Ra’ananaSir, – Jeff Barak’s column (“The firing of Larry Derfner,” Reality Check, September 5) demonstrates a sense of brotherhood, commiseration and unity with his friend – qualities that were sorely lacking in Derfner’s controversial blog post.It was the philosophical underpinnings of the posting that disturbed me the most: To paraphrase a Marxist adage, they were that the end justifies the means.Also, I asked myself what Derfner hoped to gain by writing an alienating article to shock the public. The answer that occurred to me is that he wanted to arouse the anger of the populace against the present Israeli government so that as voters they would blame Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the Likud for a new intifada. It was a subtle strategy, a long shot, but it backfired.ELISHEVA BORENSONJerusalemSir, – The Larry Derfners and Jeff Baraks (“Firing Larry Derfner,” Reality Check, September 5) just don’t get it. The Jerusalem Post is a politically right-of-center paper and there are limits to what its constituents will tolerate in the name of “balance.”The great majority of your readers are not interested in the views of these so-called pundits. In fact, we have precisely chosen your newspaper in an attempt to take refuge from the left-oriented columnists that inundate the majority of the Israeli media.When I pick up the Post each morning, I am looking for an escape from the forebodings of the Derfners and Baraks. Grant us our morning respite by indulging in the world of Walter Mitty.Allow us this peace and tranquility each morning before we face the inevitable challenges of the rest of the day.ROBERT DUBLIN JerusalemA fair chance Sir, – Regarding “A civics lesson” (Editorial, September 2), there is undoubtedly a growing problem in Israel regarding the education of Ethiopian-Israelis and other less-affluent immigrant children.Instead of teaching these children that they are a very important factor in the future of Israel, we are actually encouraging the continuation of an underclass with all the prejudices and disadvantages.As a result of my having originally lived in South Africa, it is as plain as the nose on my face that this treatment is simply begging for a similar scenario. Possibly, this is because of a certain amount of racism among certain lawmakers and educators.
Letters: Back to Derfner
If readers such as myself decide not to buy the paper because Derfner writes for it, then freedom of expression, happily, is alive and well.
Ra’ananaSir, – Jeff Barak’s column (“The firing of Larry Derfner,” Reality Check, September 5) demonstrates a sense of brotherhood, commiseration and unity with his friend – qualities that were sorely lacking in Derfner’s controversial blog post.It was the philosophical underpinnings of the posting that disturbed me the most: To paraphrase a Marxist adage, they were that the end justifies the means.Also, I asked myself what Derfner hoped to gain by writing an alienating article to shock the public. The answer that occurred to me is that he wanted to arouse the anger of the populace against the present Israeli government so that as voters they would blame Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the Likud for a new intifada. It was a subtle strategy, a long shot, but it backfired.ELISHEVA BORENSONJerusalemSir, – The Larry Derfners and Jeff Baraks (“Firing Larry Derfner,” Reality Check, September 5) just don’t get it. The Jerusalem Post is a politically right-of-center paper and there are limits to what its constituents will tolerate in the name of “balance.”The great majority of your readers are not interested in the views of these so-called pundits. In fact, we have precisely chosen your newspaper in an attempt to take refuge from the left-oriented columnists that inundate the majority of the Israeli media.When I pick up the Post each morning, I am looking for an escape from the forebodings of the Derfners and Baraks. Grant us our morning respite by indulging in the world of Walter Mitty.Allow us this peace and tranquility each morning before we face the inevitable challenges of the rest of the day.ROBERT DUBLIN JerusalemA fair chance Sir, – Regarding “A civics lesson” (Editorial, September 2), there is undoubtedly a growing problem in Israel regarding the education of Ethiopian-Israelis and other less-affluent immigrant children.Instead of teaching these children that they are a very important factor in the future of Israel, we are actually encouraging the continuation of an underclass with all the prejudices and disadvantages.As a result of my having originally lived in South Africa, it is as plain as the nose on my face that this treatment is simply begging for a similar scenario. Possibly, this is because of a certain amount of racism among certain lawmakers and educators.