Leader back in ADL fold

By Boston Herald editorial staff
Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Andrew Tarsy was fired from his job as New England director of the
Anti-Defamation League for arriving at a sane, sensible and morally
defensible conclusion long before his boss – and for stating it
publicly. There are worse things.
Of course, once ADL national director Abraham Foxman decided to
reverse course and publicly acknowledge the Armenian genocide for what
it was, Foxman had little choice but to re-hire Tarsy – and we’re
pleased he has now done so.
We can only hope that this particular reversal has as much to do
with Foxman acknowledging his own terrible judgment – and with an
effort to bind the widening divisions within the Jewish community – as
it does with public relations.
After all, it was just over a week ago that the national ADL,
presumably at Foxman’s direction, reiterated its right to muzzle
employees like Tarsy who broke with national policy. The ADL was
grappling with the resignation of prominent New England regional board
members over the controversy. And its ability to raise money – vital
to furthering its mission of fighting anti-Semitism and intolerance –
surely would have suffered (and still may) as long as it refused to
take a stand on the genocide question.
Foxman’s motives in reinstating Tarsy may not be entirely pure.
Still, there is comfort in knowing that a truly principled leader is
back in charge.

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