New York Governor Andrew Cuomo justifiably crucified an upstate Rabbi, Noson Leiter, for statements he made during a speech in support of Senate candidate Neil DiCarlo, a gay marriage opponent. Leiter claimed Hurricane Sandy was some sort of “divine” payback for New York having legalized gay marriage. The Rabbi actually had the audacity to call the storm that took at least 40 New Yorkers' lives “divine justice,” particularly for lower Manhattan, which he referred to as “one of the national centers for homosexuality.”
Governor Cuomo, who aggressively supported the Legislature to approve gay marriage last year, said Rabbi Noson Leiter’s statements were “as offensive as they are ignorant.” I agree 100 percent.
“Our state is proud to offer equal rights to all our citizens, and we will never tolerate the use of a tragedy like Hurricane Sandy to promote a divisive and bigoted agenda,” he added.
Amen, Governor Cuomo. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Rabbi Leiter's words are repulsive. This is exactly why church and state are supposed to be kept separate. Leiter’s statements were hateful and bigoted. Saying that New York was hit with Sandy as divine justice for legalizing gay marriage is the same as saying that someone’s child deserves cancer because the parent voted for the wrong politician. I am not saying that he can’t oppose gay marriage; every American has a right to his or her own opinion. But to pass judgment at a time when his fellow New Yorkers are so devastated is beyond tasteless.
Rabbi Leiter's latest display demonstrates everything that is wrong with the world and particularly with politics. Hate-mongering is running rampant and people forget that "WE the people" is not just the people who we deem worthy; it is all of the people. Legalized gay marriage didn't cause Hurricane Sandy, bad weather did. But ignorant comments made by powerful men can spread hatred like wildfire and in my book that is a much bigger transgression.
What do you think of Rabbi Leiter calling Hurricane Sandy divine justice for legalized gay marriage in New York?
Image via Saebaryo/Flickr
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Comments 11
it's hateful and bigoted, and the governor said it best himself. i know that there are many moms on The Stir who have different opinions from my own - but i would never tell them their child "deserved" an injury because of that. and really, i think at this point, i don't care if you're a rabbi or a regular joe or the governor or whatever - there are people in need and people who have lost so much. are you going to trivialize their losses for your agenda?
i miss when the mass message of religion was love and acceptance, not hate and bigotry.
Gee, I thought rabbis were required to be educated.
Some extremist, lunatic always comes out and says "God did this because you (insert sin here)." It's so shameful to me.
I don't understand why we even put any stock into stupid stuff like this. If someone comes out and said stupid things, we should just completely ignore them and let them fade away.
I wonder if he's part of the Westboro Baptist Church?
There is no God, so there is no Divine Justice.
But if there is a God, he's probably pissed about it.......................