Fundamentalism In NY-9 Wins Republicans Another Seat In Congress

[ClarkUSA]

In the run up to the election, a group of Orthodox rabbis, most from Brooklyn, but including others, notably Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky and Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, two nationally prominent Orthodox Jewish authorities, published a letter stating that "it is forbidden to fund, support, or vote for David Weprin." The reason? As a member of the New York state legislature, Weprin, despite his Orthodox Jewish beliefs, voted to redefine marriage to include same-sex partnerships. This, the rabbonim declared, was chillul Hashem---a desecration, or bringing of shame, on God's name. The rabbis went on to say that "Weprin's claim that he is Orthodox makes the chillul Hashem even greater"...The letter from the rabbonim went farther than anything I recall Catholic bishops saying.

.... it may not be too wise to extrapolate too much from a population dominated by older, more paranoid Jewish voters and hardcore Orthodox homophobes.

http://tinyurl.com/ny9fundiessuck

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Weprin wasn't "Jewish enough" according to someone else's standards.

Hasidim rely on federal funds. When the money's reduced, they'll have to own their votes.

[rug]

2. Nice try. Their numbers did not decide the election.

http://www.vcsnet.com/State.php?NY+Congress/NYC+S+U+09

[Owlet]

3. 2010 results may be a guide

but voter turnout this go round (2011) was only 17%, so the OP's premise may have some merit. Who knows? Any exit poll data out there?

[rug]

4. I haven't seen any yet.

[Dawson Leery]

5. Orthodox and Hasidic Jews are the minority of the Jewish population.

It's just that they are a relatively large percentage of this congressional district.

[totodeinhere]

6. Those same fundamentalist voters have been in that district for the 80

years that it sent a Dem to Congress. Yet the Dem won until now. Your analysis fails.

[geek tragedy]

7. They weren't punishing anyone for voting for gay marriage during that time.

Or, to punish the sitting President because he didn't rubber stamp Israel eagerly enough.