“it’s always heartwarming to see a prejudice defeated by a deeper prejudice.” — Lone Star On the heels of the Jewish Defence League’s rally in support of the fascist English Defence League comes the news that the JDL and Meir Weinstein is cozying up with another group of extremists –
Continue readingAuthor: Andy Lehrer
Andy Lehrer: At long last, Farber forced to denounce JDL
After years of treating the Jewish Defence League as if they were a rogueish but loveable younger brother, Canadian Jewish Congress supremo Bernie Farber has finally said something about the JDL that’s stronger than “they’re not my cup of tea” or that he’s “disappointed” by them. A shame he and
Continue readingAndy Lehrer's Firebrand blog: At long last, Farber forced to denounce JDL
After years of treating the Jewish Defence League as if they were a rogueish but loveable younger brother, Canadian Jewish Congress supremo Bernie Farber has finally said something about the JDL that’s stronger than “they’re not my cup of tea” or that he’s “disappointed” by them. A shame he and
Continue readingAndy Lehrer: At long last, Farber forced to denounce JDL
After years of treating the Jewish Defence League as if they were a rogueish but loveable younger brother, Canadian Jewish Congress supremo Bernie Farber has finally said something about the JDL that’s stronger than “they’re not my cup of tea” or that he’s “disappointed” by them.
A shame he and other self-appointed leaders of the Canadian Jewish community have looked the other way or been quietly encouraging of them over the past few years as the JDL has organized and grown and been busy on campuses and even high schools recruiting youth.
The JDL is and always has been a hate group and a violent one at that and Farber et al’s insistence that the Canadian JDL is somehow different than its US counterpart has only given them cover and allowed them to work unopposed within the Jewish community. Had any other group said about Jews what the JDL has long said about Muslims the CJC would have been rightly outraged and insisted that the group in question be ostracised.
Instead, Farber has always quietly defended the JDL or, at worst, issued the mildest of rebuke. This is perhaps his greatest failure as a “liberal” who has been too opportunistic and too wary of being outflanked on the right to say anything. Indeed, he has been so reticent to be critical that JDL head Meir Weinstein actually thinks of Farber as a friend and speaks glowingly of him to others.
Now that the JDL’s extremism is undeniable will Farber finally do what he should have done years ago and work to ostracise the JDL within the Jewish community and try to deny them the space to organize? Somehow, I doubt it. There would be a political price to pay and Farber lacks the integrity needed to expend the political capital needed to root out the JDL. He’d much rather ostracise and marginalize Independent Jewish Voices for the crime of criticising Israel than to consistently oppose the JDL, an organization rooted in a variety of ultra-nationalism that can only be called fascism.
Still, good that he had this printed in the Toronto Sun, it’s a modest step. Let’s see if he issues a similar, or hopefully stronger, missive in the Canadian Jewish News. Will he actually meet with the principals of Jewish Day Schools and urge them to ban the JDL from their schools? Will he ask Jewish campus groups to refuse to work with the JDL? Will he ask the UJA to freeze them out? Or can we expect this summer, yet again, the sight of Meir Weinstein walking down the route of the annual Walk With Israel like a conquring hero or some fascist version of the King of Kensington kibbitzing and patting the back of every “community leader” he encounters, including Farber, as if Weinstein is a somebody, a Big Man on the Jewish Campus? Independent Jewish Voices and its predecessor, the Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians, have warned about the JDL and urged Farber and others to denounce them. While I’m sure we’re gratified that, however late in the day, Farber has finally seen the light let’s see if this epiphany will last. Farber’s started talking the talk. Will he and the “leadership” of the Jewish community now walk the walk?
Troubling marriage for T.O.’s Jews
The EDL is well-known throughout Europe for its anti-Muslim street protests
By Bernie Farber and Benjamin Shinewald, Guest Columnists
Continue readingCanadian Firebrand: At long last, Farber forced to denounce JDL
After years of treating the Jewish Defence League as if they were a rogueish but loveable younger brother, Canadian Jewish Congress supremo Bernie Farber has finally said something about the JDL that’s stronger than “they’re not my cup of tea” or that he’s “disappointed” by them. A shame he and
Continue readingAndy Lehrer: "As long as they kill Muslims, I don’t care"
BCL’s post on today’s JDL rally for the neo-Nazi English Defence League and Ron Banerjee’s promise to bring out “security” for the rally got me rememberin’… About a year ago, I happened by a JDL rally outside Ryeson and got into an argument with Ron Banerjee, leader and likely the
Continue readingAndy Lehrer: "As long as they kill Muslims, I don’t care"
BCL’s post on today’s JDL rally for the neo-Nazi English Defence League and Ron Banerjee’s promise to bring out “security” for the rally got me rememberin’…About a year ago, I happened by a JDL rally outside Ryeson and got into an argument with Ron B…
Continue readingCanadian Firebrand: "As long as they kill Muslims, I don’t care"
BCL’s post on today’s JDL rally for the neo-Nazi English Defence League and Ron Banerjee’s promise to bring out “security” for the rally got me rememberin’ About a year ago, I happened by a JDL rally outside Ryeson and got into an argument with Ron Banerjee, leader and likely the
Continue readingAndy Lehrer's Firebrand blog: "As long as they kill Muslims, I don’t care"
BCL’s post on today’s JDL rally for the neo-Nazi English Defence League and Ron Banerjee’s promise to bring out “security” for the rally got me rememberin’ About a year ago, I happened by a JDL rally outside Ryeson and got into an argument with Ron Banerjee, leader and likely the
Continue readingCanadian Firebrand: The Toronto Sun is now officially a propaganda sheet.
During the 1984 federal election campaign, the Globe and Mail ran a photo of Liberal leader John Turner speaking to the Empire Club or some such group. The picture was taken at such an angle, however, that the part of the backdrop that appeared behind Turner’s head made it look
Continue readingAndy Lehrer: The Toronto Sun is now officially a propaganda sheet.
During the 1984 federal election campaign, the Globe and Mail ran a photo of Liberal leader John Turner speaking to the Empire Club or some such group. The picture was taken at such an angle, however, that the part of the backdrop that appeared behind …
Continue readingAndy Lehrer's Firebrand blog: The Toronto Sun is now officially a propaganda sheet.
During the 1984 federal election campaign, the Globe and Mail ran a photo of Liberal leader John Turner speaking to the Empire Club or some such group. The picture was taken at such an angle, however, that the part of the backdrop that appeared behind Turner’s head made it look
Continue readingAndy Lehrer: The Toronto Sun is now officially a propaganda sheet.
During the 1984 federal election campaign, the Globe and Mail ran a photo of Liberal leader John Turner speaking to the Empire Club or some such group. The picture was taken at such an angle, however, that the part of the backdrop that appeared behind Turner’s head made it look
Continue readingAndy Lehrer: The Sun thinks you’re stupid: Tab hypocritical in Davey Affair
On the latest edition of CTV’s Question Period, ex-Iggy press secretary Ian Davey responded to a question about a Sun Media report by saying the Sun “is a newspaper for people who can’t read” thus betraying what most senior politicos actually think about the tabloid. The surprise is not, of
Continue readingCanadian Firebrand: The Sun thinks you’re stupid: Tab hypocritical in Davey Affair
On the latest edition of CTV’s Question Period, ex-Iggy press secretary Ian Davey responded to a question about a Sun Media report by saying the Sun “is a newspaper for people who can’t read” thus betraying what most senior politicos actually think about the tabloid. The surprise is not, of
Continue readingAndy Lehrer's Firebrand blog: The Sun thinks you’re stupid: Tab hypocritical in Davey Affair
On the latest edition of CTV’s Question Period, ex-Iggy press secretary Ian Davey responded to a question about a Sun Media report by saying the Sun “is a newspaper for people who can’t read” thus betraying what most senior politicos actually think about the tabloid. The surprise is not, of
Continue reading