SPECIAL COMMENTARY

Is It Kosher To Boycott Dr. Laura?

Studios even has a Dr. Laura television
show in the works.
few years ago, someone said
Interestingly, Laura is also an obser-
that if the great poet Walt
vant "traditional" Jew. The daughter of
Whitman were writing
a Jewish father, she formally converted
today instead of 150 years
to Judaism as an adult, as did her hus-
ago, he would have written that he
band. She is unapologetically
heard "America whining."
Jewish,
always wearing a Star
But that was before "Dr.
of
David
in public and talk-
Laura" hit the airwaves and
ing about her faith on the air
started setting us straight.
and crediting Judaism as the
In contrast to the gener-
inspiration for much of her
al trend of coddling us for our
advice.
weaknesses, the good doctor
But lately, although Laura
tolerates neither whining nor
has
become a virtual cottage
failing to take responsibility
industry,
with best-selling
for one's actions. The tough-
JONATHAN
S.
books
and
loads of stuff you
love queen is especially hard
TOBIN
can buy from her Web site,
on people who put their own
Special to
the focus on her has changed.
love lives, convenience or
the Jewish News _ For the first time since her
careers ahead of their chil-
meteoric rise to success in the
dren's welfare. Tens of thou-
early 1990s, Laura is on the defensive.
sands attempt to call her every day to be
lectured and pilloried, to the delight of
`Biological Errors' Strike Back
millions of listeners who take to heart
What
happened? Along with her regu-
every word she says.
lar
advice
urging women not to let
Laura Schlessinger is the biggest
men take advantage of them, Laura
thing in talk radio these days. In fact,
has occasionally let drop her opposi-
according to industry trackers, her
tion to homosexuality. Though she has
blend of advice and family-values
been at pains to make it clear that she
preaching has actually nudged aside
opposes discrimination and violence
Rush Limbaugh and the bottom-feed-
against homosexuals, she also has been
ing Howard Stern in the national rat-
quoted as saying that homosexuality is
ings, apparently making her the No. 1
a
"biological error." She is also a firm
mouth on American radio. Paramount
opponent of gay marriage.
Seeing this as an invitation to anti-
Jonathan S. Tobin is executive editor of
the Jewish Exponent in Philadelphia. He gay violence, groups such as the Gay
and Lesbian Alliance Against Defama-
can be reached via e-mail at
tion decided to take on the doc. Though
jtobin@jewishexponent.com

Philadelphia

A

stand why we must continue to defend
our Second Amendment.
What I object to even more strenu-
ously is that the Jewish News makes it
appear that these people who were in
Washington, D.C., represent the
entire Jewish population. They do not.
There is another rational side to gun
control. Until the Jewish News presents
both sides of the issue, I will continue
to be a bad mother.
Harriet Drissman
Farmington Hills

Rabbi Wise
Revisited

I wish to call your attention to an
error in an otherwise fine article by
Heidi Christein on Temple Beth El's
150th anniversary ("Redefining

Reform," May 5, page 6).
Although Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise
founded several Jewish institutions, he
was not the founder of American
Reform Judaism. Reform Judaism was
thriving in the United States (El Elohim
in Charleston, S.C., and other locations)
long before Isaac Mayer Wise came to
the United States from Europe.
I believe that it would be correct to
state that Isaac Mayer Wise coordinat-
ed or codified Reform Judaism rather
than that he founded it.
Irving it Schmolka
Grosse Ile

Historic Tour
Well Attended

Jewish Historical Society of Michigan
members were delighted to read the

she has attempted to apologize, the agi-
tation has continued. After months of
pressure, on May 16, Proctor & Gamble
pulled ads for their assorted wares from
the projected TV show. The next day,
United Airlines dropped out of the ad
roster for her radio show. •
Not satisfied with this, the gay
groups appear to want to drive Laura
off the radio if she does not recant her
views.
That raises some troubling questions.
Though Dr. Laura seems to be taking
a mainstream position on homosexuality
— and one that might have been
labeled "liberal" 30 years ago — the
stand of tolerance without acceptance is
'ho longer enough. A libertarian majority
is emerging that believes one's sex life is
one's own business, and that homosexu-
als have a right to the same acceptance
in society and equality before the law
that heterosexuals enjoy. From the point
of view of this libertarian writer, this
trend — in the realm of civil rights, if
not religious practice — is generally a
good thing.
But does that mean that all who
oppose this process must be driven
away?
Isn't an ideologically based boycott
of those who espouse unpopular opin-
ions exactly why many left-wingers are
still raging against the injustices of the
blacklisting of Communists and others
during the Joseph McCarthy era?

ularly to Dr. Laura but has still heard
her often enough to form an opinion,
I will confess to having mixed feelings
about the show. I think her basic mes-
sage is a much-needed dose of castor
oil for the "me generation" and its
spawn. It is delightful to hear people
being told to stop complaining as the
notion of personal responsibility is
exalted above self-realization.
However, I have always been repelled
by the way she deals with people, even
those who are dumb and deserve a
scolding. There is a lack of respect, what
in Judaism we gall derech eretz, in her
hectoring of those foolish souls who call
to get a tongue-lashing from the advice
diva. Like another Jewish media star,
television's "Judge Judy' Sheindlin,
Lauds arrogance and bark are tough to
take. I'm also suspicious of advice shows
whose listeners take their guru's sayings
all too literally.
Laura claims she has never attacked
gays on her show — and I've never
heard her do so — but if she is telling
millions that gays are "defective" in
some way, that is not a minor thing. A
belief in free speech does not mean we
have to subsidize speech that offends
us. Calling advertisers and holding
them accountable for what they spon-
sor is in the grand American democra-
tic condition.
But we would do well to remember
that those who were driven out of films
and television because of their beliefs 50

Castor Oil And Insensitivity
As someone who has not listened reg-

`43

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0

-g

Gerald Cook, Adele Staller and Judy Cantor

marvelous article describing the tour
of historic Jewish Detroit written by
Shelli Liebman Dorfman ("Time Trav-
el," April 21, page 13).
She presented the history and high-

•

DR. LAURA on page 42

lights in such glowing terms
that the tour sold out a week
early. We have a waiting list
of more than 50 names and
have scheduled a repeat tour
on Sunday, July 16.
Our society has been giv-
ing these tours for more than
12 years, but we have never
experienced a response such
as this one. Thank you for
the opportunity of allowing
us to share our interest and
knowledge of the Jews of
Detroit with a new audience.
Judy Cantor, Gerald Cook,
Adele Smiler
guides,
Jewish Historical Society of Michigan
West Bloomfield

LETTERS on page 42

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6/9
2000

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