In his beautiful letter asking for michila he sums up the main point he was hammering at.
Let me be clear: I put most of the blame on the elitists. An elitist is someone who calls a mosad and holds it hostage, forcing their will and desires, while clearly harming other children. They are generally of the belief that they are superior or frummer than everyone else. They put themselves on a pedestal and insist on their way or the highway. Instead of viewing other kids as the Aibishter‘s children, they view every child as a potential threat to their child’s reputation. This happens every year at nearly every mosad. I can understand a parent wanting a school where all the children come from homes without internet, televisions or other negative influences, but if you don’t want your child in a class that has children whose fathers work to provide parnassah for their family, then you are an elitist. The working father can be ehrlich, koveia ittim, and have all the right hashkafos, but that’s not good enough for you, because you consider yourself on a much higher madreigah.
The one point where I should’ve been clearer is that the vast majority of Lakewood are not elitists. They are humble bnei Torah whose zechusim we rely on to exist. But as in every religion and every culture, the extremists and the most vocal carry the show. While the elitists are the mi’uta d’miuta, they’ll cause 90% of the problem. In my opinion, it’s incumbent on all of us, as the silent majority, to speak up and not tolerate these attitudes that are the impetus and perpetuation of the problem.
