Anti-Defamation Commission Must Speak Out

[SOURCE]

As per the media release below, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has spoken out about the hate and bigotry perpetrated by Carl Paladino (who acted it in conjunction with Ultra Orthodox Jewish leaders in New York), against gay men and women.

I call on the Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) in Victoria to speak out and support the Anti-Defamation League in their criticism of Carl Paladino and anyone else who sends a similar message of hate and intolerance, especially in our community.

Paladino’s attack on gay men and women in New York is an attack on all gay men and women, including those here in Victoria, Australia.

The ADC claims it has no authority to speak out on homophobic hate when it is targeted at Jews. I genuinely believe this is an act of cowardice. If the organisation was genuine in its care about Jews in Victoria, especially gay and lesbian Jews, it would take a stand. If it remains silent on this issue it will confirm to all that it is does not take the issue of hate and discrimination seriously.

I quote from the ADC Mission Statement:

The ADC supports the following objectives stated in the preamble to the United Nations Charter:

“to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and

to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and

to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, …”

The ADC aims to serve the Jewish and wider Australian community by reducing antisemitism, and combating racism and religious and ethnic prejudice. We seek to secure justice and fair treatment for all people.

This is matter of human rights. The ADC must speak out immediately. As an arm of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, the ADC must act in the best interests of all members of the Jewish community.

ADL Denounces Carl Paladino’s Comments Denigrating Homosexuality

New York, NY, October 12, 2010 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today criticized Carl Paladino for a series of anti-gay remarks, including his assertion that children should not be “brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid or successful option.”

Ron Meier, ADL New York Regional Director, issued the following statement:

We are appalled by Carl Paladino’s comments denigrating homosexuality and suggesting that a homosexual lifestyle is not “valid.” His statements are an affront to all New Yorkers, and are particularly disturbing in light of several recent hate crimes targeting the LGBT community in the New York Metropolitan Area.

We have repeatedly urged all candidates to refrain from appeals to prejudice and bigotry. Such appeals are offensive, counterproductive and contrary to our nation’s democratic values.

Earlier this year, ADL urged our national leaders – and candidates – to commit themselves to restoring civility to our public discourse. We renew that call today. A truly effective candidate is one who engages in thoughtful and reasoned debate and rejects divisive and hateful rhetoric. That is an essential ingredient of leadership.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, ADL neither supports nor opposes candidates for political office.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

Letter to the JCCV regarding Mental Health Week 2010

From: Michael Barnett <mikeybear69@gmail.com>
Date: 1 October 2010 16:29
Subject: JCCV and Mental Health Week 2010
To: John Searle <president@jccv.org.au>
Dear John,
Mental Health Week in Victoria runs from October 10 to 16 this year⁽¹⁾. Last year the JCCV published a media release⁽²⁾ in time for Mental Health Week and included alarming figures on the extent mental health problems have on same-sex attracted youth.
There has been a spate of youth suicides in the USA that have come to recent public attention⁽³⁾. This news has been deeply disturbing.
I would be keen to know what actions the JCCV is taking to help prevent tragic outcomes such as these in the Melbourne Jewish community. The JCCV formed a GLBT Reference Group in December 2009⁽⁴⁾ and has been briefed by a qualified academic on the facts surrounding intolerance of homosexuality. This problem exists in all societies where any intolerance of homosexuality prevails.
I would be keen to discuss this matter at your earliest convenience.
Regards,
Michael.
1) http://www.mentalhealthvic.org.au/index.php?id=44
2) http://www.jccv.org.au/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=22&cntnt01returnid=59
3) https://www.matthewshepard.org/we-must-all-protect-youth-from-suicide
4) http://www.jccv.org.au/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=5&cntnt01returnid=59

Are bullies a victim of bullying?

[SOURCE]

I recently wrote a blog on bullying [see here]. The person I was writing about has now described how she was previously a victim of bullying and relates her experience. It makes a really interesting read:

…

Ilana Leedssays:

September 27, 2010 at 5:21 pm

B’H

…

Violence is bullying and most bullies will not sit and debate or discuss because fear drives them and their life is about power and somehow justifying their methods of denigration of others in order to justify their erroneous ideas.
I have been a victim of bullying and lost my teaching position because someone wanted to teach me a lesson about who is boss. Real leaders are not afraid of dissent because only with dissent do we learn and grow. If we all agreed with one another, what a strange world it would be.
I don’t care what culture, colour, gender or sexuality you are, respect is paramount in dealing with others and a good sense of humour.

One would expect a victim of bullying would be a little more understanding of the issues, especially when it comes to their personal views on homosexuality.

Clearly it’s not always the case.

Ilana Leeds, a victim of Jewish religious brainwashing

Ilana Leeds posted a hateful comment on Galus Australis. She is a narrow-minded bigot who contributes to the high rate of youth suicide.

[SOURCE]

Ilana Leeds posted a hateful comment on Galus Australis:

1. Same sex marriage – I do not particularly (along with a few others) like having homosexuality presented to me as ‘normal’. It is not and while I do not advocate discrimination against people who are practicing homosexuals, I think if they want marriage and all the other things that go with it,(Like the adoption of children) they need to give up their deviant practices and return to a heterosexual lifestyle and put themselves in order. Children deserve to have a normal family situation as far as possible.

Ilana Leeds believes her god demands she say this because she’s been brainwashed to believe it.

Ilana Leeds is a narrow-minded bigot whose attitudes and beliefs contribute to the high rate of youth suicide.

Her partner in crime Shoshana Silcove is just as shameful.

Is Suicide Prevention Australia genuine about preventing suicide?

Is Suicide Prevention Australia genuine about preventing suicide when it endorses the work of the Salvation Army?

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. A lot of people are seriously trying to save a lot of people’s lives. On the surface this looks like a genuine effort, and for the most part it is, but look a little deeper and not everything is as rosy as you’d like to think.

Suicide Prevention Australia endorses the Salvation Army in their attempts to curb suicide. Yet the Salvation Army does not believe homosexuality is acceptable. In fact the Salvation Army does not even acknowledge same-sex attracted people as an at-risk group on their Suicide Prevention Resources & Information page, despite rates of suicide amongst same-sex attracted youth currently reaching alarming levels.

Read my recent and unanswered letter to Ryan McGlaughlin, CEO of Suicide Prevention Australia. I urge you to write to him as well and ask him the same questions as I do. Why does SPA continue to endorse the Salvation Army, an organisation with homophobic attitudes that are harmful to same-sex attracted youth? Why is Suicide Prevention Australia staying silent on this matter?

SPA need to speak out loudly against the Salvation Army and any other organisation that is intolerant of homosexuality. Until then they can’t be seen to be serious about preventing suicide.

My Jewish New Year message

My Jewish New Year message is that I will be fighting intolerance of homosexuality by Jewish religious bigots in the new year. Spread the love.

It’s the eve of the Jewish New Year. The Jewish world moves from 5770 to 5771.

My message for the Jewish New Year is that I am going to continue to fight the hate and bigotry perpetrated by the religious bigots in the Jewish community. I’m going to fight the attitudes that contribute to the atrocious levels of youth suicide, self harm and mental health issues.

Organisations such as the Jewish Community Council of Victoria will remain my key targets. Whilst they remain adamant that it’s ok for segments of the Jewish community to remain intolerant of homosexuality, I will fight them. They will be shown up for the narrow-minded bigots, haters and fools that they are.

Intolerance is unacceptable.

Bring on 5771. Bring on the fight.

Sending sweet wishes of New Year love.

Michael.

In Australia it’s ok to fuck the faggots over

[SOURCE]

Last week the NSW government passed a bill allowing same-sex couples the right to adopt children. There was a concession made though that Christian adoption agencies could refuse services to gay and lesbian couples.

Ms Moore had agreed to amend her private member’s bill, calling for same-sex couples to be allowed to adopt, to give church adoption agencies the right to refuse services to gay and lesbian couples without fear they will breach anti-discrimination laws by doing so.

Take a step back and look at this. Let’s change the words “gay and lesbian” to “black”.

Ms Moore had agreed to amend her private member’s bill, calling for black couples to be allowed to adopt, to give church adoption agencies the right to refuse services to black couples without fear they will breach anti-discrimination laws by doing so.

or we could try again and use the word “disabilities”

Ms Moore had agreed to amend her private member’s bill, calling for couples with disabilities to be allowed to adopt, to give church adoption agencies the right to refuse services to couples with disabilities without fear they will breach anti-discrimination laws by doing so.

Do you think in 2010 that either of these statements would be possible? Yet it’s ok to allow the government to make concessions to Christian about gay and lesbian couples.

I’m a gay man in a relationship. It’s outrageous and embarrassing that my government treats me worse than blacks or disabled people.

Worse than this though is that no one is getting upset or angry about this obscene discrimination. The marginalised GLBT community is sitting back and copping it fair and square. The rest of society who aren’t bigots are just sitting back and letting the politicians and fundamentalists ride rough-shod over us. What is wrong? Australia is supposed to be a civilised country that is supposed to treat all its citizens equally.

Clearly in Australia it’s ok to fuck the faggots over.

Michael.

The JCCV gets a taste of it’s own medicine

[SOURCE]

The Age ignored the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and the JCCV had a foot stamping, huffy puffy hissy fit.

The JCCV, under its current leadership, has shown itself to be an arrogant organisation that demands everyone act on its own terms. It is an organisation that has perfected the art of the Double Standard.

The JCCV formally broke off all communications with gay Jews last year. It did this because important questions were asked of it that it was not prepared to answer, and it put up a pathetic smokescreen. Read Searle’s letter to me here and some background on an earlier blog of mine.

So when The Age won’t rush to the JCCV’s beck and call why should anyone care?

The JCCV gets the respect it deserves.

Michael.

Community anger over The Age

RELATIONS between The Age newspaper and the Jewish community leadership have further soured, amid claims of persistent bias in the newspaper’s reporting on Israel.

August 25, 2010, 11:27 am

JCCV president John Searle. Photo: AJN file
PETER KOHN

RELATIONS between The Age newspaper and the Jewish community leadership have further soured, amid claims of persistent bias in the newspaper’s reporting on Israel.

To make matters worse, Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) president John Searle said the newspaper’s editor Paul Ramadge appeared unwilling to conduct the most basic communication with the Jewish communal leadership.

A joint statement from Searle and Zionist Council of Victoria (ZCV) president Dr Danny Lamm on August 20, revealed that Searle had not heard back from Ramadge after a telephone message he left with his office on June 4 about the newspaper’s coverage of the Gaza flotilla crisis.

The JCCV and ZCV confirmed on Monday that the phone call, a June 8 letter from the ZCV’s public relations chair Sam Tatarka, and a June 10 letter from Searle had all been ignored by The Age.

Searle had written to Ramadge about his failure to respond to the phone message, advising the editor: “Your attitude bespeaks scant respect for the Jewish community.”

But following an AJN request to The Age this week for a comment, Ramadge responded to the JCCV and ZCV on Tuesday, apologising for the delay.

In last week’s statement, the JCCV and ZCV said The Age coverage of Israel ranged from journalist Michael Backman’s 2009 “smear job” on Israeli backpackers in Nepal, to biased reporting of the flotilla incident, to “the more subtle and insidious”.

As an example, the organisations pointed out the sub-editing of a story from UK paper The Daily Telegraph, in which The Age version changed “Jewish settlements” to “illegal Jewish settlements” and “West Bank” to “occupied West Bank”.

“I think the fact that they take a report from somewhere else and they republish it but add certain words or phrases that further colour the message is an indication of ill intent,” Dr Lamm said when contacted by The AJN.

Searle and Dr Lamm accused the Melbourne broadsheet of “steering its readership to a more anti-Israel position” which has resulted in “legitimising anti-Semitism”.

“We make this statement with regret. However we have spoken to Mr Ramadge on a number of occasions, both privately and in public forums. While he is adept at making the right noises about The Age’s impartiality, his follow-through leaves a great deal to be desired. We believe that The Age’s record speaks for itself. Quite simply The Age is not a friend of our community.”

In a belated response to the JCCV and ZCV, The Age editor Paul Ramadge this week defended his newspaper’s Middle East coverage.

JCCV letter to The Age

HERE is the letter sent by JCCV president John Searle to Age editor-in-chief Paul Ramage:
I write once again to express the concerns of the Victorian Jewish community on The Age’s reportage of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Firstly, I refer to a letter to you dated 8 June 2010 from Sam Tatarka of the Zionist Council of Victoria. Mr Tatarka’s letter complains in the strongest possible terms about an article by Paul McGeogh published in The Age of 4 June, 2010.

In his letter Mr Tatarka cogently and compellingly reveals the anti-Israel bias in the article, as demonstrated particularly by its language and by omission.

There is no need for me to repeat his arguments, but it is important that you know that the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) endorses them in their entirety.

Secondly and more importantly, Mr Tatarka makes the point that The Age has form on this general issue. It is not a matter of the occasional article or letter, but there is a clear and consistent vilification of the world’s only Jewish State in the pages of The Age.

The JCCV has had ongoing communication with you for a number of years on The Age’s bias. Predictably you have consistently stated that The Age is even-handed and that your door is always open to the Jewish community.

I will remind you that these were your exact words when you addressed an audience at the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre on 5 October 2009. You soberly assured audience members that The Age was interested in their concerns and that you would always be responsive to them.

In this regard, I will also remind you that you took certain such concerns away with you. To this day, you have not responded, despite our follow-up request that you do so. And indeed, I am still awaiting your reply to my telephone call to you of 4 June 2010. Your attitude bespeaks scant respect for the Jewish community.

I am not requesting your response to this letter — because frankly your assurances are no longer seen as credible by our community — other than a clear policy change to even-handedness as evidenced in The Age’s future content.

Until this is forthcoming I have no doubt that those of your readers who value Israel receiving a fair go will dwindle even further.

Yours truly

John Searle
President
JCCV

Remembering the 2009 Tel Aviv Agudah (gay centre) shooting

Watch this video and remember Liz Troubishi and Nir Katz, two young people murdered in the Tel Aviv Agudah (gay centre) shooting on August 1 2009. Other victims of the shooting escaped with their lives, but will be scarred forever. They were all victims of a terrible hate crime. The perpetrator remains on the run.

Fight hate. Fight bigotry. Fight intolerance. Promote unconditional love.

Michael.

Danby Silent on Anti-Israel Anti-Gay Extremist Jewish Filth Web-site

In September 2009 Michael Danby and I had a brief email exchange. He told me he was criticising the “dark and ugly recesses of the Internet”. I wrote back to him and advised him that his concern lacked credibility because he was ignoring dark and ugly recesses of the Internet on his very doorstep.

Wind back one month prior to August 1 2009, now just over a year ago.

In Tel Aviv, Israel, there was a horrific shooting that left two young Jewish Israelis dead. They happened to be in a gay community centre at the time. I appealed to many people in the Melbourne Jewish community to speak out against this shooting, to speak out against hate and intolerance of homosexuality, especially from within the Jewish community, and to stand up for the vulnerable and marginalised people in our society. Amongst these many people was Michael Danby.

I didn’t write just one letter. I wrote many letters. I wanted people to hear me, to sit up and to take notice. I included Michael Danby on every one of these letters.

This is the letter Michael Danby wrote to me on September 17 2009:

From: Michael Danby MHR <michael.danby.mp@aph.gov.au>
Date: 17 September 2009 12:06
Subject: Tova from Parliament House in Canberra
To: Michael Barnett <contact@aleph.org.au>

Dear Michael,

Thankfully this year Rosh Ha’shana this year does not occur during the parliamentary week. Like you, I will be cosseted with family and attending my local shule.

I wish you and your family a safe, happy, healthy, and prosperous new year, and well over the fast.

As you might expect I have been strongly advocating issues that I believe will be of interest to you.

In order to understand where this country is going it is important to remember where we have come from. Therefore I wrote, and I hope you will be interested in, an article on the 70^th anniversary of the beginning of the second world war. Click here.

You will be pleased to know that my strong criticisms – ‘The Dark and Ugly Recesses of the Internet‘ of two online publications crikey.com.au and newmatilda resulted in newmatilda changing its moderation policy for comments on articles regarding the middle east, while crikey.com.au Eric Beecher conceded that crikey.com.au editing and moderation of its comments on its website during the first 3 months of 2009.

Finally, in Parliament I noted the 20 years that Genia Janover has been Bialek’s Principal extraordinaire. Click here.

Wishing you and your family a gute and gebensched yohr

Michael Danby

This was my reply:

From: Michael Barnett <michael@aleph.org.au>
Date: 17 September 2009 10:29
Subject: Re: Tova from Parliament House in Canberra
To: Michael Danby MHR <michael.danby.mp@aph.gov.au>Dear Michael,

Thank you for your well-wishes.

In response to this email I would like to say that there are ‘dark and ugly recesses of the Internet’ here in Melbourne that I have brought to your attention recently via email that are as dark and as ugly as anything you may have commented on today.

Right now the only issues that are of interest to me are 1) the implementation of hate crimes to deal with vilification based on sexual orientation and 2) the insubstantial response by the leaders of every Jewish community in Australia to the hate and intolerance of gay people in the Jewish community in Australia and Israel.

You deal with Jews. You deal with gay people. You deal with issues in Australia. What are you doing to ensure a safe place for GLBT Jews in Australia?

I’ve heard less from you, Michael Danby MP, on this matter than anyone else to date, yet your seat of Melbourne Ports sits across both the Jewish and gay communities. I call on you to speak out about the intolerance and persecution of gay Jews in Australia. Can you rise to the challenge?

I sincerely hope you care about us because right now, very few people are standing up for the most marginalised and vulnerable people in the Jewish community in Australia.

Sincerely,
Michael Barnett.

Aleph Melbourne

My letter refers to a Melbourne blog “AJN Watch” which describes itself as:

AJN WATCH – the on-line voice of Australian Orthodox Jewry observes and comments on matters of interest to that community. We particularly monitor prejudice and monopolistic abuse of influence in the pages of the Australian Jewish News – the main source of information to and about Australian Jewry. We spotlight errors, expose misrepresentations and vigorously advocate our community’s positions.

AJN Watch specialises in filth, intolerance and hate. On August 7 2009 it published a piece entitled “Australian Jewish News, Australian Goyish News or Australian Gayish News?” In it they wrote:

The last thing their readers are interested in is what is happening in Tel Aviv snakepits of dreck and perversion.

and

Your comment that “Israel is one of the more gay-friendly countries in the world and you don’t have to spend too much time in the more vibrant sections of Tel Aviv to become aware of a strong and tolerant gay culture” indeed nauseates, depresses and disgusts not only Hamodia readers, but all decent, civilized and moral people – of all religious beliefs. Your pride and delight that Israel has become a world-leader in depravity and debasement says much about you and your publication.

Michael Danby ignored my letter. He did not speak out. He turned his back on this sinister and vile web site based in his electorate of Melbourne Ports. Michael Danby turned his back on gay people, on Jews, on Israel, on the memory of Liz Troubishi and Nir Katz, on the people in his electorate, on Melbourne, on Victoria, on Australia and on all of humanity.

Michael Danby wants you to vote for him on Saturday August 21. He wants you to put your faith in his ability to represent you in the government and in his ability to govern for all of you. He wants you to trust him. Michael Danby cannot be trusted on these matters. He claims to care about gay people. He claims to care for the Jewish community. He claims to care for Israel. The only proven issue that Michael Danby actually cares about is himself and his career. The rest is just lip-service and pandering.

If there’s one person you should not vote for this election it’s Michael Danby. If there’s one party you should not vote for it’s the Australian Labor Party.

Michael Danby has let everyone down and he does not deserve reelection. Tell Michael Danby he should not be reelected to government. Do this by voting for a party that really cares about human rights and justice. In Melbourne Ports, this leaves three real options: the Australian Greens, the Secular Party of Australia and the Australian Sex Party.

A vote for Danby and the Australian Labor Party is a vote for intolerance, bigotry, vilification, suffering and persecution.

Think about who you are voting for and why you are voting for them on Saturday August 21, 2010. If you vote for Michael Danby, you will have it on your conscience.

Michael Barnett.
Ashwood, Victoria.