Although I’ve surely done it, I have always been quite reluctant to criticize the hierarchy of a religion other than my own for its internal conduct. Rock actually took me to task for such reluctance at the Room 8 dinner this year.
But I’m a blogger. Commenting upon things which are none of my business is part and parcel of my calling. The calling of a politician is to remain silent even when an answer is called for. Yet, in Carl Paladino we have a politician speaking up even when discretion would be the better part of valor.
There’s something a bit refreshing about this in theory, but in practice it far worse than can even be conveyed by the ugliness of the words spoken.
It would be amazing enough for a Jewish politician, even an Orthodox one, to criticize Orthodox Rabbis for failing to embrace "Torah Values." For a Catholic politician to do so is far more striking. Especially when such criticism comes from a “Catholic” politician with a child born out of wedlock (though I suppose he could claim he was just following the example of both Abraham and Jacob, not to mention King Solomon and at least one prominent Williamsburg "Rabbi") who also likes to send out pornographic email blasts.
But it gets even more amazing when you consider that among those Carl Paladino called out for insufficient religiosity were Rabbis who'd explicitly and publicly rejected supporting social liberals (Paladino thought them insufficiently strident) and those who ascetically reject all contact with politics.
What's even more astonishing about all this is that Paladino was clearly reading words off a paper written by someone else, without knowing whom or what he was talking about.
At least one NYS political blog attributed the outraged response as the Ultra-Orthodox community being upset about what Paladino had said about LGTB people; but that was not it at all.
The community was upset about what Paladino had said about Rabbis.
Many may have also been upset if Levin had just aired such dirty laundry within the community, let alone beyond it; but at least Levin had standing to do so.
For an outsider to act as Levin's sock-puppet (perhaps not the best choice of words) on what turned out to be a national stage brought the concept of L'Shon Hora ("evil tongue") to a whole new scale, although if they really want to see some evil tongue, they should peruse thru some of Carl's emails. New York – Harav Yechezkel Roth “deeply distressed” By Paladino Anti 'Gedolim' Remark — VosIzNeias. www.vosizneias.com
At long last, Paladino finally gets some good news. Breaking: Rabbi Yehuda Levin Pulls Support For Carl Paladino www.nydailynews.com
Dig that insightful title; Rock's keen grasp of the self-evident may even exceed that of Dominick Carter's. CARL PALADINO'S CANDIDACY REFLECTS NEGATIVELY ON REPUBLICANS. | Room Eight www.r8ny.com
Sunday was just more proof, though we hardly needed any more, that Paladino scrapes his knuckles when he walks. Diane Savino's even called him out for using anti-Italian pejoratives like dago and WOP (Which we can now rest assured, in Paladin's case, is not an acronym for "With Out Prejudice") Paladino Says Grimy Email Scandal Won't Slow Him Down www.nydailynews.com
It doesn't get much better than this; the only question is: did he install a camera and send out email blasts with the photos? GOP governor hopeful Carl Paladino cashed in on Buffalo gay clubs Cobalt, Buddies II www.nydailynews.com
Torah values? I'm going back to Cheder! (Carl’s favorite character in the Torah is obviously Onan, even if Carl himself didn’t waste any of his seed). Well, at least this time, he won’t tick off the ASPCA. Paladino Porn « WNYMedia.net wnymedia.net
Speaking of pictures, I think the release of these photos is a Republican plot to divert Democratic donations to an unwinnable race.KRYSTAL BALL PHOTOS/ PICS SCANDAL | Celebrity Smack: Gossip and Entertainment Blog www.celebritysmackblog.com
Al D'Amato calls Eric Schneiderman a whore for pandering to Al Sharpton.
One would think that with all the Republicans available to deliver this message, Dan Donovan could have found one who hadn't given Rev. Al access to all his good offices and good orifices in order to get himself an endorsement. While D'Amato didn't quite give Sharpton an annex in his Senate Office, he did let The Rev use the sofa as a casting couch. D’Amato On AG Schneiderman: ‘God Help Us’ capitaltonight.com
As an ex once told me; whether it's true or not doesn't matter if I feel that it is. Hey, Small Spender www.nytimes.com