That is a common refrain among many western governments. We will not negotiate with terrorists.
Of course, they almost always do. Just not publicly. They often don't really have a choice.
It is a bit more unusual when such a refrain comes from a private business.
The Ohr HaChayim bookstore in Geula has been targeted by the thugs (they call themselves the sikrikim). They have been incessantly attacking the store, breaking windows, damaging merchandise, gluing shut the locks and harassing customers and the store owner. This has been going on for a long time. Ohr HaChayim is not the only store in Geula - Mea Shearim that has been attacked. Others have as well, some caved and closed, some did not.
This group of thugs has been trying to get Ohr HaChayim to agree to commit to a series of terms. Such an agreement would bring quiet to the store. Ohr haChayim has been refusing to agree, saying they will not negotiate with terrorists.
There might have been a breakthrough this week. The thugs claim, with the backing of the Eida (if they ever deny their association with the thugs this proves that denial is a lie and just used when convenient), that the owner of Ohr HaChayim has signed the agreement. His commitment says that he agrees to four conditions:
- he will hang a sign in the storefront saying people should be dressed modestly when entering the store.
- he will have a mashgiach from their committee of "purity of the camp" to oversee the books sold in the store (again, sounds like another protection racket).
- a sign will be hung in the store saying it is not a library
- He will actively discourage the yeshiva bochurim from hanging around and reading books, turning the store into a hangout and meeting place of sorts
Forgetting the issue of negotiating with terrorists or what his other options were, what I do not understand is what was he selling in his bookstore that so worries these guys?
I get the hangout issue, I get the tzniyus issue, I even get the protection racket issue (I did not say I agree with these concerns, just I understand their demands). I don't get their concern regarding the content of the books he is selling. I don't get that they need to appoint a mashgiach to oversee the books he allows into the store.
Ohr HaChayim is a store of sifrei kodesh and tashmishei kodesh. What could he possibly be selling that would require a mashgiach to oversee? What could they possibly be protesting? If someone is going into a Jewish bookstore for Jewish books, he clearly is not going to be selling Stephen King and Robert Ludlum novels, nor will he be selling TIME magazine or Sports Illustrated. He would not carry those types of books and magazines because it does not fit with the store and would mostly be a waste of valuable shelf space. So what could he possibly be selling that would require such oversight?
Zioyni books maybe? Or maybe he's been selling Slifkin books in brown paper bags from under the counter?
ReplyDeleteI was just going to say the same thing. He's selling books that appeal to those who also read Slifkin sefarim. They want to control what goes into your mind!
ReplyDeleteNow where will intelligent, open minded eclectic readers go for material? Amazon?
Found the reasons. Read this and you will understand.
ReplyDeleteModern Book Store.
What I don't understand with all of these stories is why the police aren't cracking down on these guys. Why is everyone so helpless against them?
ReplyDeleteIts just a way to get money from them. "Mashgiach Money" but could mean that any books that let women do certain things, or pas ken certain ways. Lord have mercy when did our religion get hijacked by thugs?
ReplyDeleteHe sells Rav Kook.
ReplyDeleteWell *that* justifies it. Rav Kook wore fur, after all.
ReplyDelete