19 thoughts on “Seen On The Streets of JLM

  1. When there are anti-gay posters, the Jewish liberals are up in arms. But when there is anti-Orthodox graffiti, they congratulate themselves. This is hate speech.

  2. Like I said on another blog, respect goes both ways. And if the activists want respect, they should also give it by finding another way to express themselves instead of parading around in a holy city and upseting people. The conference at hebrew unversity was a better idea.

  3. I think this is hot!!! Its not hate speech, mazeartist. Its a warm embrace of charedi queers (who do exist). Of course, charedim may not feel so comfortable at general Open House events, but I do know that there are clandestine affiliation groups for queer charedim in Jerusalem. This beautiful piece of art brings that identity to the fore, without jeopardizing those who are torn between worlds. Its absolutely beautiful.

  4. I wonder if there’s anybody – anybody – who actually believes this is “hate speech,” as opposed to a good opportunity to spew out the typical rightwing “see, they do it too” bullshit. Guess what: just because (some of) the Orthodox don’t like it, or because it explicitly opposes their view on homosexuality, doesn’t make it anti-Orthodox, much less an instance of hate speech.
    As to the relentless respect-goes-both-ways line, yes, that’s a very lovely sentiment. So when, exactly, have the Haredim ever shown any respect whatever for the gay community? By denouncing the moral degeneracy of homosexuality as one of the foremost threats to humanity? By their restraint in not having previously organized themselves into actual lynch mobs? Sorry, that’s not respect, it’s simple obedience to the law. Indeed, whenever the question at issue is the conduct of the ultra-Orthodox community, the focus is always on their rights to teach and conduct themselves in accordance with their beliefs. It’s only when the conduct of the gay community is involved that the standard suddenly become one of respect for the delicate sensibilities of those offended by their presence. The Haredim find the expression of open homosexuality “upsetting?” Tough shit. Gays find the savage, ignorant calls for their murder “upsetting” too. The insanity is to have permitted the situation to get to a point where the Haredim regard Jerusalem is their city. It isn’t; it’s the capital city of every single Israeli citizen and the Jewish People as a whole – all the Jewish People, atheist and openly gay, as much as the most Observant. Respect? Until the vile queer-hunting lynch mobs learn the meaning of the word, the gay community should have a march in Jerusalem every week until the city becomes the leading center of gay culture west of San Francisco.

  5. I might not put it in the same terms as david smith… but his point is quite valid. Jerusalem is a city– a secular municipality– that has religious significance to a great many people. But as long as haredim have a right to live, work, speak freely and organize there, so should any other community. It’s just that simple.
    If anything, the disagreement is a testament to a functioning democracy, so there’s at least that to be happy with…

  6. Someone asked if it will last…it’s been erased from a few spots around the city already, so it’s unlikely to be around too much longer (I don’t think there have been any new tags since the pride parade). But now it’s been immortalized through the magic of the WorldWide Web. So there you go.

  7. Random thoughts:
    Smell the hatred in david smith’s post. Smell the provocation. This parade was NEVER about tolerance.
    Tolerance is a two-way street.
    Jew-bashing is still Jew-bashing, even when done by Jews.
    It’s peculiar that some people base their primary sense of self-identity on their preferred mode of genital activity.
    As Jews, aren’t we supposed to cultivate our “Nefesh Elokit,” rather than celebrate the “Nefesh Behemit”?
    If you can’t keep it in your pants, keep it out of my face.

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