More on Jerusalem Riots

Shmarya, in discussing the Jerusalem anti-Gay Pride parade protests, makes a good point. It is along the lines of one I made a few months back, in the wake of the Brooklyn "Cell-Phone Riots". Back then, when Charedi leadership claimed that some members of the community were simply out of control, and there was nothing to be done, I wrote:

The question is, somehow most of these teenaged boys can be prevented from going online, going to movies, or talking to girls, yet why does no one seem to have any control over them when they decide to go on a destructive rampage?

Now Shmarya provides us with this quote, from JPost, to make a similar point:

The ultra-Orthodox Eda Haredit leadership said Sunday night that although it opposed violent demonstrations against Friday's planned Gay Pride march, it could do nothing to stop them.

Rabbi Moshe Sternbach, head of the Eda Haredit Rabbinic Court, said he had specifically ordered his followers not to use violence.

"I said 'don't give blows,' but the public is really angry and cannot control itself."

Shmuel Poppenheim, editor of Ha'eda, the mouthpiece of the Eda Haredit, said that the rabbis called on their followers to [do] everything in their ability to disrupt citizens' lives.

"But everyone knows not to do anything prohibited by the Shulhan Aruch [the compilation of codified Jewish law]," said Poppenheim.

Poppenheim said that blocking roads was legitimate but other tactics that have been used by haredim in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak and Beit Shemesh, such as pouring oil on roads, burning trash bins and throwing rocks, were all prohibited.

"Most of the public listen to the call to wear sackcloth and smear ashes on themselves [signs of mourning], pray that the abominable march will be canceled and scream gevalt. There is nothing we can do about a few people who lose control."

Crazy. Charedi leadership admits that the violent nature of the protests is prohibited by Halacha. Yet, they are willing to accept that there is nothing they can do to control these protesters, and make excuses for the fact that he protesters are unable to control these urges to violently protest. Yet, there are no similar excuses made for those with homosexual urges - in quotes taken from the same interview:

Asked what is done with haredim who are homosexual, Poppenheim said that they must be ostracized and removed from the community. He rejected the claim that homosexuals had no control over their sexual desires.

"I believe God gave each person the strength to overcome his bad qualities if he wants to," he said.

Right. I agree completely. No matter how angry the hordes may be over the Gay Pride parade, "God gave each person the strength to overcome his bad qualities if he wants to". I think, however, that the disparity in the way these two different "urges" are treated in the Charedi community comes through loud and clear. I guess we all have different definitions of what qualifies as an "uncontrollable urges".

Now, I don't personally believe that Charedim who cannot control their urges to break halacha should be automatically " ostracized and removed from the community", as Poppenheim suggests above. But if he does, why no call for these violent protesters who are so clearly breaking halacha as well?