[By: Shea Rubenstein]
A family mourns today. A community mourns today. And I, as a New Yorker, mourn today.
I do not mourn for a man I did not know. I mourn for the family he leaves behind.
I mourn for the children who will grow up not only with the knowledge that their father was brutally murdered amid suffering and degradation, but with the shame and pain of knowing that people were able to treat his death lightly.
I mourn for the generations of human beings those children will bear who will be scarred by the callousness of a newspaper, but more than that, I mourn for New York.
When did New York become a place where human life is not valued? When did our city become a place to gain alaugh at the expense of others? Knockout attacks — inspired by a video game — declare that human suffering doesn’t matter, yet we all know the pain they cause. Now, ruthless murder is condoned, even lauded, just for a glib headline?
The New York Post’s irresponsible reporting, suggesting that these cold-blooded murderers did society a favor,further encourages such a callous attitude toward the value and sanctity of human life.
The Post’s article alleges that Max Stark put his own greed ahead of the welfare of others. They say that he didn’t care what happened to anyone who got in his way as he pursued the almighty dollar.
I ask all of you today: Isn’t that just what the New York Post has done with their shameful headline in a bid to sell newspapers? In setting their sights on ratings, they are willing to heap pain and suffering on children who cannot,and should not, be held responsible for anything their father is alleged to have done.
Max Stark is not here to defend himself, nor even to accept the blame or criticism for his actions. The only ones here are the mourners, the children who will grow up without a father, the community who knew of the good that he did.
And we are here. We are the witnesses to this devaluation of human life. We are the witnesses to this act of greed perpetrated not by an individual representing himself, but by a newspaper representing us as New Yorkers.
I challenge all of us here today to rage against this insensitivity, not merely by letting the NY Post you’re offended, but by determining not to fall into the same trap.
I challenge all of us to be sensitive to those who are suffering, and not to pass judgment on them and say, “theygot what they deserved.”
Judgment is reserved for G-d, but if we want to play G-d, let’s do it by emulating Him through forgiveness, compassion, and sensitivity.
THAT is the New York I am proud to be part of. Let’s show the world that the NY Post’s heartless attitude doesn’t accurately reflect what New Yorkers are made of. We are kind; we are sensitive; and we are not afraid to sacrifice some our own success for the benefit of others.
As the perennial slogan testifies: “I Love New York,” — because it always has a heart.
Shea Rubenstein is the executive Vice President if the JCC of Marine Park
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11 Responses
Well said. Hope EVERYONE out there will follow your direction. No, we can’t PLAY G-d, but we CAN certainly emulate HIM!
With all due respect to the mourners, I believe Mr. Rubinstein you are both misguided and wrong.
I never met the deceased nor have I ever heard of him before his tragic end. I can however share with you a couple observation that’s it’s worth taking to heart.
1. If you don’t want your family to suffer as result of your actions once you die don’t do anything that will cause them to suffer WHILE YOU ARE ALIVE.
2. If you don’t want to be remembered negatively once you die don’t do anything while you are alive that will leave that legacy behind.
3. The same civil liberties that enable you and every one of our Jewish/Orthodox public representatives apply to everyone equally. If the NY Post’s coverage was defamatory let the family sue and demand an apology, if indeed the coverage was legitimate then I refer you to my first two observations.
CHEVRA, GIVE UP ON THE USA, ONCE AND FOR ALL !!!!!
MOVE TO ERETZ YISROEL !!!!!!
#2 – Your first and second points are debatable.
But your third point deals with laws, not human decency. The outcry here is regarding human decency, not laws.
Writing a front-page headline “Who didn’t want him dead?” is a gross insult to not only his family and friends, but to the entire rest of the world who didn’t even know him and, perhaps, even to (many of) his alleged “enemies”.
The real headline, of course, is “Who DID want him dead and who MURDERED him?”.
The point the writer made rather eloquently, which you seem to have missed, is that they are condoning murder in a similar way to how the media implicitly condones “knockout” attacks by calling it a “game”.
This Post headline is the kind of headline one might accept for the death of Yasser Arafat, Osama Bin Laden or some other world-class murderer.
This headline essentially makes the argument that when one is in dispute with another, that this dispute automatically extends to wanting the other dead.
Their choice of headline here was abominable even if it were legal and not defamatory.
#5–There is nothing debatable in points 1 and 2 that you criticize in post #2. They are spot on. The greatness of America, whether or not you can comprehend it, is that so long as an act of libel is not committed, the press has the right to print what it likes. You, similarly, are free to not purchase a newspaper that prints a headline you find offensive.
#2 You should be ashamed of yourself! Who are you to decide that he did ANYTHING in his life that would shame his family? You believe all that hogwash printed in that horrific paper they call the post? SHAME ON YOU!
My dear kanoi, HaKatan, points 1 and 2 are not debatable — they are simple truths. They are just not obvious to the contemporary krum Americam society.
#4 – If you believe my first two points are debatable then I won’t bother reading the rest of your post.
#2
either your drunk. Or your so perfect in everything you do that I’d like to come for a blessing from you.
#8, how courageous and open-minded of you…
#7, I disagree. I daresay that contemporary krum American society may believe this to be true but, lihavdil, our Torah does not.
For example, theoretically speaking, even if a person does aveiros, that does not at all mean this should become their legacy.
I can’t believe that all these posters are observant Jews.
If he would have a gun to protect himself then the would be no discussion. Only in NY unlike the rest of the USA and Israel, Jews cannot protect themselves with guns. NY has disarmed their Jewish civilians just like in 1930’s and 1940’s in Germany. Liberals Elite and Left Wing Politician Democrats don’t want to protect the Jewish Community.