Democratic Party Mischief
There was a lot of tomfoolery by Democrats recently at a couple of events in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and in Somers, Westchester County.
In Crown Heights, at Medgar Evers College (part of the CUNY system), two melees broke out. One involved a New York City mayoral candidate, Paperboy Prince. The 33-year-old is known as an American artist, community activist, and perennial candidate. He attended the forum in a joker’s face makeup, resembling the villain known as The Joker from the Batman series. His videos have the song “Send in the Clowns” playing in the background – and he is certainly one of them. Law enforcement was slow to respond to several requests by the hosts of the forum. They eventually came and booted the candidate from the stage and the building.
There are 11 candidates vying for the mayoral seat held by Democrat Eric Adams, who is running as an independent. Only eight candidates were allowed to participate in the Black Agenda forum at Medgar Evers. Two candidates identify as being Jewish – NYC Comptroller Brad Lander and his immediate predecessor, Scott Stringer. Others who spoke (listed in alphabetical order) included NYC Council President Adrienne Adams, former Assemblyman Michael Blake, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, Senator Zellnor Myrie, and Senator Jessica Ramos. Those who didn’t make the cut included Selma Bartholomew, Paperboy Prince, and Whitney Tilson.
The Kings County Democratic Committee, chaired by Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, sent an email to The Jewish Press explaining their rationale for why everyone was not invited to be heard. “Our party’s 1.3 million-plus registered Democratic voters want to read about the significant issues discussed from real reporters like you,” the message read. “Regarding candidates, we invited front-runners (polling with a realistic chance of winning and approval ratings) that Black Brooklyn voters want to hear from most. We respect everyone’s right to run. As an inclusive, welcoming party, we have zero room for hateful, disruptive, and violent candidates/protestors that disrespect the democratic process, and more importantly, don’t respect our voters.”
The topics at the forum included affordable housing, education equity, public safety, and economic justice. (A three-hour video of the event can be viewed at www.youtube.com/live/Bmkx_s2QuaE.)
When Cuomo sat down to answer questions from the moderator, a group of protestors tried to unfurl a banner and chastise him for his alleged bad behavior toward women during his 11 years as governor. Again, law enforcement from the CUNY police and state police were slow in responding. The protestors gained access to the stage and chanted disrespectful slogans towards Cuomo, who sat quietly with a smirk on his face. There was no security perimeter set up by law enforcement for the former governor.
The other bit of silliness that emerged recently was at a town hall meeting in Somers, a small rural area in northern Westchester County. The town hall meeting was hosted by incumbent Congressman Michael Lawler (R – Pearl River, Rockland County).
During the 90-minute session, agitators from the Democratic party interrupted Lawler several times with comments that were disrespectful. It seems there is a diminishing set of values and respect among these folks who consistently try to foil direct discussions with top elected officials. Lawler answered as many questions as he could. When the noise from the audience got overwhelming, Lawler moved on to another question. This was the second such incident Lawler had to contend with. The first was in his home county.
State Police were standing by and removed several members from the audience who were out of control and totally belligerent. Lawler told the audience that the House Speaker had said members should not hold town hall meetings but that he had responded that he wants to show up and be present to answer questions.
Holocaust Education Focus Of Annual Jewish Legislators Association
The National Association of Jewish Legislators, New York Chapter (NAJL-NY), held their annual meeting, this year focusing on the topic of the Nazi regime of the 1930s and 40s. The event included exhibits from that era brought over from Europe, including a replica of a Holocaust-era cattle car, as well as a fully immersive, 360-degree projection of the stories told by two Holocaust survivors on the walls, which are all designed to bring home the stories of Nazi Germany to schoolchildren.
“The Holocaust did not start with cattle cars. It started with everyday people that did not have the moral clarity or the strength, the critical-thinking skills, the ability to stand up to hate. What we want to do is arm the students with the skills to stand up to hate,” Todd Cohn, the CEO of the organization behind the exhibit, Hate Ends Now, based in Boca Raton, Florida, told The Jewish Press. “We see approximately 40,000 students per year, and as many as 10,000 of them are graduating seniors matriculating into university campuses. What we want is for them to use those critical skills, that history and knowledge they’ve garnered from this experience, to be able to become allies, not of the Jewish people necessarily but of humanity.”
“A hate crime against one group is a hate crime against all of us. It seems that in the last year or two, hate has been directed against the Jewish community more than other communities statistically,” Assemblyman David Weprin, president of the National Association of Jewish Legislators, told the audience of approximately 30 lawmakers and staffers. “Of course, against Israel. Singling out Israel, which is still the only democracy in the Middle East, there are so many human rights violations in all the other countries in the region but no one is speaking out, singling them out or criticizing them.”
A Host Of Jews On The Assembly Insurance Committee
Of the 24 members on the Assembly Insurance Committee, almost half, 11, are Jews from a cross-section of Jewish life and culture, including chassidim from the Belz and Bobov sects, as well as members of the Modern Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform sectors. It is certainly rare to have so many elected officials from one ethnic or religious group on one committee. David Weprin (D – Hollis, Queens) is the chairman of the committee.
Kosher In Albany
The Queens Chamber of Commerce knows how to throw a party. Each year in Albany for the past decade, the Chamber shows off the best restaurants located in Queens. One category missing, however, is kosher food for observant Jews. There are at least two assemblymen from Queens who keep kosher, Assemblymen David Weprin and Sam Berger. Meanwhile, for Brooklyn Night, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce ordered kosher food – a meat platter and side dishes – from the local kosher supermarket in Albany, Price Chopper. It wasn’t the same as having the real deal from Brooklyn, but it sufficed for this one occasion.
