ubiquitin: Are you kidding? You couldn’t figure out what I was saying? It wasn’t plain enough?
You can certainly tell if someone is a mentch, if they are honest and decent. Do they behave as a Jew should.
On these type web sites, you see people making excuses or justifying bad behavior because they are affiliated with certain groups, or look and dress the part. You also see people attack or make fun of those who may have different backgrounds and perspectives, especially if they don’t wear a particular group’s “uniform.”
A minor example; I was at a Chasunah years ago. A young guy with Smicha was called up for a Brocho under the Chupah. It was primarily a Yeshivish crowd. The person called up was a Kiruv Rabbi who helped the Kallah become Frum. The Bais Yaakov girls in the audience gasp when they saw the person going up for a Brocho. He was wearing a light colored suit. So despite all the good this person does, he was judged negatively by the color of his suit. I find that reprehensible.
To me, I find it embarrassing when someone “Frum” does something illegal or immoral. I won’t make excuses for that no matter who the person is. Granted, no one is perfect, but there are accepted norms and we should not be silent when someone makes a Chilul Hashem and harms people as well.
People should be treated based on their behavior, for the good or bad and it shouldn’t matter if they belong to your group or not. Good behavior is good behavior no matter what group you are affiliated with and no excuses or justifying bad behavior because they are supposedly closer to us. That makes us guilty as well.
ubiquitin, is it clearer for you now?