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Shmuley and Rick in a Public Discussion
Shmuley and Rick in a Public Discussion
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Never-Ending Lynching of Sholom Rubashkin
So much for Christian charity.
Sister Mary McCauley, the former pastoral administrator at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church in Postville, Iowa, who provided support for families affected by the Agriprocessors raid, publicly condemned the complete acquittal of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin on charges of child labor violations as a tragedy. “I was heartsick,” she declared. “I had to just sit and deal with the heartbreak I was feeling.”
Never mind that a jury deliberated only 12 hours to reach a verdict exonerating Rubashkin on all 67 counts. Never mind that Rubashkin, a father of ten with a long of history of charitable acts feeding the hungry and the poor, has been so demonized in the press that it was practically impossible for him to receive a fair trial, and still he was found innocent. The good sister is convinced that the man should have gone down. Her heart tells her so. The jury be damned.
Funny that.
When I, as a Rabbi and broadcaster, read of the unending accusations against countless priests and even nuns for molesting children, and against the Pope himself for covering it up, I went on the air on my radio show on America’s most listened to station, WABC 77AM in New York City, and begged my audience to place the allegations in perspective. The Pope had been tried in a media circus without being given an opportunity to respond or defend himself. Further, all judgments about the morality of the Church had to be assessed in the context of the global good it does in running the world’s largest network of orphanages, hospitals, and schools. Whatever crimes were committed against children by men and women sworn to G-d’s work were despicable in the extreme and abomination against all that is decent. And they would have to be held accountable. But wait before you lynch any innocent man.
I was heavily criticized on the air by my own devoted listeners, with the angriest calls coming from Christians and Catholics. ‘How can you defend our Church, Rabbi Shmuley? You who promotes family values and ethics? Do you not understand what these men have done?’
Yes, of course I understood. But allow the facts to emerge before you disparage the whole of the Church. Don’t paint with a broad brush. Point a finger only at the Priests who are guilty and refrain from assailing the papacy itself until you hear more. Amid the caller onslaught, I stood my ground. All people carry the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.
Unless you’re Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, that is, in which case even once you’re found completely innocent on charges of child labor by a jury of your peers you are still guilty.
Senator Obama, campaigning in Iowa to be President in August 2008 and promising a new era of civil American political discourse, forgot his commitment when it came to Rubashkin: “When you read about a meatpacking plant hiring 13-year-olds, 14-year-olds – that is some of the most dangerous, difficult work there is. They have kids in there wielding buzz saws and cleavers? It’s ridiculous. And the only reason they’re hiring these folks is because they want to avoid paying people decent wages and providing them decent benefits.” The President is a politician and might be forgiven for pandering for votes, although it would still be encouraging if now, in light of the acquittal, he would publicly apologize for his slander. But sister McCauley is a nun consecrated to Christ and has no such excuse.
I have no doubt that the sister is a good woman who wants to defend immigrant children, even as they admitted under oath to falsifying their work papers in order to work at Agriprocessors. I agree Sister Mary that these children were desperate. The cowardice on the part of the American government in repeatedly failing to address the immigration crises with serious reforms leads to these tragedies. But does Sister Mary not reserve even a tiny sliver of her heart for Rubashkin’s ten children, one of whom is autistic, even as their lives have been turned upside down as their father has been painted as the anti-Christ?
Let me be clear. I am on record in several columns as saying that Rubashkin is no hero. He has been found guilty of financial fraud and will be punished. Whatever good he and his family have done – and they are justly renowned for their charity and philanthropy – in no way cancels out his conviction, even if his intentions were to temporarily avert near-certain bankruptcy that was caused by an INS raid and eventually pay the bank back. Wearing a yarmulke and a beard, Rubashkin is a public representative of the Jewish faith and he has let us all down. In our religion there is no greater sin than desecrating the divine name. No doubt the pain Rubashkin feels in having done so is more excruciating than anything the penal system can do to him. He will have to repent of his actions before G-d and man. He will also have to serve time, tragic as that is for a man with a large family who are now destitute.
But the time served must be fair and just. For goodness sake, stop the never-ending lynching. Treat the man fairly. Prosecutors, stop portraying him as a monster. Stop the absurdity of demanding a life sentence. Don’t subvert justice in the name of justice. Six former Attorney-Generals of the United States have already strongly condemned the recommendation for a life sentence. Let the insanity end.
On the home page of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with whom Sister Mary is affiliated, it declares, “We are women of steadfast love called to live the mission of Jesus through our core values of FREEDOM, CHARITY, EDUCATION, and JUSTICE.” Those are values I applaud and respect. Are you listening sister?
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is the founder of This World: The Values Network. His new book is ‘Renewal: A Guide to the Values-Filled Life.’ (Basic Books) Follow him on Twitter @RabbiShmuley. His website is http://www.shmuley.com
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Ami Toben
Dear rabbi.
allow me to explain to you some simple facts about secular outrage against religious criminals:
Almost all religious leaders profess a certain pseudo-modesty regarding their beliefs and their work. “don’t mind me, I’m just doing the lord’s bidding”. “I am just a simple man, nominated for the holy task of leading my flock”.
Putting yourself on any pedestal and preaching to other people what they should and shouldn’t do, automatically puts you under greater scrutiny. And please do not insult our intelligence by suggesting that these poor religious leaders are on an errand from god and have no personal stake in these matters. The irony here, which seems to be completely wasted on you, is that if they really were working for god, and if a just god actually existed, it would be that much worse. -
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Ami Toben
Anyone who wants to voice an opinion about child abuse or protect the catholic church needs to watch this free documentary.
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Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Grizzly Bear Mom
Some people flock to religious institutions to become elders, philanthropists, etc; and earn a good reputation from man when their character is evil. In order to exploit the poor, this man had to first decide that doing so wouldn’t hurt either he or his family. Otherwise he couldn’t engage in it. Thank God HE holds us to his standard of righteousness and not mere appeasement of his wrath.
I don’t understand Ami’s comment about how a just god existing would make the situation worse.
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Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Ami Toben
At the risk of wasting even a second on explaining the self-evident, the situation would be worse because that would mean that an omnipotent, omniscient, just god had knowingly sanctioned and allowed horrible men to do horrible things to young children, and from the platform of his church no less.
If a god like this existed it would be truly horrible for us to exist. It is very good for us that no such “holy ghost” exists and that we can simply attribute blame to bad men for committing bad deeds. -
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
H. Demeny
I will not pretend to know all of the details of this case & the man accused.
Regardless of the good or bad he has done, his children should not be punished for his sins or accused sins. Should not the community he supposedly helped now step up & return the favor? The children are not responsible for their parents’ choices.
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Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Ami Toben
His children are not being punished, unless you consider jailing their father for his crimes a punishment, in which case it cannot be helped. Just imagine how silly of an idea it would be to release any and all prisoners, no matter how severe their crimes, if they happen to have children.
Besides that, local and federal governments, in addition to non-profit organizations and community outreach programs, have plenty of assistance available to underprivileged children. -
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
H. Demeny
R.S. wrote “But does Sister Mary not reserve even a tiny sliver of her heart for Rubashkin’s ten children, one of whom is autistic, even as their lives have been turned upside down as their father has been painted as the anti-Christ?”
To me that implies that the children of this man are suffering greatly due to the consequences of what their father did. Personally I have no doubt in my heart that the man’s children are suffering in some way. And being the daughter of a world-class screw-up myself, I know how the sins of the father can be visited on the child.
Regardless of the fact that I had no say in any the choices my father made when I was a child, *I* have suffered for them throughout my life. Financially, physically & emotionally. And the hardships from the time he spent in jail was not just about him not being there or his earning potential being removed. Along with the pain from all I witnessed, I received little to no support or aid from those I sought it from. Friends, family, teachers,“men & women of God”… law enforcement. In fact, at times, I was punished for seeking that help by those I sought it from.
Children can be cruel. Adults can be far worse.
My point to R.S. was that if the man’s children are suffering, which again I have no doubt they probably are, those whom Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin helped should be some of the first to step up to help guide the children through this experience. Not just the nun he was commenting on.
@Ami Toben
“Just imagine how silly of an idea it would be to release any and all prisoners, no matter how severe their crimes, if they happen to have children.”I agree that is a very “silly” idea. I am glad that no one suggested that… at least not that I have heard.
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Thursday, June 24, 2010
Grizzly Bear Mom
I am one of the very few people who do prison ministry, try to get some paroled, & minister to family members as well. I saw an upstanding father go to jail rather than testify against his wife, both of whom received outrageous sentences. His an her family members virtually deserted them. Their daughter got “knocked up” twice by a creep while her parents were incarcerated. These are the types of consequences that we are to take into account before we engage in any activity. One of the best verses in the bible is Jesus saying that he would reward those who “visited the imprisoned” and “took care of orphans” as if they had cared for him. I’m sure most other faiths have similar guidelines.
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