Jewish Family Flees Home Amidst Threats, Anti ACLU Group Leader 'Pleased' : An Action Plan 
After looking over various treatments of this emerging scandal, I've decided I like Richard Bartholomew's best : see Bartholomew's Notes On Religion. The only details I'd add to Richard's account [Talk To Action version], below, are these : two families seem to have fled the Indian River Delaware school district amidst alleged death threats and threats of violence [one family has remained anonymous] : the Dobrich family has sold its home in the town and completely relocated to another area. Further, the Stop The ACLU Coalition also has been doing significant work in the recent campaign accusing the New York Times and the Washington Post of treason, and that, besides being "pleased" by the Indian River outcome, Stop The ACLU is no doubt pleased with its new radio show.
Below is Richard Bartholomew's summary of this story - now on the Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars, Jesus' General, Bartholomew's Notes on Religion, Talk To Action, Jews On First, and Atrios ( at least ). But what will all the outrage stirred up accomplish ? I've proposed a simple plan to undercut support for the "Stop The ACLU Coalition" : the The Shaming Project
Stop the ACLU Director "Pleased" with Role in Jewish Family's FlightA couple of days ago Bruce Wilson posted on a story broken by Jews on First about a Jewish family who had allegedly been forced to leave town after complaining about aggressive proselytising by the local Indian River School District in Delaware. One detail which was not included by Jews on First, but which I picked up on via a commentator at Dispatches from the Culture Wars, was that an organisation named the "Stop the ACLU Coalition" (STACLU) had publicised the family's home address and phone number, in order to "expose" them as "ACLU plaintiffs". STACLU's denunciation wasn't even accurate - the ACLU has given the family some support, but they are in fact being represented by a Wilmington law firm.
Jesus' General has now contacted STACLU director Nedd Kareiva, to congratulate him for his part in what he calls the "Indian River Pogrom":
...I think you deserve partial credit for making that happen. After all, you did publish their name, address, and phone number on your web site (see screen cap below) as part of your "Expose ACLU Plaintiffs" project. It certainly wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that such information gave people the means they needed to drive the Dobrich family from their home...Kareiva responds to the General (emphases added):
Pogrom? I'm not sure I want to call it that. That is not an appropriate term, however, I am pleased that we had an effect in this case. We have others we want to put up on the site to shame them but have not gotten around to it. And I'm not so sure I can take credit for it. However, if an ACLU speaker was booed, that's music to my ears.....
This story is now being run on The Daily Kos ( recommended list ) Crookdsa and Liars, Jesus' General, Talk To Action, and likely other site by now.
But, I felt that it was necessary to move things beyond the stage of outrage or of fear. This story amounts to Brownshirt thuggery, but if all we do about it is dwell in our reaction we might as well not pay any attention whatsoever. We might as well just ignore this.
Well, I won't. So. I've proposed a simple project - to email the 200 bloggers who are listed as supporting the "Stop The ACLU Coalition" to ask them, politely and directly, on their opinion about the Indian River Incident. If I get replies I'll ask if I can make them public. The point is to turn the tables but in a manner which does not carry any implied threat. The point is to confront the moral conscience of the bloggers who say they support the "Stop the ACLU Coalition". If they make no repsonse that can be noted. ( "owner of X blog did not respond" ).
This is one place to start in terms of doing something bout Indian River. There are certainly other ways, but this seemed to me a simple and practical place to begin.
So, I established a page on Talk To Action describing this a bit more thoroughly. If this story stirs you to moral outrage, I'd suggestdoing something with that outrage : my Shaming Project is one simple way to begin doing that.
These sorts of incidents will only grow more common if they are not confronted. That, I can guarantee.
KEYWORDS: ACLU, antisemitism, Indian River, theocracy
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