The disposable Jews
Jan 30, 2008 Americana, Faith and Works, Oppression, Past is prologue
To me Rudy Giuliani was about salvation from the New York that David Dinkins allowed to happen — the New York typified by the pogrom in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, and which drove my family out of the City.
How ironic, then, on the day that sees the sun rise on the end of his campaign for President, that Jews — politically unpopular, or at least awkward — in Crown Heights are once again “in season,” and New York’s nominally Jewish mayor and the rest of the liberal establishment once again could not care less. As David Kelsey says,
If Jews were being attacked by skinheads or Muslims in Brookyln, you would be hearing a lot more about it. But strangely, when it comes to black on Chassidic violence, the J-blogosphere is suddenly quiet outside of Crown Heights/Chabad community members. No hippies….no Zionists…no hipsters.
It doesn’t help that, religiously and ideologically, the particular hasidim in Crown Heights have made themselves largely loathsome to many. But it hardly matters. Nor is it surprising, for the same Upper West Side Jews who do not care now are the ones who overwhelmingly in shockingly high numbers voted to keep Dinkins in office after Crown Heights, rather than vote for law and order as personified by the “fascist” Giuliani. They are the heirs of the don’t-make-waves Jews who sat silently in this country during the Holocaust. This is no Holocaust, but it is shameful nonetheless.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:14 am
“for the same Upper West Side Jews who do not care now are the ones who overwhelmingly voted to keep Dinkins in office after Crown Heights”
What is this based on? I believe they also voted for Giuliani. The Jewish vote in the first election was for Giuliani, and NYC was less than 15% frum at that point.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE4DF153EF930A35752C1A965958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1
Jewish liberals voted “overwhelmingly” for Dinkins? I think not.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Who said anything about frum?
In 1989 Dinkins won half of the Jewish vote, and in 1993 many Jews put liberal values above group solidarity, which is a principled thing to do — but which may not have been here. I can’t find any figures on the ‘93 election, but even if only 20% of Jews voted for Dinkins over Giuliani after Crown Heights — which I am positive is low — that itself is scandalous.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:55 am
It was less than forty percent according to the Times article I cited. I agree that was scandalous. But it is not statistically “overwhelming.”
January 30th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I don’t know who voted for who, but I’d guess that history (especially New York history) proves that the best way to deal with a series of attacks like this is to start a neighborhood crime watch.
Citizen’s watch groups, like the Guardian Angels, are effective for two reasons
1. They give the community sense of unity and empowerment
2. they are seen as a sign that the government and the police aren’t doing enough.
If these groups are given (well, seek) enough publicity, they often shame the police/govt. into taking more effective action to solve the problem.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Maybe you are right to some extent — apparently, Dinkins had a “comfortable win” on the Upper West Side in 1993: http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1997/11/02/1997-11-02_rudy_taking_nabes_in_a_lands.html
January 30th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Mary, there is quite a bit of that among hasidim in New York. But as you recognize, it is always a symptom of something else not working.
January 30th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Shorter Ron Coleman: “Giuliani was King of the Jews.“
January 30th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Maybe, but DK’s link is worth reading, Giuliani issue aside.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:49 pm
You seem to be channeling AM Rosenthal.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:14 am
[...] Jew makes a living condemning things like this and “demanding” apologies, etc., but very few unaffiliated liberal Jews will bat an eyelash. Notwithstanding the conspiracy theories, they don’t “vote Jewish” all that [...]