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Op-Ed: Anti-Semitism At Wall Street Protests?


Many Jews are feeling uncomfortable regarding the “Occupy Wall Street” protests which YWN has been reporting about. The reasons for these “uncomfortable feelings” don’t need to be elaborated on this page. Suffice to say that Jews have been blamed for the world’s troubles for thousands of years, and many are nervous that this finger-pointing will soon start – or , maybe it already has.

Columnist Yossi Gestenter, whose articles appear quite frequently on YWN, submitted an op-ed for publishing following President Obama’s speech Thursday morning. Before we publish his op-ed, we are publishing the following article from The Blaze. Unfortunately, only one of the videos (the main one) will be published due to the profanity and vulgar language in them:

The Blaze:

We’ve been reporting on the Occupy Wall St. protesters for some time now, but we haven’t seen any signs of racism. Until now. But are they the ramblings of a disturbed man?

National Review correspondent Charles Cooke posted video Tuesday of a young man berating an older Jewish man, calling him a bum (it seems in response to being called the same term), mocking him by asking him if he speaks English, and telling him to “go back to Israel.”

Cooke describes the exchange:

Moments after I arrived, I saw a Jewish gentleman being berated when he criticized a protester. (Shortly after my video camera was switched off, he (inexplicably) shouted the N-word at the same man.)

Here’s the shocking video (Click HERE to view from a mobile device):

As you can hear in the video, the man claims to be part of a local plumber’s union. But that could be erroneous, as Cooke notes he claimed to be a lot of things: “he told me that he was white, Puerto Rican, Jewish, and African-American. I suggested he was, in fact, Confused, but he didn’t take much to that.”

Also heard in the video is that the man goes by the name “lotion man” and tells Cooke to look him up on YouTube. We did, and what we found is quite disturbing.

According to one video, “Lotion Man” is actually someone named Danny Cline. In the video, he can be seen getting into another verbal argument, using extremely vulgar language, and repeatedly using racial slurs.

In a second video on YouTube, “Lotion Man” is seen trying to pierce his tongue with an earring and again saying some wild, whacky, and disturbed things.

And finally, a third video shows “Lotion Man” actually harassing some people while later bragging about meeting some of the celebrities that came down to the park to join the protests.

The latter videos raise the proposition that the first video could be the ramblings of a very unstable man.

YWN points out that there has been only one other video or report (that we know of) of an anti-semitic act at the protests. In that video a man is standing and holding a large sign which says “Hitler’s Bankers Wall Street”, and “Nazi Bankers Wall Street”. The man stood alone, and was confronted by dozens of people. The video, available on YouTube was not posted here due to the profane and vulgar language. (Click on image by Shimon Gifter to enlarge)

The following is the op-ed by Yossi Gestetner:

Blatant Anti-Semitism at Obama-Backed Wall Street Protests!

This morning at a press conference, president Obama came out in full support of the Wall Street protesters who are among others attacking banks and rich people. Here is the transcript between a Wall Street protesters and a Jew with a Kipa on his head:
 
Anti-Semite: I am against corporations because they don’t pay me money…. Seven dollars an hour…
 
Jew: Get a job.
 
Anti-Semite: I have got a job, Mo.

Jew: No you don’t.

Anti-Semite: I do have a job.

Jew: You are standing here… Bum.

Anti-Semite: You are a Bum, Jew!

Jew: What?

Anti-Semite: I am a Jew. Why are you fighting with us. O… YOU HAVE GOT THE MONEY THAT’S WHY YOU ARE Fighting, you Jewish man…
 
Jew: I have got the money because I have worked before.

Snip…
 
Anti-Semite: My mother died from a heart attack.
 
Jew: What?
 
Anti-Semite: What? Due? Du du du… you can’t even speak English. Are you Israeli? Go Back to Israel.
 
Jew: Why would I go back?
 
Anti-Semite: Go back to Sholom Israel.

If President Obama understands that ALL Republican presidential candidates needed to condemn the three four people out of 6,000 Republicans at a debate who boo-ed DADT, then the President should come out and condemn this too.

Or you accept that the people who occupy Wall Street are a load of clowns not worthy of any recognition, or – as the president did – you validate them and as such you denounce any hateful anti-Semitic rhetoric coming from that camp. Obama and his backers cannot have it both ways!

Yossi Gestetner is a New York-Based Writer and Marketing Consultant in the Orthodox Jewish/Hasidic Communities. His Firm “Gestetner & Co” Serves Political, Charitable and Corporate accounts. Yossi can be reached via [email protected]

NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.

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10 Responses

  1. Given that the Democrats/Liberals/Socialists in America have been fairly anti-semitic for some time, this should be expected. The “occupy Wall Street” is basically secular and increasing part of the far left.

    Of course, being anti-semitic means they don’t like frum Jews. I doubt they object to people like Schumer or Weiner or Frank.

  2. This jerk was not worth arguing with. He represents nothing and no one. There are times when it’s worth getting into confrontations with people (when it’s l’shaiym shamayim) for worthwhile causes. I have done it MANY times myself (in Israel and in NY) with ‘jews for j’, pro-‘palestinians’, etc. This one I would have passed on, – this kid was just a dope.

  3. There is lots on antisemitism on parade here with these smelly far leftist rent a mob folks. I’ve seen enough videos already & I await seeing it on the mainstream news.

    I AM STILL WAITING!!

  4. I’m starting to wonder if Cain was not correct when he said this protest was spurred by Obama supporters. The protesters seem to have no common theme, and many seem unsure of even what they are protesting. They disdain “corporate america” at the same time they complain about unemployment. Many of them seem like young vagrants and drug users. Then the powerful unions join them—what’s the connection-a free-for-all venting session? Well, I bet they all have at least this in common: ownership of the latest smartphone with a facebook account that managed to assemble them all in one place. A good cold rainstorm would be useful.

  5. Let us learn from the Shoah, the Jews of Germany thought that their neighbors were too “civilized” and as such did not believe that such evil would happen. Wake up Americans and smell the air for the same whiff of evil is begin to show its ugly head once again.
    For those of you who may remember the oil embargo of the 70’s and the bumper sticker that said burn Jews not oil.

    Moshiach Now!

  6. 5. You are “wondering??” Do you need a klap in kup to make it any clearer? This mob has George Soros yemach sh’mo written all over it. This has Obama’s community agitating all over it. WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. EzratHashem says:: Why would you even doubt that the Democrats aren’t behind these demonstrations? Note that by comparison, the “Tea Party” became “big” by attacking the bailouts given to the corporations (and unions) by Bush and the Democrats. – the “Tea party” is an anathema to the mainstream (a.k.a. “country club” or “wall street” republicans). THe “occupy crowd” are partisan hacks,and nothing more.

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