Manhattan, NY- Coincidental timing this morning resulted in Mayor Bloomberg joining a city hall press conference by community leaders denouncing Assemblyman Dov Hikind’s black face Purim costume.
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At the exact moment Council member Charles Barron and Assembly member Inez Barron were about to begin a press conference on the steps of City Hall, Mayor Bloomberg passed by on his way into the building.
“Mayor Bloomberg,” Councilman Barron shouted across the concourse, “Come talk about Dov Hikind.”
“This time we agree,” the mayor shot back, drawing cheers from the assembled crowd.
A short time later, according to DNAinfo, (http://bit.ly/XE82Lm) a spokesman for the mayor said the mayor agreed with the group of Brooklyn pols assembled on City Hall steps. “He thought it was disgusting and that there is absolutely no place or justification for it,” said the spokesman.
Councilman Charles Barron, who in the past has been excoriated over anti-Semitic remarks made towards New York’s Jewish community and Israel, has been among the most vocal in denouncing Hikind, calling his actions ‘racist’ on Monday.
Wow, how much time and dollars are being wasted on this??????? If these people’s salaries are coming from tax payers money then I believe this should be the end of it. Point was made, move on
Yes Bloomberg was ok calling religious Jews black hats. What a hypocrite.
Omg hikind time
So stupid! Media is always making issues about stupid stuff! What is he would dress like and indian or a jew old man! Come on!
By next year the Mayor will ban dressing up for Purim.
As much as I don’t like Dov – the controversy is overrated!
They see everything as an insult to them…we all know Hikind wasn’t insulting anybody. What’s there to be outraged about. Perhaps this is us getting our just desserts for groups like the ADL being pulling the Jew card at every little slight?
where are all these same big mouths now? where is any community outrage over the vandalism of 2 buses belonging to Bais Rivkah girls school in Crown heights by black Public School kids & yes the incident was caught on Video & as usual nothing is being done & everyone is keeping their mouths shut!!
I don’t condone any racism. But this is foolish. Black face, Jew face, Chinese face any face-it is just a costume. Did Hikind walk around acting out black stereotypes? No. He simply dressed up in a very good costume. He looked like classy a ball player. He did not look sleezy. He did not brandish a weapon. He was just funny.
so… an anti-semite called a Jew a racist. ain’t that the pot calling the kettle (dare I say it) black (yes, I dare say it)
Charles Barron (and his wife Inez) is an extreme racist lowlife. He is on the fringe of the black community. If you check his bio you will see why he has long standing animosity to Assemblyman Hikind, who called him out in the past, and he is trying to take advantage here to get back at him.
If you follow the video carefully you will see that he says to the Mayor (21 second mark) “git (get) Dov Hikind”. That is like when the mob in Crown Heights in 1991 before Yankel Rosenbaum Hy”d was assaulted, said “get the Jew”. Is that a way to talk? Where are the condemnations of Barron for saying that?
There seems to be hardly anyone with Barron there. He is rejected by even most of his own people. If you recall, some years ago he stated that he would like to go to the nearest white person and slap them. Why is he even given the time of day?
Charles Baron is a clown, but Hikind and his son gave him an opportunity to rant on the steps of City Hall.
Can someone please educate this community that it is NOT the costume, it is “blackface?” Note, “blackface” not “black face.” Blackface was considered an entertainment form in the 1920’s -early 40’s. Most blackface performers derided the African American population by portraying them as ignorant buffoons. A Rabbi costume is fine, but what if you coupled it with a grotesque, plastic nose?
Luke
I am sure if he would stand trial he would be found guilty by the jury on all counts!
Dov next time you open your mouth on someone, even if he was found guilty by a jury you should know how it feels.
Iyh next year were all putting on black man faces for Purim !
What a sick society
WOW! OMG! This is gettng outa hand!! But; look the difference, when we are intentionally called names (like silly boomberg’s black hats comment…) No noise, not even a hush (besides some media hungry/attention seekers like Dov…)
But when somebody dresses up for purim as we have done for the past hundreds of yrs without any intentions to hurt anybody, and the media goes to the black community, and ‘explains’ them they should ‘feel’ hurt… Look at the outcry!!!
I guess it depends on the IQ…
so if I dress as a rabbi or an old woman, or anything else for that matter, am I insulting those people? I don’t get this time/taxpayer money waster. Perhaps as a politician, he should be more sensitive, but point made, move on!! must be a slow-news day. Media circus as usual
For all I know – this billionare Bloomberg- who ownes Large News stations in NY- possibly could have sponsered or provoked this news conference.
Especially that his hatered toward Hikinds was already expressed a few weeks ago (in the Brooklyn college despute).
If there would be such media coverage every time a Black assulted a Jew in Crown Heights………….
We would need to dedicate 10’s of Newspapers and full time radio stations.
My only explanation to all this could be that some people just can’t handle a religious Jew in power.
Mr Bloomingdale we call for your resignation.
No one is getting the point!! The point is to use some seichel!! This is no better than a non-Jew dressing up like a rabbi on Halloween – they don’t do it because they like Jews, and Hikind wasn’t doing it because he likes basketball players!!