Gay Pride and Haredi Pique

November 6, 2006 - 8:59 PM by

Lots of discussion in the Israeli blogosphere these days about the Gay Pride parade which is scheduled for next week in Jerusalem, and the near-daily protest riots by Haredi Jews, which threatened to bully the local police force to cancel the parade.

A couple of today’s posts . . .

From Treppenwitz:

Watching the the haredim rioting on the streets of Jerusalem has been instructive on many levels.

It has been instructive to note that many haredim feel that making open threats of violence (and even death) against fellow Jews is permissible when faced with the simple presence of a person/people considered to be objectionable. This sounds suspiciously like the rationale used by the Arabs for launching the intifada in the wake of Ariel Sharon visiting the Temple mount . . .

It has been instructive to note that the reason given for the violent reaction to the proposed gay pride parade is the desecration of Jerusalem’s sanctity. Funny how Jews threatening to beat, and even kill, other Jews on the streets of holy Jerusalem isn’t considered a desecration if her sanctity . . . .

I am a religious Jew who endeavors to observe the commandments. I believe that we will all be called to answer for what we do in this life… and perhaps more importantly, what we fail to do. I believe in my heart that there is a special punishment awaiting so-called Rabbis who abuse their authority, lead their followers astray and shame the Jewish people before the world. I believe the punishment that awaits them is the same as for false prophets and messiahs.

Of course, I could just as easily be wrong as right in what I say here. Ask me again at the end of days. That should prove to be expecially instructive.

And from Harry (who perhaps should read Treppenwitz’s post):

Want to oppose the parade? Fine by me. Oppose the parade. I don’t agree with you, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be there on Friday, dafka because of your opposition to it (and because I think civil rights is something that, you know, is good). But enough with hatred. I’m obviously not talking to all religious Jews, but the silence of the religious community is deafening. I understand that you view homosexuality as sin, and because of these views, I understand your opposition to the parade, but how can you let the behavior of a very vocal segment of your community go unopposed? Where is the condemnation of hate speech and violence? Demonstrated by last year’s stabbing attack , we know where such blind obedience can lead.

Where is all this hatred coming from? I haven’t even seen such vitriol reserved for our real enemies, you know, the ones who like, blow themselves up in our city centers and launch missiles at us? The ones who want to build nuclear weapons to attack us, and the ones who are threatening war this summer. Wake up people. A little fracking perspective please.

Think everyone wants the parade to go on? Not the gay man who today published an op-ed piece in the usually left-wing Haaretz, proposing that the gay “camp” retreat to its “cultural home” in Tel Aviv in order to be sensitive to the wishes of the religious Jews, Muslims, and Christians in Jerusalem. Interestingly, I can no longer find that story on the Haaretz website.

Tags: • Category: General, Life, Politics 

Comments

2 Comments on Gay Pride and Haredi Pique

  1. David on Wed, Nov 8th 2006 4:11 AM

    2. The wishes of the haredi?

    If it were up to the haredi there would be no Israel.

    The Orthodox are generally the most intolerant, bigotted and self-righteous tyrranical lot in ANY free country.

    In America, until tonight, they attempted to pervert America and circumvent and reject the Constitution and science, and try to legislate a Christian morality on the American people. This ended today.

    It is both immoral and unjust for Israel to allow any oppressive minority to dictate. It was sickening to see the Jewish Orthodox sitting alongside Christian and Muslim religious leaders, leading a move to discriminate against Jews in Israel.

    This march is a march of right and freedom for secular people in Israel.

    It is once again the fight for reason against its perennial enemy, unreason.

    Aristotle, the father of logic [reason] in any fight would always triumph. Reason is the secular sword and reality is the secular ally!

  2. DRW on Wed, Nov 8th 2006 6:19 PM

    3. As demonstrated by Rev. Haggard here in the U.S., those people who are the most apoplectic and hysterical about gays usually have some personal issue going on. When the Haredim go so ballistic over gays prancing about, it really makes you wonder. What goes on in those in yeshivas after all? hmmmm

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