Flagrant Debate
The opening salvoes were fired months ago, but the first battle
ended in a major defeat for President Reagan this week when the
Senate Judiciary Committee voted 9-5 to reject his nomination of
Judge Robert Bork to be a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
As telling as the full Senate vote, expected in the next two weeks
if the President continues his vociferous support for his nominee,
is the nature of the debate over Bork's judicial record. The Jewish
News has carried several news articles, opinion pieces on both sides
of the issue, and letters to the editor about Bork. The tone of the
debate in these pages leaves us as concerned as the debate itself.
Rarely has an issue been clouded as heavily by partisan politics,
use of innuendo and labeling of opponents. The President and his
supporters have been called ultra-conservatives, interested in turn-
ing back the clock to a simpler time in this country. Opponents of
the Bork nomination have been called leftist do-gooders, interested
only in free sex, abortion, homosexuality and drugs.
Shades of Lyndon LaRouche! When we ignore the facts and
digress to name-calling, our entire democracy suffers. It may be easier,
and is certainly simplistic, to label our opponents in this fashion.
But it does not deal with the issue in a serious manner.
We owe it to ourselves, as well as to Judge Bork, to elevate the
debate to a higher level. The Supreme . Court, certainly, holds that
great a power over our lives that a nomination deserves that kind
of serious consideration from all of us.
To demand learned, serious debate from our lawmakers and our
judiciary is one of the absolutes of our democracy, and our freedom.
lb be fair, or. even convincing, we will have to make the same demands
upon ourselves. Only through serious discussion can the Congress,
the Supreme Court, and the American people achieve the kind of
justice that is demanded and required by our system of law.
to describe the much-heralded policy of the USSR, does not mean
"openness," as is most commonly thought, but literally "loud speak;'
or public relations. So we are only fooling ourselves if we choose to
ignore the propaganda element of a policy meant to soothe Western
consciences.
Gorbachev would prefer that the media and public attention focus
on the dramatic release of a few well-known dissidents, rather than
on the fact that hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jews remain trap-
ped in the USSR, in violation of international agreements signed
by the Kremlin. As the U.S.-USSR summit approaches, we must be
mindful that this is a key moment in the long, tortuous struggle on
behalf of our brethren in the Soviet Union. And we must step up
the pressure.
The focus of the struggle in this country will be centered on a
planned national rally and demonstration in Washington. The
message will be for Gorbachev to be made aware that many
Americans demand emigration for Soviet Jews as a prelude to any
arms agreement.
The date of the rally will not be chosen until the details of Gor-
bachev's visit are known. But Detroit, through the Jewish Communi-
ty Council, is already gearing up for this mammoth protest, mind-
ful that we are a key to its success or failure. We urge our readers
to pledge, now, to take part in the rally, whenever it is held, so that
someday we can each tell our children and grandchildren that yes,
we took part in the struggle to free our brothers and sisters in the
Soviet Union.
Ready For Mikhail
WELCCI1E To OUR WICitiii!
WE INVITED 400,000 OF YcoR NEMIIBM
TO t)oiN 15,• Do Yeo HAVE ANY ixA
L WREN - RiEni. ARRivE ?
_„.....
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The news of Ida Nudel's imminent release from the Soviet Union
after a 17-year struggle for freedom is deeply satisfying. She is a
courageous woman who has symbolized the spirit of the Soviet Jewish
struggle, and she plans to come to Israel as soon as possible.
Such news must be welcomed with gratitude and prayers of
thanksgiving, even as we bear in mind that the Soviet Jewry strug-
gle is intensifying. Word of Nudel's release echoes the warning Natan
Sharansky gave us when he was here last month, namely that Soviet
leader Mikhail Gorbachev will be releasing a number of prominent
Prisoners of Zion in the coming weeks to deflect criticism of the
USSR's human rights policies prior to his arrival in Washington for
a summit meeting with President Reagan.
It has come to light in recent days that the word Glasnost, used
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PERU
LETTERS
AJC Position
'Inappropriate'
. . . News reports indicate
that the American Jewish
Congress has rationalized its
decision in favor of an Inter-
national Peace Conference
because of Arab resentment
against Israeli policy. If Arab
concerns must be the basis for
Israeli _ policy, there never
would have been a Jewish
State in the first place.
The debate within Israel
pertains to a crucial issue and
it is not appropriate for an
American Jewish organiza-
'6
9, 1987
tion to interfere at such a
critical state. More confidence
should be expressed in
Israel's ability to follow a
democratic process which
ultimately will arrive at a
conclusion which must be
first and foremost in its own
self-interest. The AJC should
not presumptuously conclude
that Israel requires interven-
tion by American Jews to
break the "deadlock."
The Zionist Organization of
America deplores the actions
and conclusions of the
American Jewish Congress.
It's our view that the poten-
tial danger for America's al-
ly, Israel, in an International
Peace Conference under pre-
sent circumstances, far
outweighs its potential for
peace .. .
Paul Flacks
Executive Vice President,
Zionist Organization of America
Readers Are
Grateful
I have just read Mr.
Slomovitz's Yom Kippur
editorial, and I had to write
you. You, Mr. Slomovitz, have
given so much to us, your
American Jewish readers,
and we're truly grateful.
May God bless you and your
family with continued good
health and happiness.
Sanford Yost
Farmington
Vested Interests
Fighting Bork
I am very angry at the
vicious campaign of disinfor-
mation currently being wag-
ed against Robert Bork by an
elite leftwing of American
political opinion, who think
their social agenda should be
imposed upon all of us,
without regard to popular
will or limits on state power.
These undemocratic, rad-
ical, vested interest politi-
cians want judges who will
weep for murderers, muggers,
drug suppliers, and assorted
bad eggs, but have no compas-
sion for innocent victims .. .
The United States will be a
diminished place if our
Supreme Court does not have
a place for the best legal mind
in a century.
Gita Raymer
Huntington Woods