Jewish ‘modesty patrols’ sow fear in Israel

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27023066/
Jewish ‘modesty patrols’ sow fear in Israel
Some terrified that mere perception of impropriety could ruin their lives

updated 2 hours, 35 minutes ago
JERUSALEM - In Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, where the rule of law sometimes takes a back seat to the rule of God, zealots are on a campaign to stamp out behavior they consider unchaste. They hurl stones at women for such "sins" as wearing a red blouse and attack stores selling devices that can access the Internet.

In recent weeks, self-styled "modesty patrols" have been accused of breaking into the apartment of a Jerusalem woman and beating her for allegedly consorting with men. They have torched a store that sells MP4 players, fearing devout Jews would use them to download pornography.

"These breaches of purity and modesty endanger our community," said 38-year-old Elchanan Blau, defending the bearded, black-robed zealots. "If it takes fire to get them to stop, then so be it."

[amdezurik]

1. uh...and we hear cries of horror

when acts like this are reported about Muslim countries...and this is hardly noted

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I guess the Taliban hasn't cornered the market for religious extremist lunacy.

[tuckessee]

3. Everyone has their own "Taliban".

Not just religions but political philosophies, sports teams and everything in between.

People are a strange & dangerous commodity when the like-minded start assembling.

[lurky]

4. Great, a Jewish Taliban...

I have decided that all fanatics are basically the same, regardless of what they "believe". This just gives more ammunition to my argument. These modesty patrols sound suspiciously like those squads they had in Iran after the Islamic Revolution.

[aquart]

7. You just figured that out?

[amdezurik]

14. yep, the real enemy is "fundamentalism"

and the only reaction that seems to come from those types on a consistant basis is "I must KILL you to protect me from things i am to weak to think about"

[Canuckistanian]

5. Yikes, this sounds like a new twist

Taliban-like "purity sqauds"? In Israel?

And where is law enforcement? Joining in on the fun?

[MrScorpio]

6. Bar Refaeli is quaking in her bikini

[JHB]

17. Where?

:applause:

[spag68]

8. MP4 Players

I must be really behind the times, I thought they were still on MP3 players. Where can I get the new models?

[fujiyama]

9. It's been said

that were it not for the constant threat it faces by external enemies, Israel's internal divisions would have torn it apart.

A majority of Israelis are moderate, and many are even liberal, just like those in the US, but th Orthodox are a powerful force.

[wuushew]

10. I doubt they are powerful individually

is it orthodox to hit the gym? These guys are going to get their asses kicked eventually.

[JCMach1]

11. Morgan Spurlock experienced some of this in "Where in the World is Osama bin Laden"

He and his crew were literally about to get stoned (and not in a good way) by some ultra-orthodox people in Jerusalem.

[caty]

12. Just one more

example of hateful mean-spirited people using religion to excuse their violent tendencies. Sometimes I think that if we could stamp out religion, we could end most of the bad things that happen in the world.

[Indenturedebtor]

13. What in the hell????!!!?!?!?!?

I don't see most Israelis being willing to put up with this crap. Seriously they are more liberal than the US. This is shocking.

[fizzgig]

15. i have always said that a zealot is a zealot and an extremist is an extremist, no matter the stripe

i often see discussions about christian or muslim fundamentalism, but nothing on jewish fundamentalism. it's there and it can be scary, but the only time i've ever discussed in depth is with my jewish father and my sister.

[JHB]

16. It's not a gaaang, it's a "modesty patrol"

If they act like thugs, treat them like thugs.

Go directly to jail, do not pass Go, do not collect $200.