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POINT

from page 39

more logical, reasonable approach to
the issue of religion in public life.
Now that it's one of our own, it
will require Jewish organizations to be
more "select" in their protests, more
incisive in their thinking.
As to the ADL, which said it also
"drew the line" about how much dis-
cussion of religion it would accept
from candidates Gore and Texas Gov.
George Bush, the organization might
decide to re-evaluate its mission. It is
the height of arrogance, and not the
role of the ADL, to tell candidates
how much talk about religion it
would tolerate. The American people
can decide with their votes.
A re-evaluation by the ADL of its
role, and a re-evaluation of the entire
issue of religion in politics in the Jewish
community, might lead to devoting lim-
ited financial and political resources to
issues that have been ignored, but
deserve the kind of outrage that the
Jewish body politic has devoted to "reli-
gion" in the public arena.
Let us pray — yes, pray — that
happens. ❑

COUNTERPOINT from page 39

you want to make a great
dessert this Rosh Hashana
(that your family will love)?

Read the JN

Holiday Food Series

9/1
2000

40

feature in the September 22nd issue.

Democrats — who need to prevent
the GOP from casting them as left-
wing critics of traditional values —
need to say. That's why Gore and his
strategists have unleashed Lieberman
to talk about religion.
The only people really alienated by
Lieberman's talk are Jewish liberals!
Lieberman's pushing of the enve-
lope on separation rhetoric has to
scare ideologues who hope that a vic-
torious Democratic ticket will adhere
to liberal orthodoxy on separationism.
Gore himself has spoken of his inter-
est in such "compassionate conserva-
tive" ideas as charitable choice, which
will emphasize private and religious
efforts to aid the poor as opposed to
relying solely on the power of the gov-
ernment.
Though centrist/liberal groups such
as the American Jewish Committee are
in favor of it, it isn't clear just how far
the Democrats will be willing to go on
charitable choice because it allows reli-
gious organizations to take on a role
hitherto reserved for big government.
But an administration that is as com-
fortable with religion in the public
sphere as Lieberman is has to be consid-
ered one that may expand it despite
concerns about attachina religious
b to the poor.
strings to services offered

Voucher Push Continues

By a fortuitous coincidence, the same
day that Lieberman's speech hit the
national press, a study on a similarly
contentious issue — school vouchers
— was made public.
The study, conducted by respected
scholars from Harvard University, the
University of Wisconsin and George-
town University, centered on three
experiments in allowing parents to
choose a private or religious school
instead of a public school for their
children.
The study showed that among
black students, those who were given
vouchers scored an average of six
points higher in reading and in math
over those who remained behind in
public schools in New York City, the
District of Columbia and Dayton,
Ohio.
The timing of this latest proof of
the value of exploring educational
alternatives is interesting, precisely
because it is the liberal fear of religious
involvement that is driving most of
the opposition to school choice.
Although Gore and the Democratic
platform vehemently oppose vouchers,
Lieberman has long favored them.
Since his nomination, Lieberman has
said he has not changed his mind on
the issue but that in the future he will
not speak out on it.
However, Lieberman's very public
advocacy of the role of faith in public
life may be laying the groundwork for
the next round of debates on vouchers
and making it easier for Democrats —
and Jews — to rethink their knee-jerk
opposition to the concept.
It was especially apt that he spoke
on religion and state to a black audi-
ence, because it is disadvantaged
families in the inner cities trapped
in failing public schools who have
the most at stake in the vouchers
controversy.
Suburban liberals — as well as the
majority of American Jews who
oppose vouchers — are on the spot
here, because African Americans are
increasingly supportive of voucher
plans. Disadvantaged Americans
deserve more than a condescending
dose of liberal rhetoric from voucher
opponents; they deserve solutions.
This is a drama that will eventually
be played out independent of the
November election. But whether or
not the Democratic ticket wins, Joe
Lieberman is breaking a path that will
allow American Jews to take a new
look at the issue of religion in the
public square.

❑

