New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind has come forward to explain that there is no reason for people to be offended after he was shown wearing black face. The Brooklyn assemblyman explained that people just do not get the Jewish holiday Purim when people have fun dressing up. He noted that many children will dress up as Arabs. This was meant as a defense. Hikind previously introduced an anti-terrorism bill that allowed ethnic profiling for searches. It appears that he is something of an expert.
I grew up in a Jewish neighborhood that celebrated Purim and I am married to a Jewish woman but this is the first I have heard of black face being an innocent form of Purim fun.
Hikind, a Democrat, is one of the most powerful figures in Brooklyn and an outspoken voice for the Orthodox community — often objecting to slights and insults to his community. He has opposed same sex marriage and called Jews who support Obama “a disease.” When a Pakistani man was beaten by a Jewish mob calling his a terrorist, Hikind blamed the victim.
In this case, Hikind insisted that his Afro wig and black face was simply his vision of a “black basketball player.” He insisted that “the intention was not to offend anyone.” He first attacked his critics, saying that it was “political correctness to the absurd.”
He also stressed that he was dressed as a black guy and his wife was dressed as the Devil but “she’s not the devil.”
Hikind explained “A lot of people just don’t realize, on Purim, in a sense, forgive me for saying this, you do crazy stuff. It’s not done, God forbid, to laugh, to mock, to hurt, to pain anyone.” Of course, the only three costumes he could think of for Purim was the Devil, the Arab, and a black guy. Moreover, he seems to think black face is used for some other reason that “to laugh, to mock.” Racists do not put on black face to make a serious thoughtful point. They all think it is funny like Hikind . . . and they all fail to understand why everyone doesn’t get the joke.
Source: NY Times
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-february-26-2013/crazy-stupid-dov
People who can’t laugh at themselves only have others to poke fun at…..
This gives support to the germ theory of government it would seem.
As a former NY’er I know much of Dov Hikind. He is a terrible human being and a racist. He is a disgrace to the Jewish Community that elects him and is really a pretend Democrat. Loathsome individual and certaily too stupid to understasnd the sigificance of Purim, which is a holiday celebrating the foiling of oppression.
SM, Thanks for the clip. I love Jessica. Didn’t understand a bit of the dialog but it was sooo funny.
Just read he backed Romney. GOP mever rebuked their ractict followers, “Put white back in White HOuse” etc so this guy is perfect for them.
Didn’t anyone learn from Ted Danson’s pc mistake??
That wins the election is the worst part of it.
Sorry
That HE wins the election is the worst part of it.
“It does not take a majority to prevail…
but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” — Samuel Adams
Our minority seems to be irate, tired and keen on just getting through the day. Just the way they want us so we won’t fight back. Somethings gotta change.
Opps. That wasn’t supposed to go here….
what a putz
This schmuck is merely following in the playpattern of Eric Cantor’s grandpa, Eddie Cantor, who did the blackface thing back in Vaudeville times and early movies. Yep, Eric’s granpa. Ya heard it from me. Woof.
And when Malcom X wore the Yamulke the New Yorkies all called him a communist. Go figure. No, dont say that to this guy. The interplay between the white bigots and black folks, with jewboys interceding, is best humorized in Blazing Saddles.
Politically this particular New Yorkie is a schmuck and a RepubliCon at heart. I wonder what the NY Irish think of him.