful"?

[wellst0nev0ter]

213. Hmm, noticed that this was posted very early in the morning

Glad you got that out of you, champ

[lapucelle]

197. Here's exactly what he said.

For people to continue to say "Eric supports solitary confinement", that's a lie. We don't want to live in a city where dangerous people assault innocent people, go to jail, and assault more people.

You cannot have a jail system where someone sexually assaults a staffer or slashes an inmate and then say that it is alright, I'm going to give you an ipad, hug you, and say "Don't do t again."
No. If you are violent you must be removed from population so that you don't inflict violence on other people. That's clear.

If you want to work as a partner, call me. Hear my understanding and belief.

The one thing that's different between everyone that signed the letter and Eric Adams is I wore a bulletproof vest for 22 years to protect the people of this city, and when you do that you have the right to question me on public safety measures. I think I know a little something about this.

I'm going to protect our corrections officers, I'm going to protect the inmates who are serving time, and I'm not going to allow violent people to do violence.and think they can do it without being held accountable.And we can do it in a humane fashion.

And if anyone wants to talk to me about that, don't write a letter. Call me and speak with me. That is how we are going to resolve this.

There's a body of people coming into the City Council, they have no desire to move our city forward. Their desire is to be disruptive. What I'm going to do, I am going to ignore them, I am going to stay committed and undistracted, and I am going to grind. If they like it or not, I'm the mayor.

[Tomconroy]

95. Mayor-Elect Eric Adams gets great press coverage all over the world!

https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/orthodox-jews-aiding-ny-mayor-elect-eric-adams-transition-to-office-689105

[George II]

131. He's going to be an excellent Mayor, a representative of ALL the people.

[brooklynite]

122. In the Democratic Primary, none of my five RCVs went to Adams.....

[George II]

132. And yet he still led in all 8 rounds and won the nomination and the general election.

[Polybius]

151. Although I have heard you say this before, it always surprises me

You're a fairly conservative Democrat. I've seen you defend conservative Democrats and stick it to the far-left of the Party. So why no love for Adams?

[brooklynite]

155. I've never said I'm a conservative Democrat

I’m a practical Democrat who wants to elect as many Democrats as possible, which means supporting moderate and even conservative Democrats (like Manchin) if that’s the best we can do in the election in question. That said, I prefer an ethical and principled Democrat over a Party hack. Adams is cozy with the Kings County Democratic Party which is about as sleazy as PArty organizations come. He’s also had a generally uninspiring political career in Albany and as Borough President. There were far better choices, including Kathryn Garcia, who was my top choice.

[Tomconroy]

139. Is it too early to start thinking: President-Elect Adams?

[BlackSkimmer]

164. Really?

Not interested in Biden continuing? Or Harris following?

[wellst0nev0ter]

166. What can you say? Authoritarians are rockstars for certain people

[Polybius]

147. Good for Adams

While that's not an accurate quote, I agree with what he said. I have two friends who work in Riker's. One was recently jumped and spend 6 months out of work. I loath violent criminals.

As for the incoming City Council members, he's right on them too. Some of them are on the extreme left, and by extreme I'm not talking Bernie or AOC. Way, waaaaay further left than that. Those kind of ideas don't work.

[PTWB]

153. I don't like the idea of solitary confinement and I think it should be used sparingly at most.

But I also think prisoners should be safe and secure in prison. And the guards responsible for watching over them should also be safe and secure.

The question I’ve never seen adequately answered by people who advocate for the abolishment of solitary is this: what do you suggest we do with ultra violent prisoners who have a history of attacking inmates and guards?

[wellst0nev0ter]

156. North Dakota implemeted Behavioral Intervention Units

As an alternative to solitary. It's reserved for the worst-of-the-worst violent prisoners, but allowed mentally stimulating activities. That and other reforms led to a decrease in violence in prisons, and stark decrease in violence in the segregated units themselves.

https://healthandjusticejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40352-021-00155-5

[PTWB]

158. All prisons should remove solitary confinement as a punishment for petty violations.

It sounds like doing that benefited the ND prison system greatly. Those are much needed changes, but they’re still using the solitary system (now called BIU, with a focus on mental health and resources) for what are presumably the most problematic and violent offenders.

I suppose my point is that we’ve still not eliminated the need to segregate certain prisoners from other prisoners, and to limit those prisoners’ interactions with corrections staff.

What do we do with the people who aren’t interested in, or capable of, being rehabilitated? The ones who were, are, and always will be a grave danger to anyone they interact with?

Surely those people, and only those people, should remain in some sort of segregated cell, no?

[Polybius]

161. I've got an idea if that doesn't work

Put them in a cell with a bigger bully.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

165. Solitary confinement doesn't mean "in a cage by themselves next to other people's cages."

It's a complete and utter cutting-off of all human contact. It's torture.

[wellst0nev0ter]

157. He should talk to them instead of dismiss them outright

Democrats are supposed to work together, not be divisive.

[Tomconroy]

162. That's what he said he wanted to do instead of receiving

letters with.unilateral demands..he also said he favored segregation for violent inmates, not solitary confinement.

He will be a great mayor!

[ZonkerHarris]

154. well we have a "Democrat" who acts like a fascist now.

[budkin]

171. They elected a corrupt NYC cop

What do they expect is going to happen?

[SYFROYH]

175. That's not the way it works Eric Davis -- you get questioned by all.

Whether you like it or not.

[JustAnotherGen]

180. He's right

Adams attempted to clarify Tuesday, saying he was specifically referring to continuing segregation of violent inmates.

"I don't support solitary confinement," he said. "I support moving dangerous people out of population and giving them the services so they will stop being dangerous."

The City Council members, many of them incoming progressives, fired back in a letter released to the media.

"Why am I learning about the letter through the media?" Adams, a former NYPD captain, asked during a news conference. "I am not going to be in a city where dangerous people assault innocent people, go to jail and assault more people. You cannot have a jail system where someone sexually assaults a staffer, slash an inmate and then say, 'It is alright. I'm going to give you an iPad and just hug you and say don't do it again.' No. If you are violent, you must be removed from population so you don't inflict violence on other people. That's clear."

https://abc7ny.com/amp/eric-adams-solitary-confinement-rikers-island-new-york-city-council/11366192/


I like this guy.

[Spider Jerusalem]

181. Almost like being a cop and having an authoritarian personality have some sort of relationship!

Also, fuck Adams and his support of torture.

[radius777]

188. Adams understand the streets better than the typical white Dem.

Adams was a black kid who was profiled by cops, but he also understands the crime and violence that plague many black/brown communities, and became a cop who saw firsthand how bad violence can get.

Adams understands how the prisons operate, which are awful. Rape, slashings, beatings etc are common practice - and the only way to stop that is to separate out the truly violent agitators. IMO you need to put cameras in the jails and prosecute any crimes that take place within. Jails should not be a place where laws don't apply, and prisoners should have the right to be free from violence like any other person 'on the outside.'

Remember - crime, gangs, prison violence etc - impacts black and brown people more than anyone and white liberals really don't get it on this topic. Adams wants to balance the need for security and the need for reform. Adams claim to fame was 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement which is a group that sought to bridge the gap between police and the community. The police unions etc don't like Adams as a result, as he's always called them out.

Adams is simply different than your typical Dem or even typical politician - he's mavericky.

[wellst0nev0ter]

189. Cool, now do the Black and Brown councilmembers

[electric_blue68]

192. Ah, I remember that (100 Blacks in LE)