Wednesday, May 11, 2005

NYC councilmembers begin policy of urging a boycott of anyone who makes a prejudiced remark

Some items in the newspapers just boggle the mind.

According to the N Y Daily News, a Brooklyn councilman, Democrat Lewis Fidler, with 20 colleagues, has introduced a resolution which urges "all public servants of good conscience to disassociate themselves from any public or political endeavors with which [Independence Party leader Lenora Fulani] may be integrally involved." The ostensible reason for this is that she is being accused of being an anti-semite because of her 1995 remark "that Jews are 'mass murderers of people of color.'"

Clearly the real reason for this action on Fidler's part is to embarrass Republican Mayor Bloomberg (something he seems to do quite well with no help) who wouldn't be Mayor with out the votes he received on the Independence Party line.

But without getting into the debate over Ms. Fulani and her party (about which much could be said) this action would lead me to conclude that these same protectors of the sanctity of New York City politics will introduce similar resolutions anytime anyone in public life makes a comment derogating people of color or lesbians or gay men.

Well Mr. Fidler, we'll be watching and we will call upon you to act accordingly.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Lenora Fulani has been nothing but a leader to many people. She's a freedom-fighter, a trail-blazer, and most certainly NOT an anti-Semite. Because of a remark that was set in a play, that a Jewish man (and friend/colleague of hers) wrote, named Fred Newman, she is being chastized day-in and day-out, which makes no sense to me, or a lot of people. The point she makes within that statement is clear to me: that the Israeli government has, in fact, persecuted people of color, i.e. Palestinians, etc., for years - and it continues. That's all - and this is true. This doesn't mean ALL Jewish people, but since she didn't specify that in the statement, everyone is coming down on her for it - twisting her words, etc.; which I find extremely unfair.

Moving forward, please visit the link below, for more information about the Independence Party.