Here is my open letter to Donald J. Trump on the eve of his rally in Albany:

April 10th, 2016

Dear Mr. Trump:

On behalf of Albany’s 11th Ward, welcome to the City of Albany.

I have no doubt that you will have a successful rally at the Times Union Center. Droves of people will come to the TU Center to have the chance to see you up close. You have done well to build yourself as a larger-than-life person.

While you are speaking at the union built, government supported TU Center, I hope you keep in mind several points about the 11th Ward and the City of Albany at large.

It is a comical irony that you have chosen to descend on Albany. We are a city that believes the more diverse a city is, the more it prospers. We believe in fighting for the equal treatment of all. We support the plight of immigrants who choose Albany to build a better life for themselves and their families.

Representing the 11th Ward is an incredible honor. One of the many reasons why my ward is special is that it is the most ethnically diverse ward in Albany. During a walk along West Street or Central Avenue, you can meet people from countries all over the world. There are all kinds of houses of worship in the 11th, including a prominent mosque.

Your incessant, inflammatory, xenophobic, and irrational rhetoric towards immigrants and other minorities is disturbing. I have had countless conversations with many of our immigrants. Most of them are here legally. Some are not. I also have open dialogue with our Muslim neighbors.

They are not scared of your rhetoric. They are courageous and have overcome challenges you could not begin to imagine. They are legitimately concerned about the devastating impact a potential Trump presidency would have on their families.

You should know the people you use hateful, absurd rhetoric against are people who help in sustaining and growing our amazing city. The policies you have expounded, if enacted, would ruin New York’s Capital City on a multitude of levels.

Enjoy your time in a city that shares none of your medieval values. Know that while you are bloviating on stage at the TU Center, the families and communities our immigrants, ethnic minorities, and religious minorities build are infinitely more beautiful than any Trump structure.

Before you lose your bid to become President, I sincerely hope you will stop terrorizing Americans.

Sincerely,

Judd W. Krasher

Council Member

11th Ward – City of Albany