Moral expediency

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Moral expediency, Democrat style.
Aref Assaf

November 1, 2007

We laude the Record for calling out the Democratic Party and particularly State Assemblyman Gary Schaer for failing to demand the resignation of Assemblyman Gordon Johnson (D-Englewood). By his own admission, Johnson has on several occasions contributed to the LaRouche campaign, in support of a known anti-Semitic freak. We question the silence of Assemblyman Gary Schaer, the moral voice of Passaic County and the self-appointed defender of Jewish interests.

We painfully recall how in 2005, Schaer almost singlehandedly raised hell to oust Sami Merhi, the Arab American Democrat, from the Passaic County’s Freeholder ticket - for comments falsely attributed to him about terrorism.
When we attempted to reach out to Schaer, he so confidently told us that no Arab American candidate would ever receive the party’s blessing until he approved the name. He so took credit for securing immediate support from the Governor and Senator Menendez to force Merhi’s removal from the Party’s slate. This is the same Assemblyman who literally forced the State Assembly to adopt a resolution of ‘religious accommodations’ aimed solely to benefit him and no one else. This is the same politician who, along with another 10 double-dipping public officials, has not signed onto the dual office holding restrictions. This is the same politician claiming loyalty and patriotism who has repeatedly petitioned the President of the United States to release a convicted spy and a traitor named Jonathan Pollard.

Is it political expediency that is precluding the demand for Johnson’s ouster? This is a question all Democrats must ask and especially members of the Jewish community whose sensitivities and interests are Schaer’s supposed mission. What political calculations are being doled out? Why is it OK to so unabashedly disrespect Arab Americans’ pride and their many years of dedication to the Democratic Party? This is but one among many more troubling questions we demand answers for to avert a possible community-wide migration from the party. Our community is growing disillusioned by the party that portends to be a party of inclusiveness.

This is a time for our party leadership to rid itself of this suffocating hypocrisy and misguided morality. A good start would be to vigorously support the candidacy of an Arab American to run for a major county or state-wide office. This is the time to act upon the community's longstanding demand for the creation of the Arab Heritage Commission.

Last week, while attending a conference in Michigan, I heard Howard Dean, the Democratic Party chairman, proudly proclaim that his party is the only one where a woman, a Black and a Hispanic are lead candidates for President of the United States. He went on to state that it is only in the Democratic Party that our community has a place on the table. But it seems we are not allowed to have a place on the ticket.