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The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Friday expressed concern over an online campaign video in support of the candidacy of Mr. Richard Vasquez for Rockland County sheriff, which included an image of visibly identifiable Orthodox Jews suggesting that the Jewish community is responsible for housing issues in the county.
The video entitled “Where Does Louis Falco Stand on Illegal Housing?” was purportedly uploaded by the local Rockland Republican Party on April 30, and includes a photograph of current Sheriff Lou Falco surrounded by traditional Orthodox Jews with the video’s narrator stating that the sheriff “has refused to enforce illegal housing laws.”
“We find the use of an image of visibly identifiable Jews in this campaign video to be deeply troubling, highly offensive, and inappropriate, as it essentially blames the Orthodox Jewish community for the substandard and illegal housing problems in Rockland,” said Evan R. Bernstein, ADL New York Regional Director. “Voters should be encouraged to make decisions about candidates based upon their qualifications, political positions and not on the basis of race or religion without offensive insertions ascribing blame on an issue to a particular religious group.”
Mr. Bernstein added, “We urge Mr. Vasquez to edit the video and make clear that the crux of his campaign – and this county issue – has nothing to do with the Rockland Jewish community.”
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7 Responses
But isn’t the Jewish community largely responsible for the illegal housing issues in Rockland County?
Images of observant Jews in the advertisement is more likely to imply it was the Jews who voted in the incumbent, not that they are behind the illegal housing.
The results are the same: the non-Jewish population will not vote for him again.
The real issue:
How have outwardly observant Jews managed to create such an obvious association between orthodox Jews and breaking the laws that are meant to protect the public?
This should trouble us much more than the Vasquez campaign. The best way to rectify this nauseating chilul Hashem is for the broad spectrum of truly observant Jews to unite behind Vasquez and proclaim in a united voice:
Truly observant Jews keep the Law and don’t endanger the public for personal profit!
There is RAMPANT anti semitism in Rockland County spewing forth from members of govt. Your reasons don’t make it “allowed” or any better.
Interesting how people focus on the Jews violating laws. Other minorities are just as guilty. Same thing when people complain about driving and double parking in Boro Park and Flatbush. Have you ever been to Flatbush Ave. north of Foster Ave?
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Mayan_Dvash, we’re supposed to set an example to the rest of the world. You can’t justify bad behavior by saying “everyone does it.”