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LETTERS

Intifada: It's A
Religious War

JIB'

6/7

2002

6

11.hrgq.

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When I saw a letter writer use the
expression "homicidal bomber," I
could no longer keep silent with my
frustration ("Sadism Drives Suicide
Bombs," May 31, page 6). Israel's
restraint is becoming a slow "suicide,"
so this word may be an obsolete dis-
tinction, but "homicide" still falls too
short in defining the crime.
The Wahhabi sect dominates Islam
in the Mideast and it has adopted
every precept of Nazism other than its
pagan theological origin. Its press
prints translations of old Nazi propa-
ganda and ancient blood libels. Its
schools inject hate into every lesson,
even teaching math by counting dead
Jews. It uses Hitler's favorite tactic of
repeating the big lie often and loud
until the masses tire of objecting. They
both used anti-Semitism to divide the
West.
Apologists once insisted Nazism was
German nationalism, but Hitler
fought on after the war was not
winnable to buy time to complete his
"final solution." And now, apologists
are claiming that a state of their own
will placate the Palestinians. The
German Nazis fed gas into shower
rooms to conduct mass genocide; the
Islamic Nazis carry explosives into
banquet halls to exterminate Jews in
mass. Their motive is not suicide, it is
much more than homicide — it is
genocide. They have married the the-
ology of Islam and Nazism, so the
obvious name for them is "Islamic-
Nazi" bombers and leaders.
Columnist Carl Alpert's "Read The
Handwriting On The Wall" (May 31,
page 33) made essentially the same
point, but the readers of the Jewish
News are not the audience that needs
educating. His article needs to be in
the national mass media. If they won't
accept it for their op-ed pages, then
we need one of our organizations to
raise the funds and purchase space in
newspapers.
The inevitable response to my pro-
posed language is that it will offend
some peaceful Muslims. They are not
friends if they are not willing to disas-
sociate themselves from the Islamic
Nazis. Many Jews became shy about
associating with Zionism after years of
hearing it linked with racism. If Jews
can be cowed with lies about Zionism,
then perhaps truth can awaken the
consciences of some Muslims, or at
least wake up America's leaders. I sus-
pect that the parallel to World War II

is so frightening, our leaders cannot
face this — any more than they could
face the warnings preceding Sept. 11.
We also must put to rest the mis-
leading phrase "Arab-Israeli conflict"
and correctly identify it as a "genocidal
Jihad against Jews." This is a religious
war, and we must discredit the ridicu-
lous notion that it is about real estate.
The granting of an independent
Palestinian state is a staged retreat to a
weaker position. Any treaty with a
Palestine dominated by Islamic Nazis
is as viable as was Hitler's non-aggres-
sion pact with Russia.
Dennis L. Green

Detroit

You Overlooked
JVS Successes

We read the Editor's Notebook
"Building A Better Detroit" (May 17,
page 5) with great interest after hear-
ing the excellent speech by Detroit
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, on which
you based your comments.
You properly highlighted Mayor
Kilpatrick's theme of working together
to enable the city of Detroit and the
region to become a world-class com-
munity that we should be in promot-
ing and protecting the quality of life
for the next generation.
In listing the Jewish community's
presence "south of Eight Mile Road,"
you managed to note virtually every
worthwhile Jewish community activity
except the one that Mayor Kilpatrick
chose to highlight — the impact that
JVS is having on the city of Detroit by
touching almost 17,000 lives last year
alone. From four major service loca-
tions in the city, JVS is playing an
active part in helping Mayor
Kilpatrick move his agenda forward to
achieve a "city where everyone can
constructively participate in its
progress and prosperity."
In referencing JVS, Mayor
Kilpatrick included a listing of
"incredible wide-ranging and far-
reaching JVS services," employment
and training programs for adults and
youth, academic remediation classes,
vocational and rehabilitation services,
Welfare to Work programs, mental
health services, specialized services for
the homeless, and linkages to afford-
able health care for low-income resi-
dents. The mayor also acknowledged
that JVS has been providing services in
the city of Detroit nonstop for more
than 60 years.

It is wonderful that Mayor
Kilpatrick and other leaders in the city
of Detroit laud the work of JVS. It is a
shame that the Jewish News did not
take this as an opportunity to also take
pride in such a major Jewish commu-
nal achievement and report on it. JVS
is the only one of our communal
agencies that has maintained a major
Detroit presence as part of its commit-
ment to tikkun olam (repairing the
world) and, at the same time, main-
tained its focus on the social service
needs of the Jewish community, This
is no small feat.
Dennis S. Bernard

only President Jacques Chirac of
France represents a right-wing party
with a terrible bias against Israel. The
Scandinavian countries and Belgium,
one of the worst anti-Israel countries
in Europe, are all left-wing govern-
ments. Germany, which had right-
leaning governments since 1945, was
always a strong supporter of Israel. It
sold all kinds of armaments to Israel,
including three modern submarines. I
was shocked when I read the current
left-wing government had stopped
arms deliveries to Israel. It is today's
left-wing German government that is
doing harm to Israel.
chair, board of trustees
With large numbers of Jews belong-
Barbara Nurenberg ing to the Republican Party, we will be
president, CEO able to assure that on issues like school
JVS vouchers and abortion, the Republican
Southfield Party will change its attitude.
In a nationwide poll recently taken,
more than 60 percent of the
Republicans in the country were
standing completely with Israel, while
Democrats were only a little over 40
percent standing by Israel. The reli-
gious right, in particular, is over-
Gary Rosenblatt's special commentary
whelmingly and unconditionally sup-
("Waking Up To The Right," May 24,
portive of Israel, and Bush has to lis-
page 28) was extremely important and
right to the point. There are major sig- ten to that.
I believe that Atherican Jews, at this
nificant changes taking place in the
particularly difficult time for Israel, are
Jewish community.
doing the right thing by putting
Your editorial "The Bigger Picture"
Israel's survival first above anything
(May 31, page 31) was even more
else.
informative and a lot more important.
David Kahan
I was in Washington, D.C., at the
Troy
AIPAC [American Israel Public Affairs
Committee] convention and your
description of what happened was per-
fect.
Many, many Democrats at the
AIPAC convention told me that with
First, let me say I had conversations
Israel fighting for its survival, how
with your Staff Writer Sharon
thrilled everyone was for almost unbe-
Luckerman. Please accept my compli-
lievable strong support for Israel com-
ments; she is a professional reporter
ing from House Majority Whip Tom
who is fair and willing to listen to
Delay, who is, as you correctly stated,
both sides of the controversy regarding
a staunch Republican. They said they
the Jewish Community Center of
are switching to the Republican Party.
Metropolitan Detroit's outrageous
AIPAC must have a video of the
decision to eliminate all racquetball
speech of President Bush's chief of
and squash courts at the JCC in West
staff, Andrew Card. He said he was
Bloomfield ("Racket At The JCC,"
speaking for the president about his
May 31, page 14) .
unflinching support for Israel. Toward
If this decision is implemented, the
the end of his speech, he said, "Am
membership loss could easily be more
Yisrael Chai" [The Nation of Israel
than 100. Can the JCC afford this
Lives], and everyone jumped to their
immense loss?
feet, screaming and applauding. I have
Occasionally, I travel the Seven
never seen such an expression from
Mile-Outer Drive area in Detroit and
3,000 strong Jewish supporters of
see the Sinai Hospital building com-
Israel. It was an uplifting experience.
plex sitting forlorn and empty. I
Regarding the tragedy of European
implore the Jewish Federation of
anti-Semitism, as a Holocaust sur-
Metropolitan Detroit not to let this
vivor, I never thought that I would
happen to our beloved JCC.
live to see the day that it happened
Rudolph Keller
again. To the best of my knowledge,
Bloomfield Hills

Israel's Survival
Must Be First

Closing Courts
A Bad Call

