Clarkstown Politics: Don't vote based upon Fear and Misinformation
Rockland politics in general, and Clarkstown politics in particular, have gotten ridiculously nasty and offensive. The election of County Executive Ed Day has led to the most divisive time in the history of Rockland politics. Instead of uniting the County, Day’s two year reign has resulted in a divided and dysfunctional Republican Party, and the rise of a new so-called “Reform Party.” The “Reformers” clearly function in Tea Party style to muck up progress by promoting fear and hatred through misinformation and outright lies.
Most disturbing to me, a Reform Jew who belongs to a Conservative synagogue, is the level of anti-Semitism that has become acceptable in my home town of Clarkstown. There is a publicly espoused theory that if you’re just against the “Hasidics,” you are not being anti-Semitic. Someone wrote back to me on Facebook that she isn’t anti-Semitic because even her Jewish friends hate “them!” Wake up people. This is not OK.
I have lived in Rockland for 48 years, the last 15 years in Clarkstown. My business is in Chestnut Ridge. I am a 1979 graduate of Spring Valley High School and a strong supporter of the efforts to fix the East Ramapo School District. My children are all in the public school system. I understand the issues that concern Ramapo residents. Clarkstown is not Ramapo. The “sky is falling” argument that an invasion of Hasidic Jews is imminent in Clarkstown is being used to incite fear and blame incumbents for a non-event.
The growth of the Hasidic population in Ramapo and elsewhere is a challenge that requires substantial hard work and is not to be minimized. The explosive growth of the Hasidic community over the last two decades and its insular nature present significant issues that must be addressed through specific direct action like the appointment of a monitor for the East Ramapo School Board. Laws that are being manipulated for unintended purposes need to be changed at the federal and state level, and local laws not being followed need to be enforced.
It is important to recognize that the overwhelming majority of Orthodox Jews work, have businesses, and are very productive members of the community. There is, however, evidence of abuse of public assistance, inadequate secular education, and disregard for safety laws in the Hasidic community. Efforts to enforce laws should not be attacked as, and are often not, anti-Semitic solely because Jews are the subject of the enforcement. Hasidic community leaders must work to change both the perception and the reality of their community and must make visible efforts to be good neighbors to those around them. In my opinion, Hasidic leaders have failed to demonstrate an intent to prevent abuses of public assistance and have not made publicly recognizable efforts to improve relations.
None of this is an excuse for the recent anti-Semitic Clarkstown Community posts that claimed an Hasidic “invasion of New City” has started. The most recent hysteria was over the newly constructed New City Chabad Rabbis’ residence on Phillips Hill Road. Chabad has been in New City for 20+ years. Chabad and the Monsey ultra-orthodox sects are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to community involvement. Chabad is open, welcoming and inclusive and its members consist of reform, conservative and orthodox Jews. Chabad has been serving New City’s Jewish community without any complaints by neighbors. The Facebook attacks by leaders and supporters of the Reform Party clearly demonstrate their bias and willingness to mislead the public. These are not people that should be running our town-- ever. I am sure that those fanning the flames of overt anti-Semitism by comparing the construction of the Rabbis’ townhomes to illegal housing in Ramapo, never attended even one of the Clarkstown public hearings held on the Chabad project.
It is time for responsible members of the community to speak out against those who create fear by spreading lies and misinformation.Blaming the Town Supervisor for the permitted construction was completely misplaced. Don’t let the self-appointed leaders of the new Reform Party succeed in their efforts to create panic and distrust. Take a step back and look around at Clarkstown; it’s a pretty great place to live.
Please support Alex Gromack Shirley Lasker and Dan Caprara on TuesdayNovember 3rd! Gromack and Lasker have an excellent record working for the people of Clarkstown. Their combined experience and qualifications far outweigh that of their opponents, and their expressed confidence in Dan Caprara, who himself has a long record of community involvement, to keep Clarkstown moving forward is worthy of repsect. We need experienced, thoughtful and positive leaders in our town, not radical alarmists who make things up to incite fear.
Posted on 1 Nov 2015, 12:04 - Category: In the News
