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Jews Must Learn
Lesson Of Dec. 6
BERL FALBAUM
Special to The Jewish News
I
n addition to helping
force open Russian gates
for Jews wishing to
emigrate, perhaps Dec. 6,
1987 will go down in history
as the day when the Jewish
political heritage and land-
scape was changed.
This emotional day, when
200,000 Jews from across the
United States joined hands
and voices to help free Jews
from Russia, should also be a
lesson in modern day politics.
It should prove to Jews
throughout the world the im-
portance and effectiveness of
"taking to the streets" and
the potential of "Jewish
power."
The demonstration was a
moving experience. It express-
ed years of anger, frustration
and impatience not just with
Russian policy but with anti-
Semitism generally.
While the emphasis was on
Soviet Jewry on the eve of the
Reagan-Gorbachev_ summit,
there were other messages
implied in this historic
demonstration — one not
witnessed before in modern
day Jewish political history
but hopefully one which will
be witnessed again and often.
As a culture, Jews have
been reluctant to speak out
publicly, to protest in the
streets for human rights and
important political principles.
That posture has been
understandable, but it also
has been a political miscalcu-
lation and self-defeating.
Labor unions long ago
learned the lesson of public
demonstrations. The civil
rights movement thrived and
succeeded only because it
created public confrontations
with biased public officials
and even well-meaning ones
who listened but refused to
act for a variety of special
interests.
Politicians seldom act on
principle. They act when
pressured — pressured public-
ly — and when it is
demonstrated that ignoring
the principle involved is of
greater harm to their political
well-being than initiating the
appropriate and just action.
One can only speculate if
the history of the Holocaust
would not have been different
if Jews had demonstrated in
the world's capitals for action.
One can only speculate what
might have occurred if Jews
in this country had hancuff-
ed themselves to the doors of
the State Department, de-
manding resolve and political
or military action by the
United States.
Instead, Jews settled for
"quiet" negotiations behind
the scenes with so-called well-
meaning leaders who listen-
ed but quickly forgot and ig-
nored desperate pleas.
It is time to discard the an-
tiquated bromide that "mak-
ing a scene" will increase
anti-Semitism. Blacks learn-
ed during the civil rights
movement that racism need-
ed no excuse to exist or thrive.
What the protests did is bring
racism out in the open where
it could be exposed and con-
fronted openly.
Ironically, Jews par-
ticipated in the civil rights
protests, apparently recogniz-
ing the political value of
demonstrations. Yet, they
have been reluctant to speak
out for themselves. But as
several speakers pointed out
at the Washington rally,
especially Natan Sharansky,
this is "our struggle" and if
Jews do not speak out for
themselves, who will? It may
not be pleasant to accept the
fact, but it is nevertheless
true that Jews cannot depend
on others.
One only hopes that Dec. 6-
has set a precedent — a prece-
dent which will witness Jews
turning on the political heat
on a Gorbachev in more
public protests;
demonstrating vehemently
when the Pope meets with a
Kurt Waldheim; and mobiliz-
ing similarly when a Louis
Farrakhan spews his hatred
on college campuses.
Jews have to create a
psychological state in the
public arena that anti-
Semitism is wrong and when
it rears its ugly bigoted head,
those responsible will pay a
heavy political price.
1
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Wallenberg
To Be Honored
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
51