Appearing for the first time with all of his Democratic rivals on stage, Anthony Weiner sought to stand out, for the second time in a row, ahead of his competitors. At a Jewish Press mayoral forum in Manhattan Beach, Mr. Weiner claimed to be the first to oppose Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s regulation on the traditional practice of Metzitzah B’peh.
“I first spoke about Metzitzah B’peh when I ran in 2005,” Mr. Weiner said at the first forum on issues relating to the Orthodox Jewish community. “I was trying to get anyone possible to talk about it in the context of that campaign because you know, this didn’t start last week,” he said. ”This has been going on for years now, that this battle has been going on, and for me it comes down to my values as someone who believes in the ethos of New York.”
Adding, “Part of that ethos of New York is we all come from different places, we bring different cultures, we bring different ideas, and we are never too far from our mother country. We try to bring those traditions here and that’s very, very important and part of the fundamental structure of the frum community.”
The quote Mr. Weiner was referring to was published during his first run for mayor, in 2005, in the Jewish Daily Forward. “It is not the place of the department of health to be deciding on a religious practice.” Weiner told The Forward. “I am troubled, based on the facts of this case, about whether or not the city has overreached here.”
In comparison to Mr. Weiner walking around the issue, the remaining candidates directly addressed the issue at great concern to the frum community. Sal Albanese and Bill de Blasio promised to review the issue and discuss the matter with the rabbis and community leaders in order to find common ground. Speaker Christine Quinn defended the consent form requirement as a balance between religious freedom and public health concerns. John Liu and Rev. Erick Salgado were the only candidates to pledge to discontinue the city’s Metztitzah B’peh regulation.
Video:
(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)
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9 Responses
If Weiner firmly agrees that, as Mayor, he will eliminate the new regulations on MBP then that itself, on that position alone, it is more than worth voting for him and praying that he win the NYC Mayoralty.
Anthony , lets cut to the chase . your wife works or worked in the state department which loves Muslims like your wife , so now you have one less vote.
Weiner would say any lie to get elected. Look who he choose for a wife
Aside from Weiners position on this one issue and the fact that he has a non Jewish Moslem wife, I can’t vote for a morally deficient candidate such as he is.
Listen to the video, Weiner only said that he brought up the subject in 2005 but didn’t say if he will keep Bloombergs law like Quinn or will remove it like Liu or come up with a different plan along with the community like Deblasio.
So right now we have no clue what Weiner position is on mezizah bpeh.
Please remember that Bloomberg himself pledged that he would not attack BrisMILAH before he was elected. Then, after the election, he turned around and created this regulation, laughing at us fools all the way.
So, there is no substitute for character. Promises mean nothing when there is no decency, no character.
Weiner has clearly proven that he has no character, so his promises are worthless.
The only candidate I trust is Reverend Salgado, because he is a religious, G-D-fearing man, his word can be trusted. He has made it clear–he will cancel the regulation against BrisMILAH, period!
I guess his position to accord terrorists constitutiopnal protection, to try them in civilian courts, to try the 9/11 terorrists in the federal court in down town mannhattan, his having voted for every tax in crease, his being the poster boy for obama care, his ” induscretions” and then not telling the truth about them when confronted, all take second place to his” apparent” position about Metziza Be Peh. I say apparetnt beacuase he will take any position acceptable to the crowd before whom he is appearing.That is the role model for our children? I pray our community is not so parochial.
BTW, Weiner is not Jewish. His father was, mother wasn’t.
Moderators Response: That is not what Weiner’s mother told YWN on this video: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=74400
MBP is not banned in NYC. Anyone who wishes to risk it can have MBP done to their son at a bris ritual.
Some mohelim, b’shita, don’t use a magen shield; maybe NYC should regulate that too.