The Orthodox world is all up in arms over the New York Post’s cover about the kidnapping/murder of real estate developer Menachem Stark. To be sure, Jewdar would tend to fall on the side of those who find the cover in poor taste. But then–and here’s where we part ways — Jewdar has always tended to fall on the side of those who find the Post to be in poor taste, not to mention just a pretty crappy newspaper. And that’s why–sympathies for the deceased’s family notwithstanding–Jewdar finds the uproar over the cover a little bit of kosher chickens coming home to roost.
Those outside of New York may not be aware that as full of trash as the Post is, it is nonetheless favored by many in the Orthodox community for its right wing politics and stance on Israel. And so the same people who regularly condemn the secular media for its lack of morals regularly sit on the train reading a paper that consists primarily of gossip columns and calumnies, not unlike the cover that has people so offended (the big difference, of course, that this particular obnoxious cover targets a frum Jews). So Jewdar would say this is a great moment of cheshbon nefesh for Orthodox readers of the Post; next time you see the Post skewering somebody who’s not in your community, you might be a little less adulatory–or better yet, maybe you’ll quit reading the Post entirely (and if the Times is too left for you, Jewdar recommends the Daily News).
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