Wednesday, December 06, 2006

In which I judge the three most yeshivish blogs

Tip of the hat: To Harry Maryles for linking his blog to the Open Letter. Harry has an audience I can't reach; thank God he made sure they were aware of the Kolko case, and the cover-up that followed.

Wag of the Finger: To Gil Student. He's mentioned the Kolko case on his blog before, and I know he's upset with how the Rabonim handled it (see, for instance, his critism of the speech R' Salamon delivered at the convention) but his attitude toward the letter is unconscionable. On the Letter's comment thread he says the fact that the letter is annoymous is the reason why he won't bring it to the attention of his readers. He goes on to day that without a signature, he can't be sure the contents aren't fabrications. This is punting, plain and simple: Gil knows for a fact that letter's central accusations are true. Anyway, if the letter was signed, wouldn't Kolko's protectors seize on that and seek to discredit the writer? Wouldn't they go after him? By staying anonymous the letter-writer forces Kolko's friends to respond to the letter itself, and gives them no opportunity to go ad hominum.

Sicillian guesture of contempt: To Cross Currents. They claim to be a blog concerned with issues that matter to the Jewish world, but, to date, they have not said one word about the case, or the cover-up. This is not because they are public figures -- Gil is, too, and he's made his feelings known. It's also not because they are reluctant to write about sex scandals -- as you may recall, the blog gave us three posts about the towering moral superiority of liar/adulterer Minister Ted Haggard.

No, the reason for their silence is this: They are apologists and wimps who use their blog to make excuses for the yeshiva world and for the Christian right, while simoltaniously capitilizing on any and every misstep made by more liberal Jews.

Cross-Cowards would be a better name for that group.

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