EDITORIAL
The Bias Rise
R
eports of anti-Semitic vandalism have doubled in Michigan and
throughout the United States in the last year. The totals, both here and
nationally, have not been matched since the early 1980s.
The Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith attributes increases in anti-
Semitic actions in 1988 to publicity in the United States about the Arab upris-
ing in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Neo-Nazi activity marking the 50th an-
niversary of Kristallnacht — the attack on Jewish homes and businesses in
1938 Nazi Germany — also played a role.
In 1989, neo-Nazi skinhead youths are "credited" with an increasing share
in anti-Semitic harassment and vandalism.
We also must question whether there is a growing intolerance in America.
The climate that surrounded debates over the celebration of Christmas in public
schools last month cannot help but contribute to the growing number of bias in-
cidents reported to the ADL.
The vociferous debates in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Rochester over
the handling of Christmas in the schools reflects a "majority rules" mentality
that emboldens the crackpots in society. Encouraged by the hostility evinced at
the debates, they take to the streets with pamphlets denouncing Jews and other
groups and scrawl swastikas on buildings.
The debates should not be ended just because a small minority use them to
justify illegal activities. They should be a catalyst for another debate, within
the Jewish community, over the handling of legitimate public controversy.
Are the Jewish community's defense agencies — the ADL, the American
Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, the Jewish Community
Council — doing enough in these areas? Are limited resources used properly or
squandered? Is there adequate coordination and unified policy? Certainly a
head-in-the-sand posture is not working.
Important issues must be addressed in a manner that does not exacerbate
tensions, yet educates the majority — and the minority — about Jewish con-
cerns. More can be done, without letting the crackpots out from under their
rocks.
D.C.'s Desperate Mayor
M
arion Barry, mayor of the city that hosts the federal government, is at
it again. Already accused of womanizing and drug use, already wat-
ching his political base erode or, at the very least, become extremely
questionable, Barry now insults (in a Los Angeles Times interview) the Rev.
Jesse Jackson, his probable prime contender for the boss of Washington's City
Hall (see Media Monitor, Page 36). And, in the same interview, Barry warns
any wavering Jewish supporters that if they fail to fall in line, "Come victory
day, I'm gonna cut 'em off at the kneecaps."
Marion Barry has had great luck in his political longevity. He has defied the
odds and the experts. But the threats and insults of which he now seems so fond
are the noises of a desperate man.
Politics is many things to many people. It can be ennobling to those who
consider it a calling for the public good, and empowering for those who use it to
garner influence and command. But it should never degenerate, as it often does,
alas, to threats and gutter-sniping.
Whether or not Barry is a scoundrel has yet to be proven, at least in court.
But his current tactics appear to be those of a rash man.
No Help At All
T
he idea of cutting U.S. aid to Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan and the
Philippines to benefit "new democracies" in Poland, Hungary and
Panama has merit — if you don't dig too deeply.
But before the Bush administration and Sen. Bob Dole pursue the idea, we
hope they take a long look at what was done with previous American generosity
in the countries mentioned. Israel has never been tied to bribes and Swiss bank
accounts as have so many other U.S. aid recipients.
Social services in Israel, already strained by the influx of Soviet Jews, will
suffer further erosion if U.S. aid is reduced.
6
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LETTERS
Should Mixed
Marriage Surprise?
To all of you bemoaning
your children's interfaith
marriages, I would like to
ask: are you proud of your
typically Semitic features and
coloring, or have you had
these traits surgically and
chemically altered? Did you
rear your children in a kosher
home and attend services
faithfully, or were these
things too much trouble, even
maybe a bit outdated? Did
you keep Yiddish alive in
your home; did you observe
all holidays; did you make it
clear in every way that you
were Jewish and thrilled to be
so? Or were you eager — hell-
bent — to assimilate?
My guess is you wanted to
be as "American" as possible,
forgetting that our country is
great because of, not despite,
our cultural variety.
Well, now you musn't be
surprised if your children
have taken the ultimate step
in assimilation — and mar-
ried a "real" American, a
Christian American.
Stacey Koltonow
Huntington Woods
Editorial View
At Odds With Facts
The Jewish News claims
that Israel has itself to blame
for bad press over the handl-
ing of the recent Jerusalem
"peace rally" ("Israel's Black
Eye," Jan. 5). This editorial
position is uncalled for and is
completely at odds with the
facts of the incident.
The bulk of the rally went
without police reaction,
despite the fact that some of
the Palestinian participants
opted to turn what was sup-
posed to be a rally for mutual
understanding and peace in-
to an opportunity to chant for
"Palestine to be liberated
with blood" and other anti-
accommodation slogans.
The Jerusalem police had
been warned by Interpol in
advance that disruptions
were planned for this rally.
The police only reacted when
stick and club-bearing
Palestinians began to attack
them and a Palestinian threw
a gas grenade at the police.
By quickly clearing the scene,
the Jerusalem police
prevented the Palestinians
from carrying out whatever
other plans they had to
"blacken Israel's eye."
The demonstrators were
roundly condemned. Even
liberal Mayor Teddy Kollack
criticized the group.
If anything, one would have
expected Jewish editorial
writers to express their disap-
pointment over once again be-
ing faced with the raw truth
— namely that the Palesti-
nians want all of Palestine —
not just part of it.
Aaron Lerner
Oak Park
Bugs? It's Just
Another Halachah
What's this business about
bugs in the lettuce? It's just
another 'Ibrah law, Halachah.
And within Halachah is the
way we function as Torah
Jews.
Most of the time we know
Halachah both through usage
and study. We know most of
the brachot for various foods;
we know most of what we can
and cannot do on Shabbat.
When we don't know or are
not certain, we go to dat
Torah — our rabbis. They tell
us the law when it's clearly
stated in the Shulchan
Oruch. If there are differences
of opinion, the rabbi decides