Queens, NY – A Queens Democrat has sent out mailings illustrated with a swastika that label his rival for an open Assembly seat as an “extremist” who is “out of touch with our community’s values.”
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Just days before a special election for a northeastern Queens seat, former Councilman David Weprin attacked Republican and Conservative party candidate Bob Friedrich with literature showing the Nazi symbol and text accusing his foe of not taking a tough enough stance against hate crimes.
One side of the ad shows police officers, crime scene tape, and a photoshopped swastika with the text: “Extreme Conservative Bob Friedrich Doesn’t Think Hate Crimes Deserve Special Punishment.”
Friedrich—who is Jewish—called the mailing “repugnant” and “offensive to all people.” He told the NY Post: “Hateful campaign tactics like this, using Nazi propaganda with a swastika, really is offensive … It goes beyond anything that I have ever seen in a campaign. I was sickened to my stomach when I saw it.”
Weprin— who is also Jewish—hasn’t commented on the mailers. But his campaign manager, Corey Bearak, confirmed they were sent out by the campaign. In a statement to the Daily News, Bearak said illustrating the ads with a swastika shouldn’t be considered offensive:
“It’s not offensive to make sure people know just home extreme Republican-Conservative Bob Friedrich is; this extremist opposes hate crimes legislation—it’s offensive that Republican Bob Friedrich actually opposes hate crimes legislation.”
I have no problem with the mailing.
Weprin is FRUM and he is rightfully attacking his opponent who doesnt take hate crimes seriously! KOL HAKAVOD Councilman weprin/
I went to law school with both these clowns…Weprin and Bearak. Clowns, I tell you. Using swastikas. Two Jewish clowns. Vote Republican for common sense, fellow Yidden.
Jews put Weperin in office. You deserve the democrat that you got.
weprin is a super friend of the jewish community and its causes and mosdos!
Hate crimes are ridiculous! Its either a crime or it isn’t. What weprin doesn’t tell you is that the typical conservative believes in fully prosecuting all crimes, not just the ones liberal (read democrats)find offensive.
The biggest joke is here, that friedrich is also a Democrat, and the Gop r putting him on there line, besides that David Weprin is frum and friedrich not Queens PPl Vote for weprin
the headline is spun and so is the article to make it look like the republican is the jew and not the dem. bottom line is that weprin is not only a jew he is frum and bekarak exploited that by having the spun story published on shabbos. bottom line is that weprin is a great friend of the community and goes to every single dinenr and event from ever mosad educational instution and chesed organization and has a very valid point with this mailing that only shows what is troubling about his candidate. instead of addressing the issue, his oppoentn is whining ab out the maling but says nothing about his own stance on hate crimes.
i meant freidrich not bekarak
I hereby retract what I wrote above about Weprein and Bearak being clowns. I feel really bad that I wrote it. They are probably well meaning people and I am sorry I wrote those words.
Who cares that Werpin is Frum? The question is what his values are. The fact that he calls someone an extremist just for having an opinion contrary to his own seems to say that HE (Werpin) is the real extremist. A jew shouldn’t support thought police. Every criminal should be prosecuted to the highest extent of the law regardless of what goes on in his brain. Thought police is a welcome concept in soviet style governments and shouldn’t be welcome here. (And yes, I’m a frum chassidisher male, not that it should matter!)
hate crime shmate crime. you dont commit crimes against people you love and if you do…. you are a sick puppy!
This is an another example of the hateful politics of liberals. The liberals and
socialists are the real extremists. Conservatives stand up for America and
traditional values. Bob Friedrich is a decent man who deserves to be elected. Weprin should be ashamed of himself for engaging in disgusting smear tactics.
Here is the statement I issued early on Friday in response to Friedrich’s attacks. It was Friedrich who raised the story just in advance of Shabbos.
Statement from Corey Bearak, Weprin for Assembly Campaign Manager
It’s not offensive to make sure people know just how extreme Republican-Conservative Bob Friedrich is; this extremist opposes hate crimes legislation – it’s offensive that Republican Bob Friedrich actually opposes hate crimes legislation. Crimes driven by anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia and other prejudices deserve special attention and warrant extra-tough penalties. As a Jewish community leader who speaks out against anti-Semitism and other hate, I find it outrageous that an extremist like Friedrich, who is also anti-gun control and against Roe v. Wade, would run for office in our community. He will be rejected on February 9th.
Weprin is not frum. Wearing a little srugie with American and Israeli flags on it does not make a person frum. It makes him a whore for the votes of pro-Israel Jews in his district. Opposing hate crimes legislation in this context probably means that Mr. Freundlich opposed extending hate crimes laws to baalei toe’va homosexuals. Using a swastika against a Jeiwsh candidate is offensive, wrong, and hurtful, and the swastika should not be used in any political attacks.
“he didnt use a swastika against him…” That’s no way for a respectable person
to condemn hate crimes. Referring to republicans and conservatives
as Nazis. That is typical for liberals—and the Democrat machine backing Welprin.
So Welprin and his supporters are guilty of hate. It is therefore disgraceful for
Welprin to use such tactics. Friedrich is against hate. There are now severe
penalties for it. This particular legislation would also grant special status
to mishkav zuh-khor fanatics. It would then be possible to sue rabbis and clergy
for quoting psukim contra “Toeivah”. Don’t be naive—kinderlakh. Clergy
in Canada & Norway have been sued for quoting such “psukim”. So it’s more complicated than you think. “Hate crime” legislation sounds good—but not as it is currently formulated which gives khizuk to Toeivah mushkhasim. Friedrich understands this reality. Welprin is just playing politics with you. (Do you support
Toeivah?) Don’t be fooled by Welprin’s smear campaign.
Re #28 Using Nazi propaganda against Friedrich is very offensive to a lot of people.
Shame on Welprin. If you’re so worried about hate, you’d support Conservatives who want to restrict immigration which makes it so easy for Islamo-Fascist
fanatics to come here. But you probably don’t want to consider that reality; it’s
too difficult for you. Instead you attack Friedrich. Dus hayst: Tipshus.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO USE SWASTIKAS EVER!!!!! It is a disgusting symbol and I can’t even begin to imagine the feelings that boil up in the heart and soul of any survivor who sees it.
It is ABSOLUTELY as offensive if a Jew uses it as a gentile. It is vile and viscous. totally inexcusable and they should both be excused from the race.
#33 You lie. How can you defend Weprin’s dirty politics? Weprin and fanatics like u
are bad for the oilam. People should be aware of Weprin’s extremism as
cited above by ultra-liberal Corey Bearak. It is great Friedrich opposes
toeivah shmootz & abortion on demand. Bearak & Weprin mit dee gantze
khevra fin vilde toeivaniks are termisht in tsershtert.
Weprin is no more Frum than I. (Unless you think his actual religion is leftism with a lox veneer) You cannot claim to Daven and support “Hate Crime Laws” to protect homosexuals. These laws will be used to harass people with a Torah-oriented belief. Alread in Canada and Sweden, one can be prosecuted to quoting Leviticus in church. So far, Jews have not been PERSECUTED for following the Torah here. But that will change. In Canada, Zionists are PERSECUTED while Islamists calling for Jihad are protected.
Those supporting Hate Crime Laws are not acting for Jews but for leftism.
But celebrate your comming government persecution if you must. Just don’t call yourself Jewish doing so.