Here we go again. Another year, another attempt by Dov Hikind to pretend that he cares about an issue other than the Gaza Strip.
Yesterday, Hikind issued a statement that the New York State Assembly doesn’t have the votes to pass same gender marriage. The only logical reason for Dov to make this ridiculous assertion (the law passed the Assembly by wide margins twice before) is perhaps because Hikind has so few friends in Albany that he really has no idea what’s going on.
The fact is that same-gender marriage will pass the Assembly thanks, in part, to Hikind. Why thanks to Hikind? Because not only does Hikind do NOTHING real to stop same-gender marriage, he actively supports the handful of friends that he has in the legislature who are making the push for same-gender marriage – like Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver. It seems like Hikind has a deal with Shelly: Hikind does whatever he wants and in return Hikind “protects” the Orthodox Jewish Shelly Silver in the frum community (a good example of this are the full page ads the past few weeks announcing the honor being bestowed on Shelly Silver this week by a frum organization that Hikind funds).
Hikind pretends to care about same gender marriage but has never done anything real to stop it. For example, as part of his deal with Shelly Silver, Hikind is the only member of the legislature in New York who sits on no committees. Why does this mater? Because the REAL vote happens in committees – nothing can go to the full Assembly without being approved first by committee. By the time a law passes ca ommittee and goes to the floor it ALWAYS passes. If Hikind cared about ANY local issue, much less same gender marriage, he would get on the right committees to vote his conscience. The only logical reason as to why Hikind doesn’t serve on committees is that the time commitment would probably conflict with his frequent trips to Israel.
What’s worse, Hikind practically encourages same-gender marriage. Seriously! Just about every single candidate that Hikind endorses is a MAJOR supporter of same gender marriage. Take this years Governor’s race as an example. Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Carl Paladino was clearly against same gender marriage, his opponent Andrew Cuomo was clearly in favor. Hikind endorsed Cuomo. Not that it mattered to his constituents, as usual, Boro Park ignored Hikind and voted for Paladino.
I would have no problem with Hikind if he were honest about same gender marriage and tell us that he simply doesn’t care about it. But to pretend like he’s leading the fight against it, when he does nothing real to to prevent same gender marriage from becoming the law of the land, is offensive to our community’s intelligence.
Yaakov Weiss
NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.
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25 Responses
I’m from outta town, but it seems strange to me that there are SO MANY complaints against this guy, yet he’s still in office. What’s that about?
There are many big issues facing our community. Same gender marriage is NOT one of them. Stop hocking about this narishkeit and start focusing on issues that actually affect US!
Unfortunately in my experience HIS experience is to support whoever is winning in any given situation.
Dov Hikind is a wonderful man and cares about Jews and the community. He made many enemies because he was one of the very few who dared to take on the “leadership” on issues they would have rather have remained under the carpet. It is (probably) the same reason YW would allow this lunatic’s hate letter to be published and censor my comment. The only hypocrisy here is the writer and his supporters who make believe they know, let alone care about right and wrong.
Moderators Note: Actually, the only hypocrisy here is how you flip flop all over the place in your comments. Here is a comment where you tell Dov “good riddance”. (SEE COMMENT # 3 AT LINK)
Why is this even an issue to us jews? If a non jew does is…great and if jews do it, then its a big shame but the law won’t stop them.
berelshain…
I will not comment about Dov, simply because I do not know what he has or has not done regarding this issue,
however…
You are very much mistaken to think this is not an issue for our community. Once toayva “marriage” is legalized in NY state, how long do you think it will be before ALL schools, including private schools (i.e. yeshivas) have to include toayva “awareness” and toayva “equality” as part of the school curriculum if the school wants to be able to get any type of government grants or programs, or recognition? How long until EVERY school will have to have some percentage of openly toayva teachers?
Legalizing toayva “marriages” WILL, before long, have a devastating effect on the frum community.
The society we live in is shmutzig enough now without this additional tumah.
Rash”i explains “Oy l’rasha, v’oy l’shchaiyno” to mean that you can’t come out of a garbage dump with out smelling like garbage! Don’t think for a moment that WE can live in a garbage dump but it wont “actually affect US”.
Hikind is on no committees and has no clout in Albany because he spends so little time there. I don’t think there is a single piece of legislation that he wrote during his many years in office. It appears that he thinks his job is to speak for all Yiddin rather than legislate.
It’s a great step forward for NYS to legalize same-gender marriage. This will bring us into the 21st century, and bring equality to all people, regardless of their persuasion.
It’s great to see that most Orthodox Jews in NY support same-gender marriage, and elect pro same-gender candidates to office.
I believe it is important that all private schools, even those who do not receive any government grants, be required to teach same-gender curriculum. This way, we will be educating our youth to accept all people, B’saiver Ponim Yafos.
5,
The reason is because it is a social issue. Did you know the Medresh says sedom wasn’t destroyed until they actually made chasunas of same genders. Is that what you want for NY or for the USA?
#1… The reason he keeps getting elected is because most NY’ers don’t know how to push the lever or the button for the Conservative candidate, not that there are many out there.
Another yer and another round of Hikind Bashing on YWN. WHY??????
ProudLiberal…
I think you need to change your name to “CoffeeRoom Jester” 🙂
otherwise…
You may be ovair on “lifnai eevair” – Why?
Someone may take you seriously and get so worked up that they have a heart attack!!!
I think Rashi to chapter 10 of Megillat Esther has the answer.
This is the same Hikind (and company) who will be breaking up BP into 6 districts in order to save his seat. This means he will make our voices and votes not important to any politician running. He doesn’t give a hoot about BP or the people living here.
BP wake up…. we were hijacked by these self centered self interest organizations “who claim” to own BP.
We need to work very hard to defeat toeiva marriage.
Baruch Hashem Agudas Yisroel and Orthodox Union have both been at the forefront opposing this terrible machla.
We also need to vote against toeiva candidates.
First of all, who is YAAKOV WEISS?
Some many commenters are absolutely clueless about the issues they post about. Same-gender marriages will effect every person in New York in a negative way regarding employment, education, and service sectors. Living a same gender life is quite different than legitimatizing the marriage.
Dov Hikind’s main concern has been to better the lives of Jews in Brooklyn increasing federal programs, grants (he fought for TAP & PELL for Yeshiva students), vocational training, more housing, safer streets and tax rebates. Politics is compromising, playing cards with others and making friends that will help your people. His love for the jews of ISRAEL is an added component of his ahavas yisrael (most of our other Jewish politicians don’t know they exist).
Boro Park, beware no one will provide for you as Hikind has.
Thank you YWN for exposing this! All jews need to wake up and realize that we will need to move out of NY if the toeiva bill passes. The mabul and sedom’s destruction only came after toeiva marriage became law of the land. So to all those who think it does not affect you, THINK AGAIN!
” Same-gender marriages will effect every person in New York in a negative way regarding employment, education, and service sectors.”
Yesterday a news reported that 2/3 of the funding for the pro-same sex marriage effort is from Republican donors, many connected to right wing causes. They think that same sex marriage will be good for business, as same sex couples come to NY for their weddings and honeymoons. (I’m not making this up!)
#15.
We all agree that this to’eiva will affect us. What you seem not to understand (or maybe you are part of the personal agenda team machine) is that, not only doesn’t Dov care about this issue….he encourages it by protecting Shelly Silver (a so called orthodox guy with unorthodox personal views and agendas) who is in support of To’eiva marriage among many left wing stuff. He supports Shelly by bringing him to a big dinner BP is having by this make you feel guilty organization.
In order to save his seat (he lost the BP vote a while ago) he is actively pursuing an agenda to split BP into 6 different districts so that KING Dov stays around to bring us “NOTHING” (except of course if you’re a major organization he will throw a couple of bucks in order to force you to play with him).
BP has said it before and we will say it again; we are sick and tired of having our votes and voices used by some private agenda people INCLUDING DOV
If it’s anti Hikind…. it must be in yeshiva world. Good grief. Maybe try once a year to put on something positive.
“Take this years Governor’s race as an example. Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Carl Paladino was clearly against same gender marriage, his opponent Andrew Cuomo was clearly in favor. Hikind endorsed Cuomo.”
Just about every Rov said to vote for Cuomo
” Not that it mattered to his constituents, as usual, Boro Park ignored Hikind and voted for Paladino.”
This is an untrue statement most of Boro Park voted for the democrats as they seem more yeshiva etc… friendly
just wondering. is loshon hora ever a consideration for this site?
me thinks some non gemara kop has an agenda.
everyone in my family likes pizza. i support everyone in my family. i must support pizza.
most new york politicians today support gay marriage.
hikind supports certain politicians…
do the math.
Is this really an appropriate derech eretzdika article for a frum site?
It’s possible to criticize a frum politician without display this level of sina or using this type of language. Also using ALL CAPS is shouting and is unprofessional.
The author argues that gay marriage will pass regardless of Dov Hikind, and then condemns Hikind for not stopping it. He can’t have it both ways.
maybe we can get David Greenfeld to run against hikind in the next election.
Morah, go on a diet.
Perhaps the name “Mailbag” should be replaced with a gender-neutral title – unless “mail” represents the male population and “bag” represents the females. But, that’s not nice.