This A.M. I got an email from J Street that made a great deal of sense to me. This weekend and on Friday there were a spate of diaries regarding this. Tomorrow morning there is a meeting
At J Streets page they ask that we Stand Tall for Religious Freedom and sign their online petition that Isaac Luria will present:
On Tuesday morning, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission votes on whether or not to allow the project to proceed. [3] I plan to attend in person to present a petition of support for the Center - and I hope that thousands in the J Street community will join me in a statement of support.
In Jed Lewison's diary on Friday I wrote:
Why people in my community (the Jewish Community) are letting this happen is beyond me.
I think Jewish people of conscience need to let the ADL know that this is unacceptable and that they are practicing the same kind of bigotry (the ADL is) as what has been practiced against us for years. Like J Street to AIPAC perhaps it is time for a new counter to the ADL.
Funny thing, Jewish voters voted overwhelmingly for the Democratic agenda. Throughout the 00's we have supported progressive candidates. This just shows how out of step the ADL is with regards to the Jewish population of America.
I am saddened.
Luria writes in his email (which I have a feeling did not go to me specifically):
I am proud as an American and as a Jew that our heritage is grounded in a strong belief in equality, justice, and religious freedom.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg got it right when he said, "What is great about America, and particularly New York, is we welcome everybody, and if we are so afraid of something like this, what does that say about us? Democracy is stronger than this. And for us to just say no is just, I think - not appropriate is a nice way to phrase it." [4]
I was taught that if freedom can be denied to a single person because of who they are, it can happen to anyone of us.
This is a moment of truth for the American Jewish community and our friends. Will we line up on the side of freedom of religion and respect for all - or give in to the fear and prejudice that have led to the denial of our own rights in the past?
It is time for those of us who share these beliefs to stand up as another religious minority looks to exercise its legal rights in the United States.
I was touched by the part of the paragraph that I bolded. I have heard from so many Right Wingers and Republicans about fear of President Obama being a "Muslim" (which is not true but if it were - SO WHAT!)... well last I checked this was America and we had freedom of religion. In America, a person's religion (or lack of one) should make no difference as to how they serve our country.
As part of the Jewish community - I think it important that we stand WITH the Islamic Cultural Center and against the Sarah Palin's and other conservative forces. The ADL has decided to side with hatred and bigotry. J Street has decided to stand with the side that allows for Freedom, and cultural diversity. We (the Jewish Community) have had some of our institutions hijacked by the right. 77% of our community that can vote, voted for President Obama. Let's live up to those progressive values not give the William Kristol's, or other conservative elements of our community sway.
I ask that Jews and Non-Jews please support J Street in this and send a message that Americans of all ethnicities will stand together against racism.
*****************UPDATE************************
Thank you all for putting this on the Recommended List. Please let your friends know to sign this important petition. We need to let people see that we will NOT STAND FOR RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE (and intolerance of those who don't believe as well) in the United States.
Folks Isaac Luria from J Street just diaried this as well Here