Monserrate and Espada: Out of Control

Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada, Jr. have taken their egomaniacal actions to astronomical new heights today, with Monserrate comparing himself to Jesus Christ and Espada saying that he is a victim of a "jihad." Monserrate's words came while he was speaking on Al Sharpton's radio show over the weekend at Sharpton's National Action Network. Espada's came while speaking to a Latino advocacy group in the state capital.

Monserrate started his Jesus comparison by saying that he would never compare himself to anyone in the Bible: "You know, I'm never gonna compare myself to anyone in the biblical context." Monserrate went on to say that he remembers Jesus turning over tables in the temple (as if he were there) to get people to do their business correctly. Monserrate compared what he is doing in the state senate to Jesus causing a ruckus in the temples. The irony of Monserrate turning his back on his party to get back at one guy he had a personal beef with being more in line with Judas' actions than Jesus' is apparently lost on him.

Monserrate acknowledges, however, that his actions could cost him politically. He stated, "If it costs my election one day because I decided to turn over a table or two and say business gotta be done different, then so be it." I cannot ignore the horrific grammar offered up by Monserrate. I like my representatives to be smarter than I am (not a very difficult thing to do), and even I know that the phrase "and say business gotta be done different" is cringe-inducing to anyone with more than 5 years of formal schooling - and I don't even need Strunk's Elements of Style to tell me that. If, in fact, Monserrate is elected to another term (that is, assuming he is not a felon at that point and is kicked out the state senate) is elected again, I will do anything I can to avoid Jackson Heights, Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, and Woodside, as well as lose all hope in humanity.

On to moron number 2: Pedro Espada, Jr. He feels that any animosity hurled his way is simply a "jihad" against him, not due to the fact that he is an hubristic, egocentric puppet controlled by a grumpy billionaire who has brought the state's political process to its knees while he deals with some personal problems with Malcolm Smith. Let's again look at the word jihad. Because of a distortion from a radical group of Muslim extremists, many people mistake the whole theory of jihad to be death to any non-believer of Islam. In reality, jihad is an inner struggle to live one's life in the way that Allah would like. So to be clear, Espada might benefit from a jihad, in so much that it requires personal reflection and a correction of one's errors in judgment and actions.

These two state senators are out of control in terms of their egocentrism. You cannot make it up: Monserrate is comparing himself to Jesus Christ and Espada claims that there is a jihad against him. The saddest thing about all of this is that Monserrate and Espada actually believe what they are saying, and that's where things get dangerous. Almost everyone sees through these two clowns; the Daily News excoriated Espada over his living quarters after a staged tour of his "residence" in the Bronx. And no one's forgotten about Monserrate slashing his girlfriend's face open with broken glass. Jesus certainly never did that to anyone. Peace.

Photos - Monserrate at the National Action Network on Saturday (NY Daily News), Espada pulling a Vanna White in his Bronx "home" (NY Daily News)