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New Hampton, NY – A passerby notice this sign and took a photo of the New Hampton Lumber Co in New Hampton, where the store owner offers his congratulations to two groups on the election of Democrat John Hall to Congress.
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Well, it finally hit the airwaves WCBS was talking about it at length on the morning news at about 6:35 am and also the Record (newspaper)has a article and pictures about it
News – Al-Qaida, KJ sign on 17M catches flak
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061116/NEWS/611160323
CHECK IT OUT
News
Al-Qaida, KJ sign on 17M catches flak
By Brendan Scott
November 16, 2006
Times Herald-Record
New Hampton — Seth Arluck isn’t the type to hold his tongue.
After all, he’s a one-time Bill Clinton campaign volunteer who publicly announced his defection to the Republicans after deciding the Democrats were bad for small businesses.
So, when he returned to the lumberyard he co-owns with his brother last week after a somber night at Republican Rep. Sue Kelly’s postelection party, the former Middletown alderman promptly found a venue to express his frustration.
He arranged big, black letters on his sign on Route 17M to read: “CONGRATS AL-QAEDA AND KJ.”
“I thought, ‘I’ve got a sign. I’m going to put it in people’s faces,'” Arluck said. “Maybe I turned up the heat too high this time.”
By “KJ,” of course, Arluck was referring to the bloc-voting Hasidic Village of Kiryas Joel, which had thrown crucial support to John Hall, Kelly’s Democratic challenger, in the last days of the campaign.
Final vote tallies may yet show that Hall would have won without the village’s support. Regardless, Arluck and others see the election result as an example of the disproportionate influence the village of 18,300 can have on local, and even regional, politics.
But linking the goals of a Jewish community to those of Al-Qaida — the Islamic global terrorism network — was too “in-your-face” for many Hasidics.
Within days, photos of the sign began to bounce around the blogosphere. So did Arluck’s name and the New Hampton Lumber Co.’s telephone number and e-mail address. Both became conduits of denunciation.
Saved message, Tuesday 5:25 p.m.: “You’re anti-Semites. What’s about this sign ‘al Qaeda?’ This is unbelievable. Take down that sign.”
Saved message, Wednesday, 1:17 a.m. “Hey, take off that anti-Semitic sign, you (expletive).”
One man called and ordered a load of plywood to Garfield Road “in Monroe,” cash-on-delivery. Arluck’s assistant looked at a map. Garfield Road is one of Kiryas Joel’s main thoroughfares. He didn’t send the truck.
There were also a few calls of support: “I read about your situation on the Web, and I just want to let you know that we’re behind you. I do not think this is anything sinister or evil. Hang in there and take it easy.”
Arluck, who’s Jewish, says the debate has only encouraged him to keep the sign in place, if only for a few more days. He likened the criticism to the Islamic world’s recent outcries over remarks by the pope or Danish cartoons of Muhammad.
Arluck says his only regret is that he didn’t clarify what he meant by including al-Qaida, whom he thinks the Democrats will appease instead of attack.
“The appeasers won,” he said. “KJ helped make it happen.”
Mr. Arluck
Your vote for Kelley = Democracy,
While my vote for Hall = Sellout ?!?
Your vote for Small Business Funding = Democracy
While my vote for pipeline funding = Sellout ?!?
Your choice of nastily labeling an entire community = Freedom of Speech,
While my choice to decry it = Oppression ?!?
Your choice to live a suburban lifestyle = Civilization,
While my choice for a City type living = Dark Ages ?!?
Your choice to back a losing candidate = Selfless Politics,
While my choice turning out to be the winner = A Sinister Cabal ?!?
My choosing YOUR CANDIDATE OF CHOICE for the past 12 years = Something unworthy of mention,
While my current backing of her opponent = An event to be publicly posted in ridicule ?!?
C’mon Seth, you had a pretty decent hand, you bet the HOUSE, and lost (barely). Don’t be a sore loser.
LK. – (An openminded KJ citizen, who’s old enough to know that you “win some and you LOSE some”
Despite many requests for removal and calls denouncing the signage, Upstate Republican activist lumber man Seth Arluck, who seems to blame the Orthodox Jewish Community of Kiryas Joel and Al Qaeda for the defeat of Republican Sue Kelly in her bid for relelection to congress (by Democrat John Hall) , says he will not remove the contetious sign he put up, asserting his right to freedom of speech.
The sign was the product of Seth Arluck, a local Republican activist who volunteered for Rep. Sue Kelly’s unsuccessful re-election campaign. Like many local politicos, he believes a last-minute endorsement by the bloc-voting Kiryas Joel carried Kelly’s Democratic opponent John Hall to victory.
But the in-your-face response, along with the reference to Al Qaeda, infuriated many Hasidics who called to demand that the sign come down. Dennis Arluck, who said he didn’t initially agree with his brother’s method of rebuttal, now says he wants him to keep the sign up.
“I’m backing him on it, especially when people say I can’t put out a sign expressing my views,” Dennis Arluck said. “It’s a free speech issue now.”
Mr. Arluck, why are you not posting thanks to the Pipeline which you opposed!!!! (isn’t it the reason why KJ didn’t indorse Kelly?!).
You can’t have both worlds (No Pipeline AND Kelly), but can have none of them!…
note:
If you send a letter please use spell check and keep it literate
Arluck Seth N.
Arluck Seth N.-DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION REPUBLICAN PARTY MARCH 7, 2000 PRIMARY
http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/elections/2000/repdel2000.pdf
wow! i think thats ALL the residents of the village.
Why would Mr. Arluck put up such a controversial sign in front of his business? Whatever it is or is not meant to do, say, imply, etc….WHY???? There are a trillion of other ways to express your freedoms of expression and speech. WHY??? Just WHY????????
I must conclude that Mr. Arluck has a lot of animosity toward Kiryas Joel and its residents. If not, then WHY????????????
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County
Board of Directors
John J. Ruszkiewicz, President
John Crowley, President Elect
Seth Arluck, Treasurer
Marie Pulvirent, Secretary
George Constable
Deborah deJong
Antonio Figueroa
Vincent Odock
Deborah L. Palen
Vincent Poloniak
Dana Putnam
Norman Shapiro
Michael Pillmeier – OC Legislature Liaison
John McCarey – OC Exec. Liaison
Kathy Scholl, State Specialist
Association Nominating Committee
http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/annual_report/orange.pdf
Annamarie Kelly
Richard Lay
Patricia Reineke
Graham Skea
4:31 you really must know everything about the lumber industry.
It’s good to know that there are experts on Mr. Arluck everywhere we go. The tabloids don’t even have to come. Mr. Arluck is now considered “a redneck” a bigot and a racist. interesting
As an outsider looking at this situation I can’t understand why anyone would think that al qaeda and KJ are being compared. They are 2 entire unrelated groups that both gained from the outcomes of the election. Mr. Arluck seems to have posted this sign in response to this, yet you call him a bigot. You may claim he is an anti-semite, but I think thats sort of ironic because he has shown to be of Jewish heritage. Of course KJ doesn’t recognize non-hasidim as Jewish anyway. I feel they are the real bigots and racists in this situation. They have fed off of people’s impulse emotions and bashed a person who exercised his freedom of expression which KJ benefits from at an even greater extent as they censor outside information and have created their own authoritarian state inside of Monroe yet who denies them their right to do so? Yet when a man vents his anger through freedom of expression he is a racist, bigot and “redneck” of all things. I think that defenders of KJ should look in the mirror and examine the reality of their situation. This is not an attack on KJ, just an attempt to look at this situation logically and intellectually.
3:13 PM I’m 10:49 I’ll repeat my words even a small lumber yard could supply any construction material needed and no difference how big the project is.
Anan 12:13 PM
That type of stories happen constantly, and big people resign even if what they said is right, just because its racial!
3:27 well said!
Bottom line is, it’s an insult!!! Period.
No Jewish community on American soil has ever deliberately hurt any other fellow American, individually or as a group. To compare, in any way, shape or form, the large community in upstate NY, alongside nationally recognized terrorists, who kill, maim, rape and torture anyone who is of different belief than themselves is beyond insulting. It is Chutzpah. The Satmar KJ community has not killed or maimed one person in their 40 year history in Monroe, NY. Al Queida however, in one day, killed 3,000 plus human beings on American soil. And are a continuing threat.
One more thing to point out, Mr. Arluck. YOU definately don’t have any children fighting for your country, in Iraq or elsewhere. No parent or sibling of American servicemen overseas would insult THEMSELVES to draw similarities from an arab to American born 2nd generation, or even third generation, of any community, even jewish ones. While you may not like everything that they do there (and you don’t have to – it is America, remember?) you, as a fellow Jew (Orthodox or not), living upstate should be proud of your Orthodox neighbors who do not burgularize or take something that’s not theirs when no one is looking, vandalize cars, pickpocket, graffitti hate messages etc. When was the last time anyone felt threatened and had to look over his or her shoulder when a Hassidic man or teen was behind you. Why, you can’t even make that claim about your fellow irreligious jews in your own neighborhood!!! You are a Redneck! I worry about your safety – FROM YOUR OWN KIN. What a bitter person you are. What a terrible role model you turned out to be. Are you proud then of your superior upbringing, now that you show your true colors? For shame, for shame. How will your descendents diffrentiate between your “freedom of expressions” to their own doings that you won’t like and wouldn’t be able to impress on them that it’s wrong because they will point to what you’ve done and say “no different”.
to 1:55 the man is jewish, oh and to 10:49, I repeat, how the hell would someone who owns a miniscule lumber yard be able to supply a 30 million dollar project.
Post-election sign sparks free speech debate
Times Herald-Record
November 15, 2006
New Hampton — They meant what they said and they’re not taking it back.
Despite dozens of phone calls of denunciation — and a few of support — the pair of brothers who own New Hampton Lumber say they have no plans to remove the sign in front of the business that congratulates Al Qaeda and the Hasidic Village of Kiryas Joel for the results of last week’s congressional elections.
The message, which has been on display since the day after Election Day, drew dozens of phone calls to Seth and Dennis Arluck after photos of it were posted on several blogs.
The sign was the product of Seth Arluck, a local Republican activist who volunteered for Rep. Sue Kelly’s unsuccessful re-election campaign. Like many local politicos, he believes a last-minute endorsement by the bloc-voting Kiryas Joel carried Kelly’s Democratic opponent John Hall to victory.
But the in-your-face response, along with the reference to Al Qaeda, infuriated many Hasidics who called to demand that the sign come down. Dennis Arluck, who said he didn’t initially agree with his brother’s method of rebuttal, now says he wants him to keep the sign up.
“I’m backing him on it, especially when people say I can’t put out a sign expressing my views,” Dennis Arluck said. “It’s a free speech issue now.”
Read the full story in tomorrow’s editions of the Times Herald-Record and recordonline.com.
I see you dont have any other DAGOS B”H, So you are all busy with a stupid idiuts act thats fine.never have biger probblems then that…
im willing to bet that seth drives a beat up pick-up truck. almost all anti-semites are in the same category. ugly, poor, missing teeth, ugly wife, beat up cars houses etc… and thats y they hate us. they are jealous.
if they really think were crazy than they would feel bad. like when you see a nut case on the street.
the fact is that they see us doing well, while their house has over 200,000 miles on it. of course the’re pissed off.
Seth.
After reading your post, I find you more of a silly simpleton and less of a AntiSemite. First of all, a quick question. Why reserve all of your venomous verbiage for us in KJ? What about the tens of thousands of your friends and neighbors who joined us in voting for Mr. Hall? (Or did he get only 2,900 votes in all?) What about your Rabbi to whom you confess? (BTW. you are as ignorant about Judaisim too. Confessions are for Catholics). Secondly, what entitles you to choose Sue Kelley for her “small business dollars” that she threw your way for the past 12 years, yet you villify KJ for choosing a candidate for their 30m dollar project?
Can you figure out what would’ve happened if he would’ve compared (to that level) the black community to Al Qaeda (or some other group)…?…?…?…
I guess it would’ve gotten a national news story with some resignations and apologies!!!
omyg! how many times do peopla have to say it, the sign doesnt say al quada and kj together as one, its just tsaying they voted for the same thing , stop being so dramatic about it.
To 10:38 PM anyone in the lumber business could supply any type of construction material. Ask them.
The 10:49 post mustn’t have read Mr. Arluck’s posting. He comes out and states that he wasn’t copmaring Al Qaeda with KJ, He was just saying they both fot the results the wanted from the election.
Elisheva, since when is anything wrong with democrats? Remember names like Cuomo, Koch, Clinton, silver, half the country are democrats, you go with the tide.
Elisheva, I don’t know where you live, but if you believe in voting and live in any of the 5 boros of New York City, you must vote Democrat in all general elections. Only the Democrats represent the boros and its constituents. Were you to be a registered republican, you wouldn’t be able to vote for Simcha Felder or Noach Dear or Dov Hikind etc.
In general, what do you find so absolutely important about voting Republican? I always have to cross party lines to vote my interests.
The following is the text of the email message i sent to him:
Hi Seth
Thanks for Congratulationing us.
And there is a lot what to Congrat Kiryas Joel for.
YES John Hall won.
YES Kiryas Joel won.
YES we have a bloc vote.
YES we are going to have a pipeline.
YES we are going to annex.
And YES Sue Weisenbarger Kelly lost.
So let’s join me and let’s say together “Congratulation Kiryas Joel”.
With Best Regards from: A thirsty kj bloc voter.
And by the way it’s raining out there and all you lumber seen in thein the picture is getting wet.
KJ DID WHAT??!!
Look, I can see someone not boting Republican right now, because Bush is rapidly selling Israel and us down the road.
But to affirmatively vote for the Demofascists?
Are they all mad in KJ?
If they really did all vote for a democrat as written above, the sign was completely valid and true – and with the worst light and interpretation!
Knowing Seth personnly I have to say that he is a big attention seeker and nothing more to that, case closed.
To 10:38pm the “Rumors” are bothering you? And what with the underlying issue here which a Idiot is comparing the most evil people on earth to the most nicest people on earth!!(No crime, No Drugs, etc, etc,) this doesn’t bother you?????
The post at 10:27 you are starting a bogus conspiracy theory. Now how much lumber could possibly be involved in the construction of a pipeline. Also, does it make any sense that a small lumber yard could supply lumber yard could support such a vast project. Good job on the logical statement. Oh and doesn’t the Torah say something about spreading rumors. According to you everyone must want some kind of financial gain and not want to do the right thing
Hey seth wake up to reality “Its all about Money” when Sue Kelly promised KJ 6 million for sidewalks and only delivered 500,000 and when she promised to deliver the 30 Million for the pipeline and then she backed out and etc, etc, (other promises,not delivered) these KJ guys got pissed off and booted her out, this has nothing with anything else, this was clearly a business decision on KJ’s part.
I Spoke to the Lumber guy and he admitted that the reason he did this was because as part of the $30,000,000 (million) dollar water project that KJ is going to start soon there is a nice amount of Lumber as part of the material being used so he was trying to get the attention with the KJ people….so he can get a chance of getting some business…
Does anyone remember the slogan “If you can’t fight ’em then Join ’em” well our beloved Mayor decided to fight ’em by Joining ’em. Btw, folks don’t get thirsty the water is coming very soon.
Seth, we are not that stupid we don’t need your civic lesson even though we don’t watch TV which in your twisted mind means that we “missed” what the public asked for, seth, do you think the american public forgets what AL Queida did to us? You think that we “Missed” what they did to us all? How dare you compare us to AL Quida? And regarding the pipeline we would have gotten the water regardless of who wins!! You can’t stop people in the US from getting what they are entitled to get in this case “water” isn’t this what Al Queida wanted? Stop the air and “Water” from the human race? They didn’t and will not prevail!! And so will the people who try to block “water” from KJ also not prevail!!!
SO WHAT THE SUB TOTAL ANY 1 SPOKE 2 HIM WHAT HE SAID ?
I think this guy has an excellent knack for PR he should be teaming up with the KJ leadership together they will be a great team….
I’m sorry that I have to give a civics lesson- The sign congrats al qaeda for getting the election results that they asked the American public for – but you probably missed all that news because you don’t read American newspapers or watch TV. Then there is the matter of the pipeline- I was told election night that Mrs Pelosi called Abe and told him that if you went into the booth with your instruction to vote for Hall you would have your pipeline that the evil Mrs Kelly helped deny you. The local paper covered that a day later. So congrats to KJ they got their water! Mrs Kelly was the only Mid-Hudson rep who looked out for small business. I spent 12 yrs working with her on these issues and the mindless drone vote of KJ helped throw all that away. But then I’m so ignorant and a bigot- I’ll have to confess to my rabbi- he probably voted for Hall too. I realize that maybe I could add some other election day winners to the sign, so stay tuned- I don’t think you’ll be offended, you’re probably not in any unions. That sign went up a week ago- at least I could express my outrage and anger in a peaceful way- you want to disrupt my business- I guess I might as well do a cartoon of Weider and you can burn some kind of flags or such. I want thank those who really understand what this was about- I did not compare KJ to terrorists but am saying that you both got an outcome that pissed me off.
Seth Arluck
You idiot who wants to know what we have done to this country? Big man what have you done? I’ll bet a thousend dollars that you are a tax dodger, fake, phony, big man let’s see your braveness I’ll meet you at KJ mikveh in the morning let’s see who you are!!!!!
Hey I am a KJ man who is in the middle of building a house and can’t pay the lumber bills maybe this guy sends me his lumber for free and I’ll let him put a sign for whatever message he wants (who cares?) Can someone hook me up with this guy?
I SPOKE 2 HIM HE TOLD ME THAT HE DOS’NT MEAN ANYTHING HE JUST WANT 2 EXPRESS HIS “FREEDOM OF SPEECH” IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM PUT A SIGN AGAINST IT ……
To 9:06pm I hope that you are not my neighbour because I don’t want to have such an A/S living next to me, If you really want to be nice I can offer him something better I have a chicken coop next to KJ but part of KJ that he can go there if he wants if he eventually suffocates from the stench which wouldn’t be bad for someone who has the gall to CONGRAT al queda who suffocated 3,000 people at ground zero.
This guy is just jealous that he is not in a “BLOC” voting district, since I have a empty basement in my house in KJ I invite him to come live by us so he can be part of our “BLOC” vote…
Let’s all go out there and each buy ONE SCREW. Make a long line with each person holding only one screw.
Screw them!!!
To annon 7:13 and 7:14;
What do you know about KJ community celebrating and honoring Veterans Day?
They show same respect as all Americans do on that day – they go shopping !!! You must have not been at Woodbury Commons on Veterans Day or The Home Depot in Monroe.
Oh, and trust me, there was definately Lekach ‘n’ Bronfin in Groys Bes Medrash.
hey KJ if you lie with the enemy you may fall asleep with the enemy.
dont forget to say moydeh ani when you wake up.
I find it ironic that Kiryas Joel can benefit from the relaxed freedom of expression that they lavishly enjoy in this country, but when someone who feels upset and wants to speak their mind does so, they are attacked. Why is this one-sided, in addition the calling of a Jewish man anti-semitic is absolutely incredible and expresses a betrayal of the Torah’s wonderful teachings specifically telling the lie “that he is an anti-semite.”