Battle of the Rats in Brooklyn Politics
In the race for Brooklyn’s 56th Assembly district, an unforeseen issue has emerged – what to do about the city’s ballooning rat population. At the heart of the debate are two contrasting approaches: a no-kill, birth-control program proposed by contender Eon Huntley, and traditional extermination methods supported by current Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman.
Eon Huntley’s No-Kill, Birth-Control Proposal
Huntley, who enjoys the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America and is a student of state Sen. Jabari Brisport, ardently argues against killing rats. He believes it’s not only ineffective, but also sends the wrong message. Instead, the candidate proposes supplying the rats with birth control and encouraging the city Sanitation Department to intensify efforts in city cleanliness.
In his view, indiscriminately killing random rats won’t address the root cause of the problem. He further drew a parallel to dealing with pigeons, suggesting it wouldn’t make sense to start shooting them out of the sky simply because they’re unwanted.
The Rat Debate Amid Other Issues
The district’s assembly race, largely overtaken by issues such as affordable housing, public safety, deed theft, and global concerns like Israel’s response to recent terror attacks, has now accommodated rats as a major campaign agenda. The Bedford-Stuyvesant district both the candidates are fighting to represent has been dealing with one of the worst rat infestations in the city.
Notably, this is the same district where current Mayor Adams resides – a residence that has had a fair share of rat-related troubles over the last two years.
Mayor Adams’s Anti-Rat Crusade
Mayor Adams has made rat reduction in the city a key policy focal point – often reiterated with humor. His journey to combat the city’s rat problem, however, has faced criticism for his chosen methods, including drowning rats—a method publicly demonstrated at a press conference.
Huntley’s anti-extermination stance aligns with his mentor, Brisport, an advocate for wildlife and critic of Adams’ unconventional rat control methods. Together with animal rights activists, Brisport even wrote a letter to Adams in 2019 stressing that rats are part of the urban ecosystem and deserve a more humane treatment.
Stefani Zinerman’s Stance on Eradication
Assemblywoman Zinerman’s response to the rat problem directly contrasts with that of Huntley. Her spokeswoman, Lupe Todd-Medina, has clearly stated that Zinerman supports the extermination of rats. She further added a touch of humor to the discussion, stating it was the first time they had heard about rat reproduction being part of the rival party’s platform.
Highlighting the severity of the problem, Todd-Medina emphasized that the neighborhood’s iconic brownstones are overrun with rats, causing health hazards and property damage. According to her, destroying the rat population is essential for protecting the citizens and their pets.
Conclusion
The developing Brooklyn Assembly race distinctly highlights two opposite views on tackling the city’s burgeoning rat problem. Each side fervently believes their proposed solutions will address the issue best. As the debate rages on, only time will tell which method—birth control or extermination—will win the public’s vote and, ultimately, prove effective in solving the rat problem.