If the Shoe Fits: I take issue with Jeff Jacoby’s August 10, 2011 op ed “The spurned neighbor’s vendetta.” (See link below) I do not know Mr. Walsh or anything about the composition of 68 Beacon Street. I would love to know the reason that the Board of the 68 Beacon Street condo gave to Mr. Walsh that precipitated the rejection of his application for residence. Providing a detailed reason for rejection of said applicant seems fair. Let us admit for a moment that it just may have been a bit of old Yankee money discrimination sticking it to the "other." I ask Mr. Jacoby to substitute the very typically Jewish sounding name like mine, for example, Rosen instead of Walsh.

My father in the early 1950’s had a wallpaper store in Framingham. He wanted to open up another in Lexington. According to the family lore as soon as they met him, saw his face – a very Ashkenazi look -- and found out his name was Rosen and not Martin as our Framingham store was named, they all of a sudden said there was no room in the inn. They did not say it was because he was Jewish, of course, but after all the centuries of anti-Semitism who did they think they were kidding? I suppose that would be okay with Jeff Jacoby and maybe it was a simple case of the I don’t like you for no particular reason so just get over it rationale. I doubt if it were Jeff that he would feel that way. When the hurtful shoe is on the other guy’s foot it simply does not hurt as much. When it is on your own foot it hurts like heck.


http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/08/10/the_spurned_neighbors_vendetta/