Politirant Political Forum

In New York’s Jewish neighborhoods, the fear is palpable and the evidence mounting that there’s a surge in anti-Semitism.
 
Snip

In Borough Park, Brooklyn, on Friday, just as three cars were torched in Potok’s neighborhood, someone used a key to etch a swastika into the lobby door of an apartment building on17th Ave.
 
Residents were stunned.
 
“I’m very upset,” said one 58-year-old man. “Why are they doing this? What’s going to come afterward.
 
“This is just the beginning.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn-jews-edge-uptick-hate-crimes-article-1.977087#ixzz1dpPTNUqE

That is really disturbing. Some vandalism like graffiti is not as big a deal but when cars start getting torched there is definitely a major problem.

I'm curious as to who they suspect. Some neighborhood folks reported being taunted on the street but the paper gives no racial or ethnic description.

Sometimes these sorts of crimes don't seem so much hate crimes as just trying to get people to freak. I don't know how to put it, but it's that the vandals don't hate Jews (or Blacks, or whoever) and are just trying to maximize the bang for the buck, kids being rebellious, know what I mean?

As far as the swastikas are concerned, yeah. I think you're probably right. I used to do stupid stuff like that because I thought it was rebellious and funny. Not on anyone's property of course. On the other hand, the public bullying is much more alarming. Not sure if it's really becoming more common or not.

Quote from: Mister D on November 15, 2011, 08:57:27 PM

Quote from: Conley on November 15, 2011, 08:54:20 PM

Sometimes these sorts of crimes don't seem so much hate crimes as just trying to get people to freak. I don't know how to put it, but it's that the vandals don't hate Jews (or Blacks, or whoever) and are just trying to maximize the bang for the buck, kids being rebellious, know what I mean?

As far as the swastikas are concerned, yeah. I think you're probably right. I used to do stupid stuff like that because I thought it was rebellious and funny. Not on anyone's property of course. On the other hand, the public bullying is much more alarming. Not sure if it's really becoming more common or not.

Public bullying definitely is bad...and once the news spreads of this violence the paranoia is going to spread too. 

Back in the late 1980s there was a lot of tension between Jews and blacks in NYC but I can't see black dudes running around painting swastikas. I'm curious about who the police are looking at. I wonder if there is any relation to the Wall Street protests.