Our library should be a home for education, pluralism and equality for all. However, the board has endorsed a candidate who is known to many in Great Neck for his racist and outlandish views. David Zielenziger shows no respect for anyone who is in anyway different to him. How can we empower such an individual with a seat on our library board?
Every week for many years, David Zielenziger has attended Village of Great Neck and Great Neck Library Board of Trustees meetings. In an effort to enlighten those not attending, he shares his reactions and opinions with his mass mailing list as a public service announcement. Unfortunately, his PSAs show his xenophobia (his fear and distrust of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange).
David documents his derision of Orthodox Jews, Persians, Asians and anyone who disagreed with his world view. He labels people imbeciles, idiots and morons. Please read the commentary that he adds to his blogs and decide if he is the right candidate for you? Frankly, I think it is shameful that people continue to read his weekly lies:
• “Two flunkies from VHB, an exec VP and another aide, neither of whom did the work…”
• “The Orthodox and their kind will be out voting “NO” again, esp. since the Trump tax “The NY State Senate Republicans (plus their Orthodox Brooklyn stooge, Democrat…”
• “Well, who’s the errand boy for the fanatical Orthodox community that has taken root here?”
• Some of those clients, all Iranian, and their wives, jeered and cackled in the back of the hall but didn’t speak…”
• “Another long-promised chestnut to the Orthodox crowd that wants to save a few minutes walking to services each…”
• “So: who asked the library president—with six days left in his insurgent campaign—to post any personal letter on the library homepage? Why couldn’t this wait until tonight’s meeting when the entire board could have approved it and signed it [and rewritten it]? I denounced this in public comment time as a Trumpish, sleazy campaign tactic. The last part says ‘we condemn such behavior’ which is appropriate, but who appointed him the library dictator? This is like the Roman emperors scratching their names on their monuments—or our Fuhrer signing his name in Magic Marker like a psychiatric patient on his empty proclamations. Library president had no response!”
Tell me what will happen if there is a library dilemma that requires insight, a nonjudgmental opinion, or calls for a compassionate and tactful hand? David Zielenziger has proven that he is incapable of delivering such unbiased, well-balanced and thoughtful responses to such challenges.
In my opinion, the library should respond professionally and remove David Zielenziger from their poll. We, as an ethnically diverse Great Neck, should not vote for him and send a clear message that we are a pluralistic community—indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
—Susie Malshin
