PURELY COMMENTARY

Many Roles Of The Humorous Involving Nations

Surely, such titles may arouse
resentments, the first from the White
Editor Emeritus
House, the second from the Kremlin.
The freedom to criticize and the unen-
ounting domestic and world ding resort to ridicule even when the
problems, human controver- target is the President of the United
cies, international threats and States at once gives author Gardner
political uncertainties would be difficult and his readers the liberty to pun and
to tackle without humor. Therefore the even to chastise. It is different in the
treats provided by authors who under- case of Russia and the Jews. It is
take to embellish the lighter vein and therefore to the credit of the two authors
to draw a smile from the solemnized of "Jokes of Oppression" that they con-
and the serious.
front the possible challenge. In their in-
Therefore an assured hearty troduction they deal with such a possi-
welcome for two books with cheers to ble difficulty by stating:
drive away the gloom.
There was one issue that
"The Jokes of Oppression — The
troubled us during the book's
Humor of Soviet Jews" is, as the title
preparation, namely how to
indicates, a "Jewish book." David A.
handle those jokes that might be
Harris and Izrail Rabinovitch co-
considered offensive to a par-
authored this book, published by Jason
ticular ethnic or religious group.
Aronson, and it is already drawing wide
In the end, we engaged in some
attention, receiving acclaim from
self-censorship. Our goal has
American Jewish Committee staff
been
to avoid the gratuitous
people.
denigration of any people.
Another volume that is certain to
We have, nevertheless, in-
draw wide attention is "The Mocking
cluded some examples of what
of the President — A History of Cam-
might be regarded as mild
paign Humor from Ike to Ronnie"
ethnic stereotyping, both of
(Wayne State University Press). Gerald
Jews and others, especiallly
Gardner, who accumulated the stories
where they attempt to make an
for this book, has a long record as a pro-
instructive point. Quite frankly,
ducer and writer for film and television.
such humor is so much a part of
Much fun is provided for reacers of
Soviet life — where more than
both books. They are not related — the
100 nationalities can be counted
first being primarily of Jewish interest,
— that we would be remiss were
the second possessing a universal con-
we not to offer at least a few il-
cern with the American emphasis. Both
lustrations. However, we wish to
works can surely be considered in-
make absolutely clear that we
citements to mockery. It is as a com-
intended no offense by their
parison of approaches to the general
inclusion.
theme of humor that both merit com-
Notwithstanding Soviet
ments in the related theme.

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

M

claims of genuine brotherhood
among the many nationalities in
the country, the reality is, not
surprisingly, far more complex,
as it is in any pluralistic society.
Generalizations abound, and
antagonisms linger; but as Alan
Dershowitz, professor of law at
Harvard University, write in a
1987 syndicated column, "Jokes,
by their very nature, are
necessarily provocative, upset-
ting and stereotypiical — at least
to some. Humor . . . is in the eye,
ear and psyche of the beholder."
"Jokes of Oppression" are presented
in four categories: Jewish political
humor, general political humor, eternal
Jewish humor and some true stories.
Nevertheless there is a generaliza-
tion that combines them into a theme
punning the Russians, often treating
the Jew as a challenger and unveiling
and major confrontations that could be
treated as problems.
There is an introductory page label-
ed "Warnings And Guarantees," and
one must wonder whether it should be
treated seriously. It is addressed to the
reader as follows:
WARNING: The authors of
this book have determined that
reading this book may be harm-
ful to your health . . . in the
Soviet Union!
GUARANTEE: Possession of
this book in the USSR will result
in up to eight years' imprison-
ment . . . or your money back.

So many of the stories are ap-
plicable to other tellers and to the na-

tions punned that warnings and fears
of reprisals should be questioned. Some
of the jokes are so weak that the
authors apparently recognized that
when dealing with reasonable people
there should be no panic about reper-
cussions. But when one deals with
Russia and the KGB it's another story.
Interestingly, the publishers'
several selections printed on the flap of
the book are perhaps the most effective.
This is what was selected to encourage
interest in the book:
An archaeological mission
went from Moscow to an area
alongside the Turkish frontier
to excavate a potentially impor-
tant historical site. Because of
the site's location, a KGB agent
was assigned to the group.
After a few days of digging,
the team came across a human
skeleton, but the archaeologists
were unable to determine just
how old it might be. At this
point, the KBG man asked
whether he could be alone with
the skeleton for a few minutes.
"The skeleton is exactly 1,568
years old;' proudly announced
the agent after only a couple of
minutes.
"That's incredible!" exclaim-
ed the archaeologists. "How did
you figure it out?"
"Easy. I forced a confession
out of him;' said the agent.
Question: Why was Khaim
sentenced to 13
years' imprison-
ment?

Continued on Page 38

Sharansky 'Fear No Evil' As 'Never Submit To Tyranny'

N

athan Sharansky was among
the leaders in the army of re-
fuseniks who consistently in-
sisted on the right to emigrate from the
Soviet Union. He adheres to the deter-
mined will to demand the right to
choose where to live and what faith to
adhere to.
Additionally, he remains the inspir-
ing leader in the struggle for human
rights with courage in that effort in this
country, among all faiths, and on a
global scale.
He could not have survived the nine
years of misery in the Russian jails and
in his demand for the right to go on
aliyah to Israel if he had not sustained
that principle.
The title of his book "Fear No Evil"
(Random House), is the proof of his self-
commitment. It was in everything he
activated as evidence of adherence to
the biblical edict ::Fear not . . ." That's
a book title that is the summary of
resistance to evil, defiance of dangers.
"Fear No Evil" is remarkable in
that respect and in the many factors ac-
companying it. It is the autobiography
of a defiant spirit. It is the identifica-
tion with Zionism that guided his ac-
tions and the demand for the right to
go on aliyah. It is the loyalty to family,

2

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1988

personal survival, is in the leadership
he demonstrated. His desire led not on-
ly to triumph in the demand for justice
for himself but for all Jews seeking a
way out of the Russian oppression. It is
embodied in one of the most important
declarations in the principles he
advocates.
Sharansky adds to the denial of the
Soviet charge that he was a U.S. spy.
This was rejected by President Jimmy
Carter and condemned by President
Ronald Reagan. He adds to the constan-
cy of the denial of the charge by his wife,
Avital.
In his analysis of the struggle for
human rights and the role by his
associates and his wife's outspoken role
in the continuing struggle for freedom
for Jews seeking exit visas out of
Russia, Sharansky declares that the on-
ly way of attaining this goal is the
Natan Sharansky
release of all who seek exit visas. It is
in his reference to the Gorbachev-
autobiography, the story of his battle for
Reagan visit in Geneva that he states
devotion to the dedicated wife Avital
in his autobiography:
who helped pave the way to interna-
"I understand that when Reagan
tional adherence to the human rights
theme that marks the commitments of and Gorbachev met in Geneva in
November 1985, the president told the
the refuseniks. It is a share in Jewish
chairman, 'You can say again and again
faith that defies the most serious
that Sharansky's a spy, but the world
dangers.
believes this lady (Avital) and you won't
The emphasis in the Sharansky

be able to change your image until you
let him go. I'd like to think that next
time they meet, Western leaders will
tell their counterparts: 'You can say
anything you want, but until you
release all the Jews who want to
emigrate, and all your political
prisoners, you won't be able to change
your image in the West? We must work
to ensure that Soviet leaders will have
good reason to take these words as
seriously as Gorbachev took Reagan's
comment about me in Geneva."
That's the major aim of a notable
work — to tell the West, and the world
at large, that there will be no end to the
freedom struggle until all who seek ex-
it visas from the Soviet Union ac-
complish their aim.
"Fear No Evil" is a good biography.
It is splendid reporting of the author's
experiences and his resistance to tor-
ture in the prisons of his confinement.
It is good translation from the Rus-
sian by Stefanie Hoffman. It is a most
dramatic instrument in the demands
for human rights.
It earns for the author the tribute
of courage and it lends Sharansky's ad-
vice to fellow libertarians to abandon
their fears when engaged in a great
struggle for justice.