Responding to the Cookie Monster

With all due respect for the admirable midos of the Cookie Monster and her concerns about ho'tza'as shem rah (slander) I still think she is wrong about the JM musician. I continue to believe that BloginDm and I have it right...even applying the seven principles of the Chofetz Chaim that she cites.

I will not rehash (or even link back to my previous thoughts on this issue) but I will make two final points. First, as Dm suggests, I believe that this situation is similar to the Lanner situation. There, countless people who could have done something knew or had very strong suspicions regarding what he was doing over the course of 20 years. Many who tried to do something were intimidated by those in authority into keeping silent. Nothing was done and the results were disasterous.

Similarly, here the JM-powers-that-be also know exactly with whom they are dealing. For personal financial reasons, many of them are going along with this charade. Those that might be inclined to do something may be intimidated because the people involved are, in fact, major players in the JM scene.

Second, Dm and I both consulted important (but different) rabbanim before posting on this issue. In his case, Dm actually showed the text of his post to his Rav. I did not. Perhaps I should have.

Finally, on a different matter, I'm glad Cookie and I can agree on something.