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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Responding to the comments at NYMag.com

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/05/hillary_clintons_allergy_cough.html

Every so often I read the comments on a post.  This time, reading the comments at the above link I found a strange set of statements stated by someone with the alias CATHERINE4711.  You can read her statements at the link, my comment follows:

The most bizarre set of comments I've ever read. Is no one more offended at Catherinie's diatribe? Jewish women holy? Holier than thou perhaps. First off, Hillary is a hot mama. I always thought so, and attacking her sexuality as you did Catherine, is an ad hominem argument. It lowers any point you MAY have had. Second of all, any outfit that publishes is in the public eye, and even if its readers tend to form the basis of one group, they can and must be taken to task for not adhering to what is to most simple common curtesy. Maybe they thought it was somehow disrespectful to Hillary, because she's a hot mama, but its far more disrespectful to her, to just wipe her clean from the photo. It frankly denies her existence, her role as one of the most important heads of state in the world. This was not done for her benefit. Nor was it done for the benefit of Jewish men who allegedly can't control themselves. It was belittling. Period.


As to Catherine's bizarre rant about the holiness of Jewish women. I am not Orthodox, and frankly gave up my own claim to Judaism years ago out of boredom and growing horror of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. (I know--I shouldn't go there) That said, your comments are only meaningful if I accept the tenets of Orthodox Jewish faith. Which I do not, and frankly, if they consider this sort of behavior to be "respectful" to women they do not rank much higher than the Muslim's attempts to shield their women.  Regardless my point is simple, your simple statement that Jewish women are "holier" than men, does not make it so.  Only Orthodox Jews would agree to that, and I suspect many of them would not.

Humanism, and human rights, are a constantly growing body of ideas that force us to be better people. Hiding women, or their bodies, does not in fact make men better or less likely to sin. In God or the Law's eyes. It simply acts as an instrument of repression, and no amount of gifts, flowers, and jewels can cxhange that fact. I understand that Orthodox women choose this behavior, and I respect their right to do so. But I absolutely cannot understand it. And the bulk of Jewry, I think, would agree with me as Orthodox is a mere minority among minorities.

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