A Moral Dilemma

[Hobgoblin]

This happened to me last week during a class presentation. I was wondering what you all would have done.

I'm in grad school for library and information science, and my group was presenting on the Orthodox Jewish community on Chicago's north side. Our assignment was to pick a minority group and see how librarians handle serving them and their unique needs. (Orthodox Jews often want their kids to speak Yiddish and are particular about what they let the kids see. The idea to observe this group was made by an Orthodox Jew in our group, btw.)

As we were presenting to the class, one of our members, a Chicago police officer, presented her information about police calls to the neighborhood we studied. She made some very inappropriate remarks, asking if the Orthodox considered themselves better than other people because they dont allow "outsider" men to touch their women. She thought if a fire team responded to a call at a Jewish home, the male fire fighters couldnt rescue the women. Other things were said.

The rest of the group had not been told about what she would say and we were standing up with her, taken by surprise. Our Jewish member made a comment about being a feminist, an Orthodox Jew and having no trouble touching a man. She was nearly in tears and left class after the presentation.

We didnt speak to the offending group member and nor did she talk to us afterwards. My question is, would you have said anything or have kept quiet?

 

[doih]

Was it a presentation where everyone prepared individual parts or was it the group preparing the whole thing? Because if you're giving people free reign to prepare about the topic situations like that can occur. Especially if there's a crazy/stupid/etc. person in the group who you didn't know was crazy/stupid/etc. before.

I would have said something privately afterwards to the person who made the remarks. It would also depend on what was said though. Some things are just and I can't help reacting.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Was it a presentation where everyone prepared individual parts or was it the group preparing the whole thing? Because if you're giving people free reign to prepare about the topic situations like that can occur. Especially if there's a crazy/stupid/etc. person in the group who you didn't know was crazy/stupid/etc. before.

I would have said something privately afterwards to the person who made the remarks. It would also depend on what was said though. Some things are just and I can't help reacting.

It was a group presentation where each of us researched/observed separately and presented separately while other members waited their turn.

 

[Shemtov]

As we were presenting to the class, one of our members, a Chicago police officer, presented her information about police calls to the neighborhood we studied. She made some very inappropriate remarks, asking if the Orthodox considered themselves better than other people because they dont allow "outsider" men to touch their women. She thought if a fire team responded to a call at a Jewish home, the male fire fighters couldnt rescue the women. Other things were said.

As an Orthodox Jew myself, I have to say, that I wonder if that woman had some anti-semetic bias.
Also the part about male Firefighters not being able to rescue women is utter nonsense. To save lives, we believe that any sin may be commited except for Idoltry, Murder of a 3rd party, and Sexual Sins (Namely, Coitus or Anal with a Married Woman, Your Mother, Your Sister in Law, Your Aunt, Your Sister, Your Daughter, Your Grandaughter, Yuor Mother In law, Your Grandmother in Law, Your Stepmother, a Menstraunt, an Animal or something else that I can't mention without getting banned.)

 

[Hobgoblin]

So how would you have handled the situation? Corrected what she was saying as she said it? Waited until after the presentation was over? Or said nothing?

 

[Shemtov]

So how would you have handled the situation? Correctly what she was saying as she said it? Waited until after the presentation was over? Or said nothing?

What I bolded.

 

[SuperFerret]

As an Orthodox Jew myself, I have to say, that I wonder if that woman had some anti-semetic bias.
Also the part about male Firefighters not being able to rescue women is utter nonsense. To save lives, we believe that any sin may be commited except for Idoltry, Murder of a 3rd party, and Sexual Sins (Namely, Coitus or Anal with a Married Woman, Your Mother, Your Sister in Law, Your Aunt, Your Sister, Your Daughter, Your Grandaughter, Yuor Mother In law, Your Grandmother in Law, Your Stepmother, a Menstraunt, an Animal or something else that I can't mention without getting banned.)

How would that save lives?

 

[AndThePickles]

If she was presenting incorrect information, I think I would have corrected her during the presentation, if it was that bad.

 

[Hobgoblin]

If she was presenting incorrect information, I think I would have corrected her during the presentation, if it was that bad.

It wasnt so much that the information was wrong, as much as she was opining when we were supposed to just be explaining the facts we found. Also that the opinions were insulting.

 

[SuperFerret]

I would have either humorously pointed out her errors/bigotry, or made sarcastic remarks.

 

[AndThePickles]

It wasnt so much that the information was wrong, as much as she was opining when we were supposed to just be explaining the facts we found. Also that the opinions were insulting.

Hmmm. That definitely makes it tough. On one hand, she made an ass of herself by acting that way. But it is also possible that a lot of people believed her due to lack of knowledge about Orthodox Jews. I still would have said something during the presentation.

 

[Shemtov]

dp.

 

[Shemtov]

How would that save lives?

If a crazy, horny Married woman pointed a gun at you and said "My Husband won't sleep with. me. Sleep with me or your dead."

 

[SuperFerret]

If a crazy, horny Married woman pointed a gun at you and said "My Husband won't sleep with. me. Sleep with me or your dead."

Well...


Hmm...

 

[Shemtov]

Well...


Hmm...

What?

 

[SuperFerret]

You stumped me.

 

[Shemtov]

You stumped me.

How?

 

[SuperFerret]

I lacked a witty response.

 

[Paradoxium]

SuperFerret, I am disappoint.

Disarm her, tie her up, and **** her husband while she watches.

 

[Shemtov]

SuperFerret, I am disappoint.

Disarm her, tie her up, and **** her husband while she watches.

Though, if you think about certain options for something I left open, you'll releize that that would be self-deafeting.

 

[knowsbleed]

This happened to me last week during a class presentation. I was wondering what you all would have done.

I'm in grad school for library and information science, and my group was presenting on the Orthodox Jewish community on Chicago's north side. Our assignment was to pick a minority group and see how librarians handle serving them and their unique needs. (Orthodox Jews often want their kids to speak Yiddish and are particular about what they let the kids see. The idea to observe this group was made by an Orthodox Jew in our group, btw.)

As we were presenting to the class, one of our members, a Chicago police officer, presented her information about police calls to the neighborhood we studied. She made some very inappropriate remarks, asking if the Orthodox considered themselves better than other people because they dont allow "outsider" men to touch their women. She thought if a fire team responded to a call at a Jewish home, the male fire fighters couldnt rescue the women. Other things were said.

The rest of the group had not been told about what she would say and we were standing up with her, taken by surprise. Our Jewish member made a comment about being a feminist, an Orthodox Jew and having no trouble touching a man. She was nearly in tears and left class after the presentation.

We didnt speak to the offending group member and nor did she talk to us afterwards. My question is, would you have said anything or have kept quiet?

What exactly was so very inappropriate about the police officer's remarks as to bring a woman to tears? Perhaps I'm not understanding the gravity of the situation. Were there more specific inappropriate remarks other than the officer questioning whether Orthodox Jews were better than other people?

 

[Hobgoblin]

There were other things but I really dont remember.

 

[SuperFerret]

I'll be honest, after having lived near and worked in a heavily Orthodox neighborhood, they range (as all people do) from the very nice and polite to the very bigoted and arrogant. I can see, however, where she got the idea that they were elitist from.

 

[Shemtov]

I'll be honest, after having lived near and worked in a heavily Orthodox neighborhood, they range (as all people do) from the very nice and polite to the very bigoted and arrogant. I can see, however, where she got the idea that they were elitist from.

Where was this?

 

[SuperFerret]

Lived near Borough Park as a kid, and worked in Midwood after high school.