Homicidal Suicidal

The big winners of the Iraq debacle are of course Iran and Syria. As the mirage of a free, democratic and stable Middle East fades as fast as the support for the war, the Syrian Communists and the Iranian Shiite Zealots have already sharpened their forks and knives, drooling on their bibs with the thought of the Iraq spoils.

Similarly, the big winner after the 84th Agudah convention and Rav Herschel Schachter’s lecture in Teaneck is none other than our beloved UOJ. Unfortunately his claims that the only way to raise awareness about child molestation and the cover-up thereof in the Orthodox community is by insulting, cursing, swearing and heaping lies upon truths, has been vindicated both by Rav Schachter and the Agudah convention.

The Agudah convention focused on reducing all Orthodox blogs to the Orthodox Un-Jew, and asserting that all those who are deemed Gdolei HaDor by the Gdolei HaDor are indeed Gdolei HaDor and as per consequence are beyond even the slightest soupçon of criticism. Rav Schachter’s deniably confrontational battle hymn seemed to confirm that indeed, all those mad black-hatters are accomplices and enablers of child molesters and rapists who want to prevent you from calling the police on criminals.

I wish I could ask Rav Schachter why hasn’t he thrust to the hilt, say, a year ago. Or two. Or three. I’m sure Rav Schachter knew that Orthodox children were molested even before Mr. UOJ revealed it to us all. I’d also like to ask him whether he really believes that calling the police on a suspect is in fact a strong enough deterrent for would-be molesters, and finally, I’d like to ask him whether he truly believes that his address in Teaneck could indeed change the mindset of an entire community – a community that rejects him.

The Rabbonim of the Agudah unfortunately behaved exactly as their good old friend Orthodox Un-Jew was constantly accusing them – complete denial of the facts, accusing all dissidents of being disrespectful of “Da’as Torah” and further hiding their heads in the sand to the fact that there is growing dissatisfaction – in their own communities – about the lack of leadership and their refusal to deal with a myriad of problems, child molestation being just one of many more.

Why Rav Scachter had to dig out the half-buried hatchet I know not, yet his speech a mere week after the Agudah convention is no coincidence. But if Rav Schachter is really so concerned about Clal Yisroel’s well-being, I wonder when is the last time he tried to reconcile various factions of Orthodoxy. Or to insure the security of Jews – did he ever contact any congressmen or senators about Homeland/Border security to prevent events such as the LAX Airport or the Seattle Jewish Federation shootouts? Did Rav Schachter do or say anything about the Mordechai Tendler scandal?

The sad reality is that calling the police is only possible after a child has already been abused. Child molesters, in whichever community they may happen to be, are not in the least deterred by the knowledge of the police being possibly called on them. Convictions are very unlikely, because such things are difficult to prove, and due to the fact that most judges in liberal states are either card-carrying NAMBLA members or simply more often than not tend to sympathize with the criminal rather than with the victims. The fact of the matter is that the only solution to this problem can be a complete change of mindset, wherein perpetrators would have to fear, if not corporal, at least social reprisal and ostracism rather than the victim. But this will not happen easily, certainly not with a lecture in Teaneck.

As long as an entire community is preoccupied with $400 baby outfits, how they are being seen by their neighbors, which prestigious shidduch they would be able to make (the future happiness of the newlyweds is not a factor in this equation, just in case you wondered) and how far to the East they are seated in their Grand Synagogue, being molested will be a greater hindrance than being a molester.

This issue, as well many other pressing issues, such as protecting us from the influx of Moslem fanaticism into the USA, the media’s anti-Israel and anti-Jewish onslaught, among others, were addressed neither by the Agudah nor by Rav Schachter. I’m yet to hear one word of denunciation of pro-gay, pro-terrorist political figures and candidates from our leaders, be they MO or other-wise, as well as one word of support for those who wish to secure the country and its borders.

But since we’re anyway going to be obliterated sooner or later, why not have some fun fighting with each other in the meantime?

©right Joseph Izrael 2006