BT Bashing

What I loath and despise about this column written by Toby Katz is that she argues that the widespread and well-documented discrimination experienced by (non-wealthy) converts and BTs who attempt to join the Haredi community is (wait for it) entirely the fault of the BTs and converts themselves!

According to our Tobahlina, only "sour, dour, picky people" protest when their children are shunned, kept out of the best schools, or denied high caliber shiduchim. Only "difficult" people object when they are treated in shul like second-class citizens and subjected to other forms of condescension. "Sweet, outgoing, pleasant, talented, easy-going" people take the abuse and marginalization in stride! And some even ask for second helpings!

This godless drivel from Toby is the same dodge and excuse given by bigots in every time and every place. Their pathetic rationalizations go like this "We are perfect. Our community is holy/patriotic/moral/blessed/without error. If only the blacks/Asians/Jews/PRs/Homosexuals weren't so uppity/pushy/strange/dirty/queer our prejudices would vanish!"

...when the truth is that in order for prejudices to vanish, people like Toby must disappear first.

In better news, good old Gil, once again, tells Toby to stuff it:

Why don’t we solve the problem in our community instead of blaming the victim?

BTs and Gerim are subject to many different forms of discrimination, some of it is overt, some is systematic, and some is unconscious. You know it and I know it, lets be honest and real and deal with it instead of sweeping it under the rug.

Comment by Gil — July 27, 2008 @ 9:17 pm

[You should click on the once again above. Gil was great that time, too]