THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Boris Smo/ar's
`Between You
. . . and Me'
Editor-in-Chief
Emeritus, JTA
(Copyright 1981, JTA, Inc.)
COMMUNITY CONCERNS: Leading Jewish organ-
izations standing guard for Jewish civil rights are now
watching with utmost attention the new developments in
the American political process. Some of the current politi-
cal trends raise serious problems for Jews. They are likely
to have an impact on the status and security of American
Jews in the 1980s.
They include the diminution of party loyalties, the
weakening of party machines, the proliferation of single-
issue groups, the public financing of electoral campaigns
and possible changes in the Electoral College.
The American Jewish Committee has established a
special task force to study all the issues involved as well as
the attitude to be taken toward them by the American
Jewish community. The task force has prepared a report,
and recommendations were presented by its principal
author, David Cohen, former president of Common Cause.
The recommendations:
• It is in the interests of the Jewish community to
discuss ways to make political parties important again. The
stronger the parties, the better protected Jewish group
interests will be. Revitalizing the parties would strengthen
competitive politics.
• Repealing the Electoral College and moving into a
direct election system, or other variation, would undermine
a system that gives the Presidential candidates a powerful
incentive to pay attention to Jewish and other minority
interests. The Electoral College increases the influence of
minority groups. It places value on coalition, and that
serves Jewish community interests, whether Jews vote
mainly for one candidate or divide their vote.
• Jews vote in higher proportions to their number than
do the rest of the population. It could therefore be argued —
from a Jewish viewpoint — that since Jewish votes count
for more when there is a low turnout, why increase the
turnout? The answer is that the drive for full participation
has always characterized Jewish experience in America
and has led the Jewish community to do everything in its
power to remove the barriers to voting for all citizens.
Continuing this effort would be a useful way for the Jewish
community to champion the value of full participation in
American governance.
• Because campaign financing is so central to the abil-
ity to govern ourselves as a nation, it is incumbent on the
Jewish community to be mindful of the complex problem it
raises. There is no doubt that individual contributions
ought to be increased because inflation has both reduced
the worth of the dollar and swelled campaign costs.
However, it does not follow that Jewish group interests
would be protected or enhanced by a massive flow of indi-
vidual Jews spreading their largesse over House and Se-
nate campaigns, or providing money for a Presidential can-
didate. Care should also be taken by Jewish bodies to avoid
adopting positions that run counter to interests of staunch
allies like organized labor — particularly the AFL-CIO
which has proven itself the staunchest ally of the American
Jewish community on the question of a secure Israel.
Other recommendations stress the opportunities
which the Jewish attitude could provide for building al-
liances with other groups to defend American pluralism
and resist efforts to undermine the Bill of Rights. They
emphasize the importance of a Jewish stand when
pluralism is threatened by increasing divisiveness and by
growing public skepticism about the effectiveness of de-
mocratic institutions.
CHALLENGE AND RE-EVALUATION: Another
AJCommittee task force is now engaged in considering key
issues currently under discussion in the area of group
status and identity in America.
Group status and identity will play an increasingly
important role in defining American society in the 1980s.
On a personal level, large numbers of Americans are find-
ing new meaning and support from their ethnic and reli-
(lious ties. On the other hand, various communities have
gun to demand that social services and opportunities for
advancement be allocated according to group rather than
according to individual merit or need. Both trends concern
the Jewish community.
Recent research indicates that ethnic identity is im-
portant both for acceptance of self and for the ability to
relate positively to others. On the other hand, the emphasis
on ethnicity has been denounced as fostering chauvinism
and weakening national unity. The challenge for the 1980s
is to find ways of preserving a strong sense of ethnic iden-
tity while, at the same time, building coalitions that unite
the various ethnic groups for common national goals.
WC Members
Petition U.S.
NEW YORK — The na-
tional executive board of
Workmen's Circle has
adopted a resolution calling
on the U.S. to support total
nuclear disarmament by
the U.S. and the Soviet
Union.
The board said unilateral
disarmament "was an invi-
tation to Soviet agression."
Workmen's
Circle
President Dr. Israel Kugler
also criticized the White
House decision to allow
striking U.S. air traffic con-
trollers to apply for other
government jobs, but not re-
turn to their old jobs.
GET
cityPauu
* ea& *
MAGIC
424-8444
ALSO
WHEN YOU RENT VIDEO GAMES
• FROM •
ROM
6 aft
•
•
•
•
BIRTHDAY PARTIES
PRIVATE PARTIES
OFFICE PARTIES
ETC.
IL
HAMILTON PLACE
A CLUB FOR ALL REASONS
,///
///:;7
FOR LESS THAN THE COST FOR
1-WEEK IN FLORIDA...YOU CAN
ENJOY OUR LUXURIOUS FACILITIES AT
HAMILTON PLACE ALL YEAR ROUND.
Take a refreshing dip in one of our olympic size pools, or a brisk run
around our indoor track. Enjoy great food and parties. You can do it all and
more at Hamilton Place. The perfect blend of luxurious social and
recreational facilities, complete with gourmet restaurant and lounge right
in your own back yard. Turn off the work day pressures and turn on the
leisure life style all year round. Hamilton Place is a vacation you'll
remember 52 weeks a year.
1-WEEK ONLY! I
45%OFF
45% OFF applies to full mem- I
berships initiation only. Ask
about our budget plan. Hurry
offer expires December 24th. I
imp 14.
I am convinced that we real misfortunes and pains
have a degree of delight, of others.
and-that no small one, in the
—Burke
Friday, December 18, 1981
me um
mpue
am gm NI
646-8990-30333 Southfield Rd. (Between 12 & 13 Mile Roads)
HAMILTON
PLACE
ATHLETIC
CLUB
21