6 | MARCH 30 • 2023
Letter to the Editor
“Diversity and Inclusion”
“Diversity and inclusion”
never seem to include
Jews, and as we’ve seen
at Bloomfield Hills High
School, “diversity and
inclusion” can descend
into Jew hatred. Somehow,
even though almost 60% of
religiously motivated hate
crimes are committed against
Jews, BHHS program orga-
nizers couldn’t find a Jewish
speaker to speak about
anti-Jewish discrimination.
While others are praising
Superintendent Watson’s
letter of contrition, Watson
minimized antisemitism by
tying it to “Islamophobia.”
Muslim students were not
the ones being humiliated
and denigrated by a bigot-
ed speaker. And it wasn’t
“Islamophobia” that caused
students to wave Palestinian
flags and chant “We love
Kanye West.”
Somehow, it’s never ok to
fight antisemitism on its own.
It must always be tied to some
other form of bigotry, as if
Jews aren’t worthy, and we
must ride others’ coattails or
get permission. In addition,
BHHS Principal Stroughter
said that “faculty will work
with Jewish and Muslim
student leadership groups.”
Is there something we’re not
being told? Jewish students
suffered. Did Muslim students
have a hand in it?
Worse, at a public meeting
meant to address this epi-
sode, Watson read a letter
from the “Islamic commu-
nity” suggesting that calling
out Arraf’s antisemitism is
“Islamophobic.” There were
many more Muslims than
Jews in attendance.
If we are looking for
meaningful change though,
we’d better learn to stand up
as Jews. We must demand
that BHHS, and public edu-
cation in general, do better.
That means teaching about
Israel and Jewish history
beyond the Holocaust. The
Holocaust didn’t just happen
at Hitler’s whim. It was the
culmination of centuries of
European persecution.
This episode is just a taste
of the Jew-hatred that has
been revived on university
campuses. Jewish BHHS stu-
dents will face even worse
antisemitism and anti-Jewish
indoctrination in the guise
of “diversity and inclusion”
and “criticism of Israeli gov-
ernment policies” when they
arrive at the university of
their choice.
It is incumbent upon us
to make sure our children
know our history. They need
to be able to counter the
antisemitic lies they will be
fed by the numerous bigoted
anti-Israel professors and
student groups.
In short, even as we expect
BHHS to do better, we, and
our local Jewish leadership,
must do better. We’ve gotten
way too comfortable, and it
is our children who are pay-
ing the price.
Respectfully,
Harry Onickel
Ferndale, MI
PURELY COMMENTARY
1942 - 2023
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