DeSean Jackson, Public School Principals, Orthodox Jewish Rabbis and Political Figures

So, I was just inundated with reactions to statements made by DeSean Jackson last week, including a friend and colleague who asked me to write about this (Thank you IG). First of all, in terms of full disclosure, I had no idea who this person who caused such an uproar is and had to be educated as to his being a team member of the Eagles (football team for Philadelphia, for those of you as outside of the sports awareness loop as I generally am, much to the chagrin of my family and too many friends!) and his importance to them as a great wide receiver (whatever that is!). So, this is what I have figured out…. This Eagles wide receiver who is supposed to be really great and very valuable to the team, and therefore probably admired by and a potential role model to many made comments that were clearly anti-Semitic (as well as incorrectly attributed) causing a great stir and angst among many.

As one who believes that we best learn when putting isolated incidents in context, let us concider the time-honored words of Tom Lehrer, in his song, National Brotherhood Week.

Oh, the white folks Hate the black folks And the black folks Hate the white folks To hate all but the right folks Is an old established rule

But during National Brotherhood Week National Brotherhood Week Lena Horne and Sheriff Clark are dancing cheek to cheek, it's Fun to eulogize the People you despise As long you don't let them in your school…

Oh the Protestants hate the Catholics And the Catholics hate the Protestants And the Hindus hate the Muslims And everybody hates the Jews, but during

National Brotherhood Week National Brotherhood Week, it's National Everyone-Smile-At -One-Another-hood Week, be Nice to people who are Inferior to you It's only for a week so have no fear Be grateful that it doesn't last all year

Source: https://genius.com/Tom-lehrer-national-brotherhood-week-lyrics

Then of course there is the writing of German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller, on whose tombstone, one iteration of the following sentiment appears:

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Going further, there are too many various versions of this sentiment, including the very dark and chilling poem by Maurice Ogden entitled The Hangman which you are free to look at here:

https://www.edhelper.com/poetry/The_Hangman_by_Maurice_Ogden.htm

We get it! People hate people who do not agree with them; do not think like them, do not live like them, do not look like them, and simply are deemed, by whatever arbitrary criteria, as not worthy of their approval. This hatred may be intentional, inherited, representative of social constructs, conscious or subconscious. Unfortunately and generally, the permission to actively exercise this hatred is just clearly ingrained in our society. So, there is nothing we can do about it, right? Wrong! WE CAN and DO make a difference.

Two stories that happened to our son, Brian prove this. We are a Jewish Day School family and our three older daughters went completely though these schools. This was clearly our intention for our youngest, our son, but the school he went to was not, to be clear and concise, a safe or validating space for him and the other school we wanted to consider did not want to take him on as a student. So, we had our first experience with the Public School system; in our area, specifically and thankfully the Cheltenham Township Public Schools and wonderful Dr. Pamula Hart, conscientious Mrs. Irene Parker, fabulous teachers and many opportunities throughout his education. The first incident was in elementary school when a group of boys took Brian’s Kipah on the playground during recess, which he wore all of the time along with Tzitzit, to school, and began tossing it and playing “Keep Away.” Dr. Hart would not have it! She spent hours and hours talking to the boys who did this, the by-standers who watched, Brian, the parents of all involved and then brought everyone together in conversation for apologies, to learn more about each other and to understand that we need to work and play and learn together with respect. The lesson was well learned by all. We had no more incidents until ….

In grade seven, Brian was sitting in class and the girl behind him started drawing a swastika on his neck. She was immediately removed from class, I was called out of a faculty meeting I was running and told about the situation. I ascertained that Brian was fine and then asked about the girl. They told me this meant an immediate expulsion as Cheltenham is a No Place for Hate School System. I then asked them to back up – I had one question – is this girl brand new to the school system? The principal answered that she was and how did I know to ask? My response was that there was no way a student who had been there for the previous year, during which one third of the year was a study of the Holocaust and all that went wrong as well as lessons learned would do that. I could not believe that students educated for years in this school system, which valued midot (standards of behavior) as well as any other aspect of the educational system, would commit such an infraction. I indicated that she needed education not expulsion. The faculty then worked with me to come up with a two-week course to “catch her up” to the rest of the community regarding this important topic and she would serve an in-school suspension while she was working through the material. At the end of her study, she wrote a beautiful apology to Brian and they became good friends. This was the brilliance of Dr. Hart and Mrs. Parker and the faculty of Cheltenham Public Schools -- to educate, process and carefully watch for and oversee change – they were successful! We were thrilled!

I hear it and I see it … this lack of respect, care, knowledge of the other and the fear it generates. That is precisely why I spend so much time working across faith lines, trying to negotiate relationships between those who may not have knowledge of each other. I absolutely love and cherish my friends and colleagues who are Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu, and across other religious spectrums and within the continuums of these communities. We speak respectfully, we ask questions, we genuinely care for each other and ALL OF US are doing this in concert with our respective faith’s foundational beliefs providing direction and energy. I often state that I have far more in common with these individuals than with those in my own faith community who forget that a most critical part of being religiously observant is to live with humility, not hubris; to remember that no one person has the complete picture; to consider how your story impacts on others and theirs on you; and that ultimately, we need each other in important and continuing ways. These relationships are healing, validating and meaningful and the work we all do together is so important and MAKES HUGE DIFFERENCES!

For those who prefer to play the “who said this” game, it’s so easy to get angry and to feel justified in one’s own reactions… The fact of the matter is that THERE ARE MEMBERS OF ALL OF OUR GROUPS THAT ACT WITH SUCH LACK OF CONCERN WITH OTHERS. I have often heard people, for example, in more religiously pitched communities claim that their way of life is the best and ensures proper behavior. Yet, I can give you a too long list of Orthodox Rabbinic authorities who DO NOT ACT according to the standards of behavior DEMANDED by our system of life (and to be sure, there are many, many WONDERFUL Orthodox Rabbis who do!). My point is that when we hear about Priests, Rabbis, people in religious authority and people in important positions of political leadership whose actions and words are followed by many and should be standing as role models act inappropriately, I get far more upset than when this is the case with, from my perspective, a random member of one sports team.

But, I know all too well that many will look at DeSean Jackson and others like him as their role models before considering their national or religious leaders and here is where he and others like him have to learn that with the privilege of their position comes responsibility. Education, such as that which our son and his school community received in his public school education and so many receive in wonderful educational institutions – both private and public; the example that is provided by responsible and intelligent leaders in our community who understand that with THEIR position of privilege comes a platform with great responsibility – this is what we should be looking at, publicizing and paying attention to. If we take those who misuse and abuse their platforms off of them (hint to social media here!) and give that space to those who are sharing meaningful and caring and helpful messages, maybe we will not have the problem of DeSean Jackson, his words and those who have not benefitted from positive role models who follow him and inflame our already fractured world further!