NAACP Comfortable With Muhammad’s Beliefs
Burt Siegel’s well-intentioned attempt to minimize the foundational anti-Semitism of Philadelphia NAACP President Rodney Muhammad is myopic for one important reason (“Black-Jewish Relations in Philadelphia: Then and Now,” Aug. 6). And that reason extends far beyond Philadelphia.
The national NAACP has distanced itself from Muhammad’s core anti-Semitic beliefs, but it has not fired him. Clearly, the national NAACP has to know that Muhammad for many years has enthusiastically promoted the Hitlerian anti-Semitism of Louis Farrakhan.
Even now with Muhammad posting Der Sturmer-like images on Facebook, the national NAACP has not fired him.
There is obviously a comfort level between the national NAACP and Muhammad’s Jew hatred or else he would have been fired.
Notwithstanding Siegel’s words to the contrary, there is much for the Jewish community across the country — not just in Philadelphia — to fear about this comfort level.
Richard Sherman | Margate, Florida
Attacks on Trump Hurt Argument
Burt Siegel (“Black-Jewish Relations in Philadelphia: Then and Now,” Aug. 6) suddenly discovered the Jew-hating local NAACP President Rodney Muhammad whom he has seemingly ignored since 2016, when Muhammad defended the Nation of Islam that he was serving as Minister of Mosque No. 12 (https://tinyurl.com/y2aqn22f).
Instead of condemning the National NAACP for supporting Muhammad (https://tinyurl.com/yxutdtkn), Siegel (vice-chair of Democratic Jewish Outreach PA) then felt compelled to pivot to a false political attack on President Trump, replete with jokes The Donald had told to Jewish audiences and anonymous ad hominem characterizations.
He then cited the “very fine people” hoax (https://tinyurl.com/y6ho37wn), debunked by reviewing the transcript of his defense of Americans who didn’t want HISTORICAL STATUES to be violently dismantled (https://tinyurl.com/ycngkdnx) years before the current turmoil.
In the process, Siegel ignored Trump’s pro-Israel policies that some feel justify his being dubbed “The First Jewish President,” a perspective conveyed in two Exponent essays—Dr. Sklaroff pre-election (https://tinyurl.com/y47aqpdr), and post-election (https://tinyurl.com/yywvtups with Ms. Lynne Kessler Lechter)—that inter alia prompted Israel to construct “Trump Heights” in the Golan.
Erosion of support for Biden isn’t limited to Jews, for Democrats are justifiably worried also about the Black (https://tinyurl.com/yd6wt493) and Hispanic (https://tinyurl.com/yb96oovn) voters—noting recent gaffes (https://tinyurl.com/y28hpclr)—perhaps explaining why Siegel lacked the discipline to focus upon the challenge captured in the title of his piece.
Robert B. Sklaroff | Rydal
Lynne Kessler Lechter | Philadelphia
More Articles on Minority Support, Please
I am a Holocaust survivor and have read plenty of anti-Semitic statements over my lifetime.
The Jewish Exponent’s managing editor should write articles that support minority groups in Pennsylvania instead of writing this type of article (“Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Will No Longer Work With Local NAACP,” Aug. 6) because one employee (local leader) of the local NAACP did not realize the word he used was anti-Semitic.
He had already apologized, willing to address the issue further.
I have always felt that the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia does not do enough to speak out about the way minority groups are treated.
As Jews, we have an obligation to make sure that we support these people instead of writing your type of article.
Franklin Lewinson | Dresher
Burt Siegal’s support of Rodney Muhammad’s blatant anti-Semitism is an example of irrational Jewish support for the once great democratic party. If Muhammad’s statement was an outlier an apology should be enough to end the problem. Unfortunately it’s not. Louis Farrakhan, “Jews are termites” is connected to some democrats, the squad is full of Jew-haters, several black athletes have made nasty statements about Jews and the party’s leaders have failed miserably in their response or lack of such. It’s time for all of us to stand up and fight back.