Competing Editorials
Updated 10/24/2008 - 20:48 pm
While it doesn't quite rise to the level of the October 1975 covers of Newsweek and Time...
...each featuring Bruce Springsteen, it's probably just coincidence that after months of contentiousness The Southampton Press Western Edition and East End Independent this week each editorialized about the eruv which has so polarized the Westhampton Beach community.
Taking two different tacks, what's unusual is that neither newspaper is wrong in drawing independent conclusions.
Entitled "Protecting the Village," The Press' lead editorial isn't as one might expect, about the armed robbery on Main Street last weekend, but the "disagreement" over Hampton Synagogue's proposed eruv.
Using language such as "unbridled prejudice," "paranoia," "a truly venomous spectacle," and "xenophobic," the editorial places the "blame" squarely in the lap of the Village Board, the Mayor included, for its "lack of leadership."
(It is noted without rue that OtBB had reached the identical conclusion last Spring: "Getting to know 'our' Rabbi" and "The eruv after the politics.")
The editorial concludes:
"...the eruv debate has peeled the veneer of civility off Westhampton Beach, and exposed the ugliness beneath. How to protect the Village from those who would cause harm? Unfortunately, the greatest threat has been here all along."
The writer hasn't been here long enough to know the truth of that... sometime OtBB will delve into the ubiquity of the word "Kike" 50-60 years ago or the "dns" rubber stamp most of the hotels kept in their back office.
While The Press is silent on the divisive role of Rabbi Marc Schneier in this ugliness, the other editorial cuts him no slack.
Captioned simply "The Eruv," the Indy's view from the Far East goes farther in its critical assessment of the Rabbi than even OtBB:
"The debate over a proposed eruv in Westhampton Beach has turned ugly, and those opposed aren't just anti-Semites ... the ferocity with which{sic} Schneier displayed to those who questioned him revealed a much darker side.
"This seems to be more about Schneier. Is he empire-building? Does he have a financial stake in making an eruv happen? Are donations down, as some members of the synagogue have told us, because they object to Schneier's lavish spending?
...Schneier's inflamatory{sic} rhetoric reminds more of a Coney Island barker than a religious leader. Village officials need to put an end to the discussion once and for all. Westhampton Beach, because of its sparsity of Orthodox Jews, isn't the right place for an eruv."
Some harsh words... confidence is high that there will be responses from the Rabbi's faithful on next issue's Letters page.
But someone from "out there" has a fairly good sense of what's happening "up here," and the Rabbi has got to wonder if someone is poking around the ashes of his Palm Beach enterprise.
Comments
1. Elaine Aldridge said...
In May of this year, you ridiculed Tim Dahlen for saying, "The stores will all have to change to conform with Shabbat.” In the October 24, 2008, edition of The Independent, I read, "It seems there are only a handful of Orthodox Jews in the Westhampton area. It is also true that other communities that have erected eruvs have seen a large influx of Orthodox Jews into their neighborhoods. Some merchants in those areas complain they had been pressured into closing their businesses on Saturdays as a result." Mr. Dahlen voiced a possibility for Westhampton that appears to be a reality in some areas. Granted, Mr. Dahlen’s comment was a broad generalization. "The stores will all have to change…" I am disappointed that the Independent writer did not name the affected communities.
The following caustic comment was a real zinger, and it lead me to think you may have a personal dislike for Mr. Dahlen: "Tim Dahlen is just stupid enough to say it on camera… but then he's never been shy about promulgating the most outrageously wrong-headed information." What a hoot! Considering our economic down-turn, I would like to have a dollar for every "outrageously wrong-headed" bit of information that has been promulagated on this planet. But, as you are well-aware, without conflict, there is no novel story to live about or to write about.
Respectfully,
Elaine Aldridge
Clayton, Ohio
Yes, I took Tim Dahlen (and others) to task for the form and substance of their comments to the WCBS2 field reporter. The full context was that this was at the same time that someone put Erin Finley up to circulating similarly egregious E-mails about the portent of an eruv in Westhampton Beach.
Stupidity was rampant that fortnight, and Tim Dahlen fairly leaped at the opportunity to go on point for the worst of it.
For the record, I don't dislike Mr. Dahlen (who I've known for 30 years)... I simply dislike his constant stream of B.S.
And while the Indy didn't enumerate the Long Island communities whose character has been markedly altered by an influx of Orthodox-observant Jews, the three highest profile ones seem to be Lawrence, Cedarhurst and Great Neck.
Now, while you may be fancifully wishing for nickels, it still won't excuse Mr. Dahlen's brand of, in this instance, alarmist B.S. Why are you so intent on giving him a pass on it?
2. Tim Dahlen said...
Actually Dean, CBS took a mere snipit of what I said which was I really didn't care one way or the other if it was okay with the town fathers then it was right with me. My actual comment was something along the line of I guess folks are worried that they are going to close all the stores on Sabbath like that is really going to happen. The lesson I learned was don't talk to the camera it gets edited to what they want to say. But more importantly it also leads to a nasty rebuke from you that some people may take seriously. The only problem I have with your vitriol is that you are quick to dish it out from the safety of your lair but wouldn't espouse the same one-on-one personally. I have always said you are quick-witted but spineless.
Walk it off, Tim.
10/16/2009