2 Friday, September 7, 1979 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Purely Commentary By Philip Slomovitz Now Libertarians of All Faiths Have Spoken . Let There Be Unity in an End to the PLO Terror Non-Violence as a Human Principle: Let There Be an End to the Rhetoric of Violence It isn't all gloom. The sun begins to shine on advocates of non-violence who will shun - the all-too-effusive rhetoric of violence. Bayard Rustin, president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, the educational civil rights organization, has spoken for the un- biased in his ranks, for the fair-minded in this land, exposing the PLO and making it a duty for all people of good will to be in the battle against those who would destroy Is- rael. Is it too much to ask that this be the final decision for all decent Americans? John P. Roche again emerged as a man .of great courage in a challenge for which he has earned the gratitude of every lover of liberty and the word of truth. So be it for the moment. Now, with an emphasis on non-violence, let there go forth the demand for an end to the rhetoric of violence! From the East Bank of New York at the United Nations to the elevated sanctuaries in Washington and Camp David there are reverberations that are surely puzzling to the average American. When the guilt of bugging and Andrew Young meeting with an Arab first was placed on Israel, and when the resignation of the UN delegate was blamed on the Jews, a few curt words of denial could have eased the tensions and accusations. Only a bit later the truth sprouted: it Was the U.S. bugging that revealed the Young negation of U.S. policies toward the PLO. But the rubbish of columnist. Nick Thimmesch which is dipped in poison whenever he can arouse bias towards Jews and Israel re : mains unwashed. The cast of characters is so large in the drama called Middle East that the average American undoubtedly is as much con- fused as he is puzzled, perhaps as much amused as he is blinded by contradictions. One day there is an assurance that the U.S. will not swerve from friendship with Is- rael, the next or the one after there is a condemnation. The latest was utilized as a farewell platform for Young. It was inter- preted at the UN as •a gesture of greater comfort for Israel's enemies in the Arab ranks and a lessening of salutations of good will for Israel. It smacked of a warning that there may be a lessening of military sup- port for Israel. This is where Hodding Carter stepped in to pronounce State Department approval of the Young condemnation of Israel. Thus every member of the dramatic cast has his role. From the Israel corner came the natural expression of deep regret that the U.S. policies should be tilting towards Israel's antagonists. It became necessary for Israel's Prime Minister Menahem Begin to assert that if it had not been for Israel's intercession in the Lebanese struggle the Christian com- munity of Lebanon would have been de- stroyed, and Israel will not tolerate it. The latest UN episode had to do with Israel's incursions into Lebanon to destroy the PLO strongholds. They are the same military posts whence came the threats to the Christian community. But the Chris- tian world is silent and the Islamic could be judged as approving the menace. There is inexcusable guilt in the Christian silence. If they had spoken there could have been an end to the genocidal threats to the Christian community from the PLO and their cohorts and succor for Jews and Is- rael. Meanwhile, there are new echoes in what has been labeled the black-Jewish issue. There is recognition of the truth that Jews were not happy with affirmative ac- tion. The black resort to an oil-energy argument is nonsensical and it is ludicrous to state that Jews created the problem. In a single issue of the Detroit News (Aug. 291 Roche and Lawrence Carter, ex- posed the Andy Young myths. Roche was blunt. He believes in a few chosen words, "I fired Young," could have avoided a scan- dal. The suspicion: does the Georgia gang desire the spread of such scandals? Roche believes Jews panicked: they met at once with blacks, seeking their friend- ship. Even if they failed, there was an obli- gation for such trying. That's the policy that will continue, even if many Jews, wit- nessing the grave danger to their children with merit., being deprived of academic positions, will question the justice of it. The desire for friendly relations remains, but not at the cost of truth and justice. That's why the Roche-Carter views in two powerful and fearless articles are ad- monitions to blacks not to embrace bigotry, not to encourage hatred, not to become partners with the beasts of the Middle East, with the murderous PLO. It is akin to their embracing the KKK. Jews won't em- brace KKK, just as they will continue to battle against recognition of the PLO by - anyone, especially the United States gov- ernment. If blacks endorse the PLO, they gesture hatred for Jews and Israel. But such gestures come only from the handful of leaders who do not emerge with glory in the Lawrence Carter article. Perhaps the black constituency will find spokesmen who will set the PLO admirers straight. How else can justice be measured? The Michigan Chronicle: The Black Rationale Longworth Quinn and his associates on the staff of the Michigan Chronicle know the value of moderation and cooperation in a society composed of a variety of loyal Americans. They have proven the value of knowledgeability and understanding in the editorial reproduced below from their current issue. They regretably adhere to a misap- prehension about Palestinians and fail to differentiate them from the murderous PLO. But so also do some Jews. On the question of good relations and rejection of racial conflicts, the Chronicle editorial adds to the Detroit Jewish corn- munity leaders' call for "cool, calm" ap- proaches to an issue that has shocked the sensible elements in the land. The Michi- gan Chronicle is rational. That is how the entire community should react. Bayard Rustin and John P. Roche Expose Misapprehensions By BAYARD RUSTIN (From the New York Times) Amid the heated con- troversy following Andrew Young's resignation as the United States delegate to the United Nations, some black people have suddenly embraced the Palestine Liberation Organization .. . But regardless of motiva- tion, I think black people must clearly understand the moral — yes, moral — issue involved here. For in seriously consider- ing links with a group like the PLO, the black commu- nity is moving beyond the realm of mundane "politics as usual." We are moving into an area where we face three enormous risks. First, we risk causing serious divisions within our own ranks; second, we risk the forfeiture of our own moral prestige, which is based on a long and noble tradition of nonviolence; and third, we risk becoming the unwitting accomplices of an organization commit- ted to the bloody destruc- tion of Israel indeed of the Jewish people. Some people have pointed to a few superficial parallels between the PLO and American civil rights movement. Naturally, this talk about the PLO as a "civil rights" group or a minority movement within Israel has generated sym- pathy for the Palestinians among black people. But this identification and even solidarity with the PLO is based on a terrible perver- sion of the truth, not only the truth about the PLO but the truth about our own movement as well. BAYARD RUSTIN Looking back on the his- tory of the PLO, one thing has become abundantly clear: The PLO, from the day of its creation in 1964, has never once uttered a word in support of any form of nonviolent resistance, peaceful relations between Israelis and Palestinians, or a political solution to the complex problems in the Middle East. By contrast, black leaders in America, especially cen- tral figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and A. Philip Randolph, never once in the long. history of the struggle civil rights countenanced violence or terrorism. The PLO, however, es- pouses the opposites of all these principles. My description of the PLO here is no exaggeration. Its tactics, values and goals are candidly set forth in its na- tional Covenant and other official documents. Its le- gacy of terrorism is written in innocent blood across Is- rael and Western Europe, and even across the Arab lands of Jordan and Leba- non. Between 1967 and 1977, for example, the PLO was directly responsible for killing over 1,100 un- armed men, women and children; its terrorist ac- tivities maimed nearly 2,500 people; and it held over 2,700 hostages ... By harshly criticizing the PLO, I do not mean to suggest that black leaders have no business concern- ing themselves with Middle Eastern problems. Nor am I arguing that blacks should shun the PLO so as to in- gratiate themselves with American Jews. Rather, I am saying that if black Americans are to play any constructive or conciliatory role in shaping American policy in the Middle East, we must do so in a manner totally consistent with the moral and spiritual tradi- tion of nonviolence. We must therefore reject hasty and expedient moves; we must reject any formal or organizational relation- ship with the PLO. * * * By JOHN P. ROCHE (From the Detroit News) History does repeat itself, Karl Marx observed: first as tragedy, then as farce. In my childhood the Jews were persecuted as "Christ- killers." Now, years after the Roman Catholic Church has expunged this charge from the Good Friday liturgy, the American Jewish community stands accused as "Young-killers." Deicide is a graver charge than infanticide, but both are baseless. Young was not crucified: He was fired for lying. JOHN ROCHE Ironically he was in step with Mr. Carter's under- ground policy of cozying up to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), but his clumsiness blew the gig. After all, it was the President who on July 31 compared the PLO to the "civil-rights movement here in the United States." In the wake of Young's dismissal we have seen the dirtiest play in recent American politics. Al- though Young was fired by the President and secretary of state, with the full sup- A Disaster Alert — It Must Not Happen (From the Michigan Chronicle) It will be disastrous if a serious rift of any sort develops in this country between blacks and Jews as the result of Andrew Young's resignation. As a Third World booster and as an activist for human rights, Young himself would be greatly disenchanted and disillusioned if this should occur. It is unfortunate even that any talk and rumors have arisen that blacks should now regard Jews as their enemies because the Israelis became irate over Young's talk with the PLO. Like the blacks in the nation, Israel exists in a hostile world and must do everything it can to protect itself in order to • continue to exist. It regarded the PLO-Andy Young thing as action that threatened that existence. Because blacks and Jews are both minorities and are victims of wide discrimination in this nation, they have shared a bond even though it might have been light. A friendship of sorts has existed and in the past they established schools for blacks; and often operated small businesses in black communities because whites disdained from doing so. Of course, in many instances blacks felt they were exploited, but that's another matter. The Andrew Young affair with the PLO which caused the Israelis to set up such a howl was a political matter and it must not cause blacks to regard it as a racial incident and subsequently denounce or reject Jews. It is creditable that the Chicago Jewish United Fund has made an earnest move to explain things and to clear up any misunderstanding that may have come up. Racial justice is still far off in this nation, so it would be sheer lunacy for blacks to alienate any friends they have made during the struggling years. port of Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd, the ink was hardly dry on his letter of resignation before he put a contract on the American Jewish community .. . Unfortunately, though historically under- standably, the Jewish community hit the panic button. Instead of telling Young to shove it and rid- ing out the hot air gale, Jewish leaders rushed to organize rap sessions with blacks ... When the dust settles it will be apparent that pog- roms are not on the agenda, that the monolithic black constituency invoked by Young and his cohorts is mythical, that when Ameri- can blacks bother to think about Africa they recall it is populated by the descen- dants of those who sold their ancestors into slavery, and that the Carter administra- tion set Jews and blacks at each other's throats. One flat statement by Mr. Car- ter — "I fired Young for ly- ing" — would have ended the slimy embroglio. However, the real danger is that in the furor over Young's exit the underlyiri policy question will be ig- nored. Indeed, if it did not require attributing devilish cunning to a crew of incom- petents, the deflection of wrath upon the Jews could be seen as a first-class di- versionary maneuver. At one blow the President rid himself of a public nui- sance and put American Jews on the guilt. defensive. Presumably he can now move undisturbedly to pro- vide the Palestinian "civil- rights movement" with its state: