Statement By ‘Di Tzeitung’: NY Post Dragging Us Back Into ‘Tale Of Two Cities’

The following is a lengthy statement by one of the most read newspapers in the Orthodox Jewish Community, De Tzeitung (The News Report):

The press coverage of the brutal murder of Mr. Menachem Stark is being dragged into the cesspool by the sewer “journalism” of the New York Post. From that rag, nothing better is to be expected. If blaming the victim is going to sell a few more papers, then so be it. True to their tradition, whenever a Chassidic Jew is involved in anything “newsworthy,” leave it to the Post to lead the charge to vilify, slander, libel not only the person in the news, but by extension the entire Chassidic community and their lifestyle, trying to reach as far as possible.

It is a sad day when the rest of the more respectable press and media don’t have the courage to stick to the facts, to show some common decency and compassion and yes, even to condemn the rag that puts their entire profession to shame.

Whoever heard of “blaming the victim” of a murder, becoming accepted to the degree of having a chase to come up with anything and everything? They are resorting even to known slanderous blogs, specializing in casting dirt by bloggers who admittedly have no personal knowledge or facts, but when a lie is repeated often enough, it becomes reported as “fact.”

Besides, none of the allegations is a capital crime. If the press is allowed to agitate for vigilante justice, instigate a class-war against landlords, we are going to slide into a “tale of two cities” which is dangerous and definitely not what the de Blasio program is about.

Which brings us to the central question, why does it seem that some in the Police Department are so interested in keeping up this campaign against Mr. Stark? Is there a personal vendetta against him, that he maybe didn’t allow himself to be shaken down by some corrupt people? Or is this an action against the Chassidic community? Still more likely, is this with the sinister aim to impress upon the family and community to lay off, not to press for a thorough investigation that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the guilty? Does somebody have an interest to “look the other way” when there is the possibility of Organized Crime involvement?

We call on the new administration, the new Mayor de Blasio, the new Police Commissioner Bratton, the new Brooklyn District Attorney Thompson, to undertake a REAL investigation – with a Grand Jury if needed – to ascertain the purpose of the programmed character assassination – from Police sources! – that we are witnessing against the victim of a brutal crime and against other innocent people and an entire community. If this matter will be swept under the rug, it will send an ominous message, that New York City is becoming Carson City.

This has to be nipped in the bud, as soon as possible!