Proposed Ban Roiling Park Slope Co-op
A neighborhood institution known for its earnestness and political correctness, the Park Slope Co-op now finds itself at the center of a mounting media circus revolving around a recent proposal by a member to ban products from Israel as a statement of protest against the state’s recent actions in Gaza. About 10 people reportedly support…
A neighborhood institution known for its earnestness and political correctness, the Park Slope Co-op now finds itself at the center of a mounting media circus revolving around a recent proposal by a member to ban products from Israel as a statement of protest against the state’s recent actions in Gaza. About 10 people reportedly support the measure; the Co-op has about 15,000 members. While on a practical level all that’s at stake here is a few boxes of peppers and persimmons, the symbolism is causing controversy throughout the neighborhood and beyond. There are so many Jews who shop there, there are so many Israelis who shop there, there’s a huge number of frum people from all over Brooklyn who shop there, said Rabbi Andy Bachman of Beth Elohim in the original article in the Jewish Daily Forward, so my guess is that if it passes, and I want to emphasize that I don’t think it will, they will lose a lot of members. Assemblyman Dov Hikind echoed these sentiments: “[The co-op would] lose a great number of people,” he told The Post. Even TimeOut New York has chimed in: “The motion feels born from the very stiff and self-righteous soapbox awareness that many naysayers feel makes the Co-op unpalatable under normal circumstances,” writes TONY, making to sure to add “we support the Co-op’s open forum for this kind of divisive dialogue.” Still no word on where Adrian Grenier stands on the issue.
Food Fight: Brooklyn Co-op Mulls Israel Ban [Forward]
Park Slope Co-op to Ban Israeli Products? [TONY]
‘Ban Israel’ Bid Mushrooms Into B’klyn Food Fight [NY Post]
Photo by pseudoreal
hey bxgrl, I’m going to keep this civil. you are jumping to conclusions, I’m guessing the next thing you’ll be saying is that I’m anti-Semitic, right?? You’re one of those kinds of people. Qucik to judge and quick to slam those who don’t agree with you.
Well, I’m not anti-Semitic. But, these 10 people have a right to have an opinion, as much as it might not comport with your opinion. That’s what I’m saying. Loudly and slowly. I believe others have said the SAME EXACT THING. You obviously did not get this with your poor reading comprehension.
oops- my first response was to you, wpg.
A lot of co-op members being upset and offended with each other- how is that helpful?
goldie- do you have a supplier? 🙂
DIBS, this is the NYU ‘occupation’ groups list of demands:
http://takebacknyu.com/take-back-nyu-has-taken-back-nyu/
poorly thought out action on every possible level.
Narayana – the idea that the culture of the co-op is that every idea deserves time and attention no matter how many loons want to voice it is absurd. I want to request bottled albino-pygmy farts to be placed in the corners to increase our positive energy….lets discuss for an hour at the next general meeting.
bxgrl
“I think most of the commentary was about the 10 people who seem to want to have the co-op take a position that would overall have a very negative impact”
What is the “very negative impact”?
the people at the soon to be bushwick co-op have a certain take on the park slope food co-op
…
“Plus I think a number of us have chosen to live in this part of Brooklyn for other reasons. We don’t feel like the neighborhood around the Co-op is very welcoming to people like us. Lots of old-fogey hippies who’ve sold out and gotten jobs earning them six figures that allow them to buy brownstones and drive VW Rabbits. BLURG. ”
hahah
*r*
narayana- I don’t think the intent was to vilify the Co-op. Certainly not my intent- I think most of the commentary was about the 10 people who seem to want to have the co-op take a position that would overall have a very negative impact. No matter how they vote, the controversy is already out there. The co-op seems to bend over backwards on matters of environmental concerns and I for one thinks that’s great. But if the intent of the 10 members was to force an issue and cause discomfort to co-op members, they have certainly succeeded. SO who called the media in the first place? How did ths story get out to them? Anyone know?
tiptoe- I do know how to read and comprehend very well. I wonder at your overly defensive stance and hypocritical position. Are you one of the gang of 10 perhaps? Frankly, since they were all about making a statement on political issues beyond the scope of the Co-op they have nothing to complain about if it becomes the topic of discussion on a blog. Your problem is comprehending that. Discuss- that’s what we do here. Don’t like it, you’re free not to discuss.
This whole story is preposterous! The lack of familiarity with the Coop’s methods is sourly evident by this ridiculous piece of “news”. The Coop is based on an egalitarian model that stresses the importance of the opinion and feedback of each one of it’s members. Given that the current number of members is nearly 15k, one can reasonably consider the possibility that not all opinions are in the collective interest. However, this effort to listen to each and every person, that takes the time, is what makes it such a special place. It is what makes it a community. Did you follow through with every ridiculous statement your family proposed? I’m guessing not. But, you might have been respectful enough to listen to them. Anyone may stand at the open microphone at the general meeting in order to express an opinion or concern. While every member is important, many of the General Coordinators are the ones who are charged with implementing the day to day needs of the Coop and it’s members.
The Coop has no history of making stands based on political reasons. The likes of ceasing to carry bottled water or ceasing to provide plastic bags have become no real action of note in this day and age. Ireland banned giving out plastic bags over a year before the membership approved the measure to do the same. As to the bottled water debate; frankly, distilled is the only water that is regulated and guaranteed “pure”. Otherwise, one pays an exorbitant amount (far more than peak gas prices) per gallon for the hope that a well designed and marketed bottle of water from no guaranteed source is going to prove beneficial. It is important to note, these are environmentally sensitive decisions. NOT political actions. No companies targeted. No countries noted. Simply the equivalent of changing the source of the Coop’s power to wind, as opposed to conventional (coal fired) power plants. These are actions in response to, and in the interest of, our members and the greater community of which we are a part.
I am a great fan of the 24 hour news cycle. The ability to disseminate information quickly and easily is one of the hallmarks of this decade. However, in the scramble to be first (which is every journalist and blogger’s requirement and desire) there are those whose character’s are not served. To vilify a group based on an article, as opposed to one’s own research, is negligent and under serves anyones readership.
There is no greater way to assuage misunderstanding than dialogue, compromise, and being willing to work together. Not every person will get what they want, but mutual respect will most often prevail. That is the culture of the COOP.