{"id":5377,"date":"2021-03-02T09:52:46","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T14:52:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teanecktoday.com\/blog\/?p=5377"},"modified":"2021-03-05T12:54:25","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T17:54:25","slug":"soriano-taveras-apologizes-for-doing-nothing-wrong-in-calling-for-boycott","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teanecktoday.com\/blog\/elections\/soriano-taveras-apologizes-for-doing-nothing-wrong-in-calling-for-boycott\/","title":{"rendered":"Soriano-Taveras Apologizes for ‘Doing Nothing Wrong’ in Calling for Boycott"},"content":{"rendered":"

After audio surfaced<\/a> of Alexandra Soriano-Taveras calling for a boycott of Cedar Lane businesses<\/em>, questions began to swarm about her fitness to represent the 37th District, which includes Teaneck, in the NJ Assembly.<\/p>\n

Yesterday, Soriano-Taveras released a statement<\/a> (see full statement<\/a> below) via InsiderNJ.<\/p>\n

“There was a call to action in Teaneck this past summer and I attended to speak up and speak out against our town leadership who once again was not listening to the voices of our community.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

The call to action she refers to was revealed (in a statement made to Politico<\/a>) to be the decision not to appoint Gervonn Romney-Rice to Mayor or Deputy Mayor.<\/p>\n

“She said the video was taken during a protest over the council refusing to name Council Member Gervonn Romney Rice, who\u2019s Black, as deputy mayor. \u201cIt\u2019s not a boycott of Cedar Lane businesses, really. There was much missing in that,” she said. “It was a boycott of the businesses that were supported <\/span>or owned <\/span>by those members of the town council who had at no point supported … Gervonne Romney Rice*<\/strong>“<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

NO COUNCIL MEMBERS OWN ANY BUSINESSES OR STORES ON CEDAR LANE<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Check the Financial Disclosures<\/a> filed by members of Council)<\/p>\n[* while this isn’t the place to rehash the issue, the idea that the members of council in 2020 were never supportive of Romney-Rice (as she says in the Politico piece) belies the facts<\/a>]\n

Soriano-Taveras’ statement continues:<\/p>\n

“It was not my intention to offend anyone by my statement or to single out any community and for that, I am sincerely sorry.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, you did<\/strong> single out a particular community.\u00a0 You called for a boycott of stores on Cedar Lane.\u00a0 Why did you do that?<\/p>\n

“In a moment of passion I urged those in attendance not to shop in the businesses owned by town leadership, but after more thought and careful consideration of the impact on our small businesses I took no such action and led no such effort.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Again, check the Financial Disclosures<\/a> filed by members of Council:<\/p>\n

NO COUNCIL MEMBERS OWN ANY BUSINESSES OR STORES ON CEDAR LANE<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Soriano-Taveras called the issue “fake news”.\u00a0 Then, when the audio surfaced, it was “out of context”.<\/p>\n

Now, by her own admission, she was attempting to hurt the merchants on Cedar Lane as retribution<\/strong> against Town leadership?<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, questions of antisemitism still remain:<\/p>\n

Soriano-Taveras is heard saying:<\/p>\n

“Boycott those businesses, including the Dunkin\u2019 Donuts and everything else, and we hurt them in their pockets. Who owns those businesses that we continue to support on Cedar Lane?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

These are familiar tropes for anyone familiar with BDS and accusations of Jewish-owned establishments.\u00a0 Is it now being applied to stores perceived to be supported by those that may vote for members of Council?<\/p>\n

Why Cedar Lane as opposed to Teaneck Road or West Englewood?<\/p>\n

Cedar Lane is visible as home to many Jewish stores.\u00a0 Some have questioned if Soriano-Taveras wanted to attack the people that in her eyes supported town leadership, completely disregarding the damage to their income that would result in her wake.<\/p>\n

Does any explanation suffice to enable Alexandra Soriano-Taveras to represent us?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“but after more thought and careful consideration of the impact on our small businesses I took no such action and led no such effort.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Did you tell everyone cheering you on that the plan was off?\u00a0 Or did that not matter too much either?<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Full Statement of Alexandra Soriano-Taveras<\/p>\n

Teaneck, NJ- Teaneck Democratic Chairwoman Alexandra Soriano-Taveras issued the following statement in response to a selectively edited video crafted to give the impression that Soriano-Taveras is anti-semetic or harbors any anti-semetic sentiments:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe edited video clip has been taken out of context and weaponized against me in the darkest, most destructive of ways. I have nothing but respect and appreciation for the Jewish community in Teaneck, District 37 and all of New Jersey. There was a call to action in Teaneck this past summer and I attended to speak up and speak out against our town leadership who once again was not listening to the voices of our community. In a moment of passion I urged those in attendance not to shop in the businesses owned by town leadership, but after more thought and careful consideration of the impact on our small businesses I took no such action and led no such effort.<\/p>\n

I am a school teacher and I have devoted my life to promoting unity, acceptance and inclusion of all cultures and backgrounds. But I have also devoted my life to speaking up against unfairness and injustice.<\/p>\n

It was not my intention to offend anyone by my statement or to single out any community and for that, I am sincerely sorry. Let me be clear: I love our Jewish community, I treasure the contributions my Jewish neighbors make to Teaneck and to the world, and I have always and will always stand up against anti-Semitism. I am sorry for any pain or offense this video may have caused, and I renew my commitment to stand against hate and bigotry in all forms and at all times.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n