By Hilary Bernstein & Richard Fruchter, Director, Pacific Northwest Anti-Defamation League & President & CEO Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle,
[JTNews editor] Joel Magalnick believes our Jewish community failed (“We failed,” June 26). On the contrary, our community behaved prudently.
When Westboro Baptist Church, a hate group from Topeka, Kan., showed up in our community in mid-June displaying messages of extreme bigotry and hate, they wanted one thing and one thing only: Media attention and the opportunity to add footage of counter-protestors to their vile Web site. Following advice from the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation, Jewish institutions around town wisely urged their respective members to avoid engaging with these unwelcome visitors.
By contrast, Mr. Magalnick suggests that hiring a Klezmer band and dancing in the streets would have had been a more proper response. He cites, as an example, the festive atmosphere of Israelpalooza at UW. However, the dancing and singing at UW were part of a scheduled celebration to acknowledge Israel Independence Day and unfortunately some anti-Israel protesters showed up.
Mr. Magalnick insinuates that by telling people to ignore Westboro Baptist Church, the ADL and the Jewish Federation gave advice that was tantamount to encouraging people to ignore the Holocaust. Shame on him. ADL’s highly respected reputation with local, regional, and national law enforcement is unparalleled. The Federation has seen the results of hatred carried to the extreme.
By invoking the Holocaust, Abe Foxman’s statement “never again,” The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and comparing these examples to the Westboro Baptist Church’s protest of six or seven people, Mr. Magalnick argues the Jewish community ignores hate and discrimination. In truth, the ADL and the Jewish Federation have been forceful advocates for equality for gays and lesbians, enhanced hate crimes legislation, and stronger measures aimed at militias and extremist groups in Washington State. Similarly, the Jewish Federation and the ADL are leaders in a new community initiative — SAFE Washington — to help prepare our community to respond to threats and emergencies.
When one is charged with helping to keep a community safe, as are the ADL and the Jewish Federation, one does not have the luxury of telling people to deliberately engage in risky behavior, putting themselves in harm’s way.
There is no way we failed — the fact that no one was hurt is an important success.