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8 | JULY 30 • 2020
1942 - 2020
Covering and Connecting
Jewish Detroit Every Week
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How to reach us see page 13
against ignorance and hatred
of all types. As we fight for
equality in the Black commu-
nity, we can’
t step on the necks
of another. It is important to
speak up in times like these
and I want to thank @zbnfl
for his leadership on this very
important matter. There is no
place for hate in this world!”
At ADL, we couldn’
t agree
more. In fact, our K-12 school
cultural framework is actually
called “No Place For Hate,”
and schools in the Metro
Detroit area have used the
platform to take control of the
narrative to establish diverse
and inclusive speech, actions
and proactive school-wide
programming.
I have often cited
“Oppression Olympics” as
a reason one minority will
practice indifference toward
another minority. We like to
think we have the market cor-
nered on oppressive history.
But this is dangerous because
none of us are safe until we are
all safe. And let’
s face it: Until
we acknowledge it is wrong to
act with indifference toward
another marginalized group,
we will continue to flounder
as a human race.
Is there a way to separate
fact from fiction on social
media? And doesn’
t every
American have a right to say
what is on their mind? The
answer is yes and yes. But we
must not excuse away our
due diligence because of the
fast-paced timing of Twitter
or Instagram. Do your home-
work. Take time to actually
know what a person stands for
before you weigh in on a topic.
Understand what you are put-
ting forth before you hit send.
Mark Twain once said, “I
didn’
t have time to write a
short letter, so I wrote a long
one instead.” It’
s tough to
write concisely; it often takes
much longer to craft one sen-
tence than it does to write a
paragraph. But the power of a
280-character tweet can send
shockwaves worldwide. And
please remember: Celebrity
status does not equal authority
on a subject.
This is a time of unprec-
edented challenges. The
COVID-19 pandemic has
turned our lives upside down,
and the murder of George
Floyd has ignited passion for
change in tens of thousands
of people in our country. We
must not waste this moment.
We must actively pursue edu-
cating ourselves about our
privilege, our diversity and our
commonalities. And we must
rally together against those
— like Louis Farrakhan and
the people who repeat his vile
homophobic and antisemitic
hatred — to ensure we stand
up to hate of all marginalized
groups, not just our own.
One final reflection about
the evolution of thought:
With all the “communication”
swirling around our electronic
devices and making its way
into our heads, let us remem-
ber the act of forgiveness. If
you sense contrition, at least
accept the idea that people
can change their minds about
a topic. Both DeSean Jackson
and Nick Cannon have apolo-
gized and have vowed to learn
more. Will they? Only time
will tell. But before we write
them off, let us give them a
chance for growth. We must
help each other reach com-
mon understandings. And that
goes for all of us.
Carolyn Normandin is the regional
director of the Michigan ADL.
To obtain No Place For Hate
programming information, contact
Michigan.adl.org.
chew on.
”
So not only did we provide some
animal with a cozy new dwelling,
with edible chocolate-covered
wires, but we also provided him
with preventative dental care.
A few days later, and several
hundred dollars poorer, we were
able to pick up Marshmallow from
the mechanic. The good news: The
animal had been evicted. The bad
news: The car reeked.
At first, we suspected that our
unwanted tenant had died some-
where in the car, but nope, turned
out it was one of those tiny bottles
of milk we’
d picked up from a food
distribution area the week before.
One had somehow lodged itself
under a seat, where it sat for a
jolly few days while the mechanic
worked his expensive magic.
And then the 90-degree weather
turned up. Things turned ugly fast.
The milk fermented and a most
horrific shade of the most fetid
odor filled the car. Yet another
unexpected consequence of the
pandemic!
So if you happen to see a white
van gliding smoothly down the
street, with a bunch of kids gagging
out the wide open windows, with
about 25 of those tree shaped vanil-
la-scented air fresheners flapping in
the breeze, that would be me.
Beep and say hi!
OKWARA from page 5
PANDEMIC from page 5