I have officially had enough. For the past few weeks, I have been going back and forth over who I should vote for in Tuesday’s election for governor. Back and forth I went, listening to this side and being convinced, then listening to that side and being convinced. But I’m done being convinced by anyone.
Here’s why: has anyone taken a step back and looked in the mirror at ourselves and what we have turned into over this election? Fighting, name-hurling, accusations, anonymous robocalls bashing fellow Yidden. Over and over again, I’m hearing not just reasons to vote for Phil Murphy or Jack Ciattarelli, but why one candidate – and all his supporters in Lakewood and beyond – are vicious, terrible people who don’t really care for the klal.
We have lost any ability that we had to listen to a perspective and politely disagree with it. Instead, it’s attack, attack, attack. If you don’t think like me, you’re a rasha. If you think the best way forward for our community is to vote for this candidate or that candidate, you’re an apikores and bizayon to klal yisroel. Have we fallen on our heads or have we just lost our way?
What is sadly clear is that our emunah and bitachon, and our belief that lev melachim b’yad hashem, is weak at best, nonexistent at worst. Can we please step back for a second and remember that we are supposed to – and deep down, we really do – love each other, even if we aren’t all in perfect lockstep? Can we take a breath and keep in mind that no matter who wins, Hashem has a plan and can determine which policies will go into effect and which won’t? Can we for a second try to remember that we believe in a Higher Power?
How have we so quickly forgotten the achdus, the love, the care for one another each and every one of us showed following the Meron and Surfside tragedies? How, in just a few months, have we reverted back to our old ways of fighting and hating on each other? How?
Because of this environment, I have decided not to vote. I will not be a part of this circus of hate and vitriol, I will not play a part in rampant sinas chinam.
(TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to letters@thelakewoodscoop.com)
This happens before every election!
I can’t agree more! This is exactly the way I feel!
same here not voting
Sorry I don’t know who you guys speak to!! Maybe your a part of the problem… I never had such fights over these discussions…. just noting
Same, also i say this with all due respect. When i came to a decision it seems like this rabbi says yes, this says no, so then instead of feeling like I am doing something wrong going against an opinion I just decided to not vote at all. Why can’t everyone be allowed to just vote who they want using their own brain hashem gave them?
Couldn’t agree more with this letter writer ! I have also been back and forth and back and forth and have decided that I’m better off not taking part in this election at all…
Hashem is in charge and HIS intended candidate will win…
P.S. looking forward to tomorrow when my phone will STOP ringing off the hook, and my answering machine wont be full of this hate filled propaganda
If you don’t vote, you lose the right to complain!
Like the dude who said they’re not having kids cuz they don’t know if boys or girls are better to have, so because there’s such disagreement over the issue, they’re just going to avoid the whole situation….. My friends, go vote. Close your eyes, daven for siyata dishmaya, and pick a candidate’s name out of a hat, but VOTE!
So here’s what confuses me. Why are you telling people who you are voting for?? Make an educated decision, nod politely when hearing opinions and then simply go vote for whomever YOU feel is the right candidate. You can avoid machlokes and exercise your right to vote during a time where voting has never been more important
I agree with the sentiments of the letter writer regarding the toxic environment we live in now where you can’t just have a civil debate with someone who disagrees with you. But I don’t think that has anything to do with voting. Your voting does not make you part of that environment. The only thing that would make you part of it is if you would act in the same negative way. I think you’re just using this as an excuse not to vote. Maybe you can’t decide or you just don’t feel like going to vote. That’s too bad if you’re not taking advantage of your rights as a U.S. citizen. But don’t blame your decision on everyone else.
Time to move to Eretz Yisroel ????
So there the elections are so calm and peaceful? The local media there must be completely fake news then…
Not voting is worse than voting for the “wrong” candidate. It shows apathy and convinces whomever is in charge of the government that the Jews don’t vote so their concerns don’t matter as much. Not voting is simply being poresh midarkei tzibbur and shows a lack of nosei b’ol chaveiro. Write your own name in if you want but vote.
I hang up on robo calls or press delete when listening to message. Don’t discuss politics – don’t get into any debates. Why is it anyone’s business who you vote for? That’s the main issue – just do it b’tzniyus. I asked my Rav and he told me to vote my conscience. I asked if it would be wrong to vote for the Conservative Candidate, even though the ‘powers that be’ tell us who to vote for. He said no, I should vote my conscience and not worry about anything. So that’s exactly what I am going to do. I don’t get into discussions, machlochos, name callling etc and no one has to – it’s YOUR choice.
Voting is important regardless of who you vote for. Communities that vote are communities that get listened to in the future. Its not only about the issues on the ballot today – its about all the things that we have no idea about in the future where it may make a difference to state lawmakers there are enough politically engaged people in Lakewood to merit paying attention to their concerns.
Its very simple. If you want vaccine mandates, vote Murphy. If you dont, vote Jack. Dont fool yourself. These vaccine mandates are real and coming with Murphy.
How does the decision not to vote in an election improve the issue brought up by the letter writer… It doesn’t.
who will you be teaching a lesson to? Do you think the tumult will die down the next election because of low turnout?
Perhaps the reason you are not voting is because of Atzlus (ayin Mesilas Yesharim), People will make up any excuse (and convince themselves of it, to justify their laziness)
I have an opinion who to vote for, but that isn’t the point, I think most honest people will agree that not voting at all is the worst possible path to take. It diminishes value politicians have of Lakewood, and will make them continue to ignore the issues that effect us. (route 9, school funding formula etc).
The state spends a lot of money on certain areas, and Lakewood, despite it’s relatively large population, is not one of them. That needs to change
Even if you vote for only one of the public questions and nothing else or only one member of the school board and nothing else – just GO VOTE!!
Politicians listen to the concerns of large voting BLOCKS!
The more people that vote, the larger the block looks to current and potential candidates.
All the evils in this world are a result of good people being too squeamish to fight for what is right. Freedom is at stake!
Even if the Democrats make special exceptions for your rights now, they won’t once they have more power. They believe in central planning and total government control over education, medicine, etc…
I didn’t vote either for the exact reason the letter writer gave. I do not discuss politics with others but the frantic robo calls yelling at me to vote for the candidate that he sees fit and using pesukim as his disgression (that have no relevance) to further his agenda
I went to vote this morning. My name was not in the computer. Board of Elections said I was in their data base. I had to vote with a provisional ballot – which means my vote won’t count at all. Something seems fishy. I wonder how many other people were left out of the computer and couldn’t vote properly
The line stretches for blocks! We have a bloc!
I hear what the letter is saying and I agree but for a different reason. 1st of all, in Coventry polling place, they did not ask for ID. So they’re gonna steal it anyway. 2nd of all, I was gonna vote Jack but a R”Y I admire and respect said that a vote for Jack is a Chilul H-shem.
Fine.
Who am I to argue.
I’m out.
I read this letter with dread. I was hoping at the end he’d say – OK, I dont like it but I’m gonna vote. It’s saddening that he’s not voting and sadder that many readers agree with him.
Listen – I know its hard, but you need to Avoid the heated conversations, don’t pick up the phone, delete you messages – whatever,
but YOU NEED TO GO VOTE.
The K’lal thanx you.
This election was decided by Lakewood. Not enough voted. The lying SUPPRESSION POLLS and apathy have won. 🙁
Remember this when Democrats inevitably come to regulate the religious schools, etc, etc, etc…