One of my Facebook friends and I had a small chat yesterday about how come I rejected the friend request sent to me by Bernie Madoff. I thought it was quite obvious, and spoke my opinion clearly stating that I have no business being friends with someone openly evil who hurt so many peoples lives and ruined countless charitable organizations. (probably caused some suicides as well)
Maybe wrongfully so, but I brought up that I wouldn’t accept Hitler or Pol Pot as a friend either, and although Bernie Madoff cannot be put on the same scale as those responsible for genocide, it bugs me that a group of Jewish guys would make a profile for such a villain, its really not funny at all, and while I am all for freedom of speech, I just don’t understand who in their right mind would try and laugh at other peoples sadness.
I know that some of the frummies take the view of “well none of the organizations or people who lost money were as frum as us” I highly doubt that is true but have heard from more then one person that they think it may good that non-religious Jewish organizations lost money (these are the types that think YU is irreligious by the way) I highly doubt that any of these people would agree that taking the issue so lightly as to make a Facebook profile, essentially honoring the man – is funny.
Am I completely missing the boat here, do I not have a sense of humor, or am I on to something.
you’re totally on to something…and sad if there are “frummies” who cant think outside the box at non-profits that lost money from him….even if they aren’t jewish…
I agree with Yudi, you’re on target here.
I’ve heard more than one frum person brush off those organizations that lost alot or everything because they aren’t frum organizations. As if their charitable works are worth nothing because they are not frum or not jewish.
The Madoff scandal simply isn’t funny and it’s sad that there are those who would laugh at the situation or glorify the man. He’s an absolute disgrace.
Probably some bored people trying to get lot’s of page views, maybe they can eventually turn a profit by selling something.
I’ve seens lot’s of celebrity facebook/myspace pages, most aren’t even authorized by the celebrity. Madoff falls into that category, although did some nasy things to get where he is, then again so did many of today’s singers and actors.
Is he worse than the aldulterers, wife/husband beaters, drunks, junkies, thiefs, thugs, gangbangers and criminals that are glorified in the press every day?
Befriending Hitler on Facebook, hmm?
How do you know Adolf?:
We were both in Europe during the early 1940s.
it really bugs me tht the ‘frum’ ppl dont really care tht the none frum orgenazations lost a ton of $ , because it is the none frum organezations who are doing the most for jews who would otherwise have no connection to yiddeshkeit at all.
Oooh oooh! Pick me! I can start profiling million-member sects too!
It really bugs me that all people named ‘hannah’ can’t spell.
“I know that some of the frummies take the view of “well none of the organizations or people who lost money were as frum as us” “, This is an inappropriate generilization being that I know many “frummies” who would never take such a ridiculous view!! A Jew is a Jew, and even stealing from anyone is wrong! The only explanation is that maybe the frummies that I’m thinking of are different than yours (meaning that those frummies who take such crazy views are in fact not frum). Enlighten me!
Oh and to Hannah,
Don’t take everything you hear like it’s Gods word!
I find it rather silly the idea of someone opening a facebook profile in his name but apparently this is wut people find entertaining..
And Phil, being the cause of soo many people losing their money and in some cases more than that, does in no way measure up to wut any other bad things actors/ singers have done..
I give you a ‘shkoyach’ on that one. There is a wide array of people, numbering over 4,000, who lost everything to Madoff. Honestly, their level of observance shouldn’t matter. The man was a monster who hurt many for his own personal gain. So yeah, that someone is feeling ‘gansta’ enough to make himself a Bernie Madoff profile, I wouldn’t have friended him (or her).
The argument about non-frum organizations is old hat. I grew up hearing it from plenty of Rabbonim that we should support the UJA; even though they are not a frum organization, they do more good for Israel than any other. This assumes that the reader supports the State of Israel. The kehillot I grew up in were very Zionist, so they always encouraged us to help the UJA out any way we could.
yeshiva dude, Hesh said “*some* of the frummies”, so it’s neither inappropriate nor a generalization. Sure, I know plenty of “frummies” who don’t feel that way about non-frum organizations, but I also know plenty of “frummies” who do feel that way. Maybe you just aren’t friends with any of the latter group. Do you expect everyone to ignore or deny the fact that a portion of the frum population does feel that way just because not all of them do?
Search “Bernie Madoff” on Facebook and you will find 23 separate profiles. Isn’t it sad, the lengths to which people will go?
Oh, and check out the Sixty Minutes interview with Harry Markopolos on YouTube if you didn’t see it on TV. Markopolos, the whistle-blower on Madoff’s scheme, exposes a lot of issues with the SEC. It’s scary really, to think that he sent them warning submissions back in 2000 when he first realized what was going on, and they never carried out an investigation until Madoff actually turned himself in to authorities. This affects everyone, Jewish and non-Jewish, frum and non-frum, but it’s also a huge chilul Hashem because it’s just another excuse for anti-Semites to say that Jews control all the money.
these kids want attention and want to feel important with a lot of friends. they obviously cant amass as many friends with their true identities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ8OjAB_e3g
funny clip from Jimmy Kimmel show explaining the Madoff ponzi scam using Ernie and Cookie Monster.
Hesh, your post was supposed to be if others find it funny or not. Of course all of those looking to bash frummies jumped on the bandwagon. No surprises.
However i am bewildered at your comment. You said “its really not funny at all, and while I am all for freedom of speech, I just don’t understand who in their right mind would try and laugh at other peoples sadness” Hello???? What is this site called???? define Satire. That is exactly what satire is.
So when you go to a comedy show? or watch it on tv and the comic gets a little racy or insensitive you walk out or shut it??? Come on. Its a joke.
Have you ever seen George Carlin? Rodney Dangerfield? Lewis Black?
Doug Stanhope? Jim Norton? Bill Connolly? Dave Chapell?
Just because you are having a laugh of someones demise or misery, doesnt mean you wish it on anyone or condone it.
You of all people. Satire, man, Satire.
Wow
First off, are you comparing Madoff to Hitler?
You are bashing a Facebook profile that is Mocking Madoff, not idolizing him, and twisting it into some sort off sob story that personally offends you.
You got to be kidding?
My position was cut by a Orthodox non-profit organization providing special education services to children in yeshiva day schools, coincidentally at the time Madoff was exposed. Rumors are abounding that the coordinators had money tied up in him. Coincidence? I think not!
Guys @ least see what the hoopla’s about, http://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1509813782
Talking about instigated something over nothing.
To say that jewish people are happy that other jewish people lost money is false and just plain wrong.
Enough with that.
It may be satire, but I would never do comedy about something so fresh in peoples minds. Thats like saying I should get up and start doing jokes about Gilad Shalit or something – the guy is an evil guy who happens to be a white collar criminal so we look at him like he really didn’t do anything wrong.
I just don’t think it was right, I am not saying they can’t do it, I am all for those facebook clubs that say Israel should die or is not a country, but you don’t see Jewish people starting them.
whats sad is that these frummies are just upset they didnt think of the idea first. and think that madoff is a gadol that he was living the highlife with no work for so long…
he is their hero…
I don’t think you’ll find any Jews supporting Madoff, fummies or not. He’s a big time thief that specialized in ripping off Jewish chariable organiztions and institutions.
Why couldn’t he have specialzed in “helping” some of those shieks and Saudi princes invest their oil money?
Noone is saying what he did was right or gadlus, and it’s apparent you guys don’t even have an issue with it. Your problem is the “frummies” who you dispise for some unkown reason.
hesh, you are lacking a sense of humor on this one.
creating a profile using madoff’s name, has nothing to do with finding humor in other peoples troubles. its a simple case of creating a bogus facebook account, for the heck of it, like so many do. (didnt i see a Rabbi Moshe Feinstein account?) just that the name they chose, for the irony of it, is someone in the news, whomever it may be.
its not like hitler, as even you agree. and im sure there are ahmedinijads in facebook too.
have a laugh at the idea that “Bernie Madoff wants to be your friend” and you rejected him. or have fun writing on his wall…
with all the issues we have now, a good laugh is important. and just because it includes the name madoff (GASP!) doesnt mean its being insensitive to those who were wronged by this monster.
(and using it as a chance to bash frummies for not caring, is totally uncalled for.)
Mr. Frumsatire it;s funny how you again made a comparison that doesnt begin to add up. I find it hard to believe that you actually feel that a facebook account mocking Madoff is as bad as mocking Shalid? I am sure you dont feel this way. You are just expressing yourself to show everyone how much you care. You have the attitude that “I care” more about these things then you. “I care: so much. How can you “not care” It is all bout being bigot.
Sorry, you lost me on this one
It’s funny to see that you are very concerned about this fake Facebook account.
Did you notice that on the right hand side of your website there was a porno link (I believe it was a referring site, I saw it there earlier today and it was gay porn to be exact)
It’s kinda of funny how people are always so concerned yet they have there own problems to deal with.