Anti-semitism is a serious matter. When an individual makes a claim that a CARDINAL NEWS article is “potentially anti-Semitic and inflammatory” where there is no intent, this is hurtful to any thoughtful writer. When someone claims that a CARDINAL NEWS article is “potentially anti-Semitic and inflammatory” this claim must be strongly refuted with a clear explanation.
An anonymous individual sent such a claim to CARDINAL NEWS on Saturday night, December 4, 2021. Instead of responding individually to this anonymous individual, CARDINAL NEWS is hereby refuting this claim in public in case other individuals have reached similar illogical conclusions regarding the article, or in case the individual making the claim to CARDINAL NEWS has attempted to influence their friends, neighbors and family members regarding the individual’s illogical or imaginary claim.
Here is the claim from the anonymous individual …
“Good afternoon.
I’m writing in regards to the article from December 2nd titled “Police: Armed Man Shot, Killed by Two Police Officers at Former JCC, Radcliffe Rd and Boxwood Ln Buffalo Grove” (link referral provided by CARDINAL NEWS). Both the title of the article and within the article, the location of the shooting was referred to as the former JCC or the parking lot of the former JCC.
First, while it is true that the building formerly housed the JCC, there was at least one occupant after that (I believe it was a church). I am curious why the newspaper chose to name the former JCC as the location reference.Second, the fact that, at one time, this building used to house the JCC, is irrelevant to this article. Not only that, but this comes across as potentially anti-Semitic and inflammatory, particularly given the current state of the world.
I am asking you to please promptly print a correction.
Thank you.”— Anonymous
You are curious?
“I am curious why the newspaper chose to name the former JCC as the location reference.”
Your use of the word ‘curious’ is remarkably set in a tone of inquisition, as if you suspect some guilt here with a desire to investigate the intention and motive of CARDINAL NEWS in mentioning the former JCC. Well “here comes the defendant” with the explanation.
The building at 1250 Radcliffe Road was a long time location of a Jewish Community Center or JCC. Later, the building also served a short-term lesser known role as a Christian church, following the closure of the JCC at the location. The building is now vacant and a real estate sign is displayed at the location. Because of the former JCC building’s prominent visibility in the Buffalo Grove community along Arlington Heights Road, the building is still commonly referred with the informal title of “the former JCC” or “the former JCC on the S-curve of Arlington Heights Road.” A look at other well-known media sources reporting the incident in Buffalo Grove shows that CARDINAL NEWS was not alone in referencing the former JCC landmark. Reporting on the police-involved shooting in Buffalo Grove December 2, 2021, there were at least two other media sources that also referred to the location as a former JCC or Jewish Community Center — one was a newspaper source and one was a Chicagoland market TV news source.
The location reference, by comparison, is not all that different than the type of reference commonly used to identify the former and beloved memories of the “Arlington High School building” — an identity that still exists almost 40 years later after Christian Liberty Academy purchased the building from District 214, and where Christian Liberty Academy continues to occupy the building and take good care of the almost 100 year-old building. The Arlington High School building at 502 West Euclid Avenue in Arlington Heights was constructed by District 214 (then Arlington Heights Township High School) and was occupied for 62 years by District 214 as a secular public high school. To refer to the building as the former Arlington High School indicates no disrespect to Christian Liberty Academy. Referring to either of these two buildings by their former names (the former JCC or the former Arlington High School) indicates a respect to the lingering memories and respective communities that once occupied these buildings. Christian Liberty Academy leaders understand these important memories, and allow former class groups, reunion events and other events to be hosted at the former Arlington High School.
Sorry, but your statement “I am curious why …” is possibly disingenuous, whereby you are likely failing to acknowledge (or pretending to fail to acknowledge) the important identity of the former JCC building at 1250 Radcliffe Road in Buffalo Grove.
Irrelevancy?
Regarding your claim that the article is “potentially anti-Semitic and inflammatory” (as you put it) and that the JCC landmark is irrelevant … you are almost correct regarding the irrelevancy issue. However, it is not that the location landmark is irrelevant to the article, it is that any connection with Jewish people, regarding the shooting threat or violence that occurred at the FORMER Jewish Community Center building, is truly irrelevant. There was NO connection of the shooting or any threats to the Jewish people mentioned (nor were there any implied) to any readers who would read the article in a lucid moment. Additionally, if there actually exists any connection or awareness of a threat to the Jewish people, it was not addressed in the article because CARDINAL NEWS is not aware of any such connection. Furthermore, you did not clarify any or your personal awareness or provide proof of how the article might have contained “potentially anti-Semitic and inflammatory” content, and you have admitted it is true that the building formerly housed the JCC. If you are concluding that the mention of a fatal shooting scene at a former JCC building that closed several years ago (where there is obviously no longer any connection) has some type of incriminatory or defamatory expression regarding Jewish people, that is quite a stretch of the imagination.
While it is important to prevent misunderstandings among readers, news media organizations can not provide useful information if articles providing truthful facts are written with trepidation to protect or prevent the possibility that some individuals will make illogical or imaginary conclusions to articles.
Current State of the World
We seem to agree that the Current State of the World is in a state of trouble, but our agreement ends with your suggestion of the method of resolution to world trouble. Your model seems to seek a solution by exerting an effort to control another individuals’ speech or another organizations’ speech; while making uncivil accusations without any detailed explanation to support your conjecture — without positive input, without compliments where compliments are due, and without encouragement of civil discourse. The CARDINAL NEWS model (and mission) is to provide information in a manner that encourages understanding of reality WITHOUT TREPIDATION AND FEAR that the publishing of truthful facts may somehow have an ultimate negative outcome (e.g., personal attacks, social and economic cancellation, and injury to innocent victims or third parties, etc.). CARDINAL NEWS has the mission that the gathering of truthful facts helps people understand the reality of their world, and hopefully helps make it a better place by the avoidance of repeated mistakes, and by generating new ideas for new solutions to problems.
[NOTE: Since the writer of the complaint is unconfirmed or anonymous, and since the writer of the complaint provided no information regarding their circumstances or background, CARDINAL NEWS makes no presumption whether the complaining individual is Jewish or non-Jewish.]
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