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Terrorism Hurts
Palestinians, Too

While a lot of Palestinians and Arabs
in the streets of Damascus and
Baghdad enjoy the temporary success
of terrorists, the fact is that terrorists
are never unemployed.
Once they break the moral divide,
every crime and every mean is possible
and desired even if it only remotely
justifies the cause. Then those idealists
and patriots turn into sadistic killers.
This happened with the Irish
Republican Army and now with a
variety of Palestinian organizations.
Palestinian terrorists continue to be
a menace everyvvhere in the West
Bank and Gaza. They rob, rape, take
c`protection" money and kill those who
oppose their behavior. These terrorists
do have the tendency to multiply since
anarchy, which they promote, allows
them to become rich and also satisfies
their fanatical fantasies and sadistic
desires.
The world will do best if there is an
agreement that terrorists have no
"rights." As long as the silent majority
does not understand that terrorists are
like inoperable cancer, then terrorism
will continue and have victories. Most
of these victories will be against their
own people.
Dr. Isaac Barr
Southfield

Postscript
On Dingell

Relative to the ongoing discussion as
to the merits of U.S. Rep. John
Dingell, D-Dearborn, as a legislator
on issues of concern to Jews who
strongly support the State of Israel
("Friend Or Foe? Nov. 8, page 29): By
some sort of serendipity, I just received
a letter from Morrie Amitay, former
longtime executive director of the
American Israel Public Affairs
Committee.
Mr. Amitay is now treasurer of the
Washington Political Action
Committee. The primary objective of
the PAC is to develop positive rela-
tionships with and help fund members
of Congress whose record, vis-a-vis
Israel, warrants its support.
Mr. Amitay just sent out to the PAC
Advisory Board his summation of the
recent elections and the consequences
of the Republican victory. Item two in
the letter reads as follows:
"GOP enlargement of its majority

12/6
2002

6

in the House means that key commit-
tee chairmanships will not be in the
hands of such senior Democratic crit-
ics of Israel as David Obey, John
Dingell, George Miller and John
Conyers. These four were among the
21 nay votes on the recent solidarity
with Israel resolution. (351 yea, 21
nay, 29 voted present)."
Evidently, opinions of various
prominent members of the Detroit
Jewish community and the Camp
Seeds of Peace aside, according to an
organization dedicated only to moni-
toring politicians' records relative to
Israel, Rep. Dingell falls well short of
acceptable, let alone deserving, of
honor of any kind. Rather it is consid-
ered cause for rejoicing that he does
not head any committee that, if fact,
could °do Israel any harm.
Jerome S. Kaufman
Bloomfield Hills

Only Secure Peace
Should End War

In the Nov. 8 issue, a letter indicated a
foreboding of things to come ("Jews
Should Unite Behind Israel," page 10).
A "road map" has been developed
and endorsed by the European Union,
Russia, the United Nations and the
United States for peace between the
Palestinians and Israel. This "road
map" conjures up a primrose path that
will probably lead to disastrous results.
For years, the Zionist Organization
of America (ZOA) has exposed and
documented the Palestinian
Authority's unmistakable strategy to
achieve political and territorial gains
through a campaign of violence in
defiance of treaty obligations. During
this time, Yassar Arafat and the
Palestine Liberation Organization have
disqualified themselves as partners in
peace. They cannot be viewed as credi-
ble allies in a "road map" to peace.
As much as American Jews cannot
help but feel we have a friendly voice
in President George W. Bush, it is
alarming to see a "road map" support-
ed by the administration for creating a
Palestinian state within two years. This
is premature since it will be a long
time before the Palestinians become a
practicing democracy based on toler-
ance and liberty, a long time before
the Palestinians possess a practicing
judiciary, parliament and an educa-
tional system that stop spewing mur-
derous anti-Semitic and anti-Israel
rhetoric.
In our war on terror, the creation of
a Palestinian state would only add to

Currents, her second commission from
the existing long list of terrorist states,
Neeme Jarvi for the Detroit
i.e., Iraq, Iran, North Korea and
Libya. Making a sovereign state out of. Symphony Orchestra. The first,
Kaleidoscope Turning, was accepted
the West Bank and Gaza does not
into the Diamond Project by the New
mean the Palestinians are ready to
York City Ballet before she died, not
become a civilized democracy.
as a memorial.
Granting self-government to the
While these may seem like "picky"
Palestinians would only continue the
details, Elaine was a composer who
present battle.. There is no indication
phoned her librettist from Florida to
that their leaders are ready or willing
get her permission to reverse some syl-
to halt the attacks by Hamas or the.
lables in an opera aria. It is in her spir-
Hezbollah. In fact, the pullback of
it that I write to you now.
Israel to new lines would only send
Sylvia Starkman
the message that terrorism pays.
Bloomfield Hills
If and when the "road map" is insti-
tuted, Israel will once more be placed
in mortal peril. Having fought six
wars in 54 years, Israel can no longer
afford the luxury of ending a war
without a secure peace.
Joseph Savin
I want to compliment the Jewish
president, ZOA-Michigan Region News on its coverage of the Interfaith
Southfield Climate and Energy Campaign event
("Target: Gas Guzzlers," Nov. 29, page
29).
Special Writer Ronelle Grier's adept
handling of the issue made it clear that
the campaign — supported by the
I would like to commend Staff Writer
Michigan Coalition on the
Diana Lieberman for the beautiful and Environment and Jewish Life — will
sensitive obituary she wrote for my
encourage auto companies to develop,
friend and colleague Elaine Lebenbom
market and make available higher fuel
("The Songs Of her Soul," Nov. 22,
economy vehicles.
page 126). She did an outstanding job
In the Jewish community, as in
in capturing the essence of this unique other faith communities, the cam-
person and wrote a very moving piece.
paign is also about bringing our ethi-
However, there were a few errors of
cal and moral traditions into our
fact that Elaine, who was a stickler for
everyday life as consumers of these
accuracy in giving full credit to her
products. The simple act of getting in
collaborators, would want pointed
your car, truck or SUV and driving to
out. -
work or school, when multiplied by
I did not write the story for
the number of times all 100,000
"Freddie, the Second Fiddle." That
metro Detroit Jews do it each year,
was written by Sally Sherman, now of
adds up' to a lot of imported oil, a lot
Washington, D.C. I did, however,
of air pollution and a lot of green-
write the story and the libretto for the
house gas emissions.
opera The Witch, the Wise Man and the
As Jews, we are called on to be
responsible stewards of the earth. So
Fool, which was commissioned by the
Piccolo Opera Company and for
the next time I am in the market for 'a
which Elaine won a grant. The per-
vehicle, I will consider that vehicle's
formance of La Journee at the Great
fuel efficiency — because the decision
Lakes Chamber Music Festival was in
on what kind of vehicle I drive will
June 2001 and was not its premiere.
help determine the kind of world I
That was done by Joan Berndt, who
will leave to my children and my chil-
commissioned the piece, on Oct. 14,
dren's children.
1976, and who also performed it on' a
In the meantime, I will be sure to
National Public Radio broadcast
keep my tires properly inflated, since
devoted to Elaine and her work.
such a simple action can save two to
Alas, Elaine was not able to attend a
three miles per gallon right away. Our
concert three days before she died. She everyday actions can and do make a
heard it on tape that afternoon in her
difference!
Sara Bernstein
hospital room.
And the work in progress, on her
program manager, Michigan Coalition
piano, is not her Holocaust piece (for
on the Environment and Jewish Life
which she had written the poem and
Bloomfield Hill
was planning a choral setting for the
New York Virtuosi Singers), but Cross-

Everyday Actions
Fight Pollution

Elaine Lebenbom's
Career Revisited