OTHER VIEWS

Bush Is Not Respected

A

difficult, contentious presi-
dential campaign is in
progress. In addition to the
many important issues that all voters
face, the pro-Israel voter has Israel as
a vital, sometimes overriding, con-
cern.
There is agreement that as far as
foreign policy, the current Bush
administration is clearly pro-Israeli;
therefore, voting for the incumbent
can be seen as the correct action
despite any other policy reservations.
It is true that Israel is dependent on
the good will of the United States,
which President George W. Bush has
shown; but it is dependent on a
United States that is the respected
diplomatic and economic leader of
the Western world.
As shown below, Bush's judgment
and competence are questionable;
his presidency has not lead to such
U.S. leadership, nor would a second
term, therefore not advancing
Israel's interim and long-term secu-
rity.
The Bush Administration's actions-
assumptions, and their results:
• Terror and Iraq — Iraq and

Alfred Goldstein is a resident of Oak
Park.

Saddam Hussein were unequivocally
linked to global terrorism and
weapons of mass destruction by
Bush; in fact, the epitome of the
world terror threat. While Hussein
was undoubtedly murderous, no link
has been found to either.
Bush assumed that the Iraqi peo-
ple would be grateful for U.S. occu-
pation, would quickly develop a
local democracy, and Iraq and the
world would be far safer from ter-
rorism. None of this occurred.
Within two weeks, the Iraqis vio-
lently opposed U.S. occupation,
democracy became an unobtainable
goal and the increase in terror, in
Iraq and elsewhere, is shocking. It
was obvious in advance that U.S.
military force would quickly subdue
the Iraqi army; serious planning was
not done for the inevitable occupa-
tion.
The Bush commitment to Iraq, a
secondary threat, has distracted nec-
essary attention from proven, dan-
gerous threats: Al Qaida and bin
Laden, Iran, North Korea and
Pakistan, all of whom either have
proven nuclear capacity or are
actively and openly developing it.
Pakistan is not only the admitted
father of the "Moslem bomb," but

also has recently pardoned its
is exercise, but a strategic
chief nuclear scientist, who
military need. There is no
has publicly admitted trans-
need to endanger the fiscal
ferring nuclear technology to
health of America's essential
Iran, North Korea and Libya.
auto industry. A few simple
This distraction is of great
tax incentives. encouraging,
strategic importance to
not mandating, purchase of_
Israel.
more gas-efficient main-
ALFRED
• U.S. economy — Bush
stream vehicles and an
has assumed that virtually all GOLDSTEIN increased fuel tax dedicated
Community
taxation, regardless of what
to developing practical ener-
Perspective
it pays for and how effective-
gy alternatives would be
ly it is used, is bad; and that
helpful in themselves, as well
huge unprecedented budget
as recognition of a harsh
deficits are, literally, unimportant:
reality: World quantity of oil and gas
Therefore, a foreign war and large
is finite, and much of this industry
tax cuts have both simultaneously
is controlled by nations hostile to
taken place, with more of each like-
Israel's and the world's security.
ly. This behavior, consistently
Israel's well being greatly concerns
applied by the administration, is
us all. In vital security, economic
highly irresponsible, bordering on
and energy affairs, President Bush
simple wishful thinking and dis-
has shown a consistent, disturbing
tinctly runs counter to Israel's inter-
judgment, leading to a military
ests and no doubt to America's as
quagmire in Iraq, possible long-term
well.
damage to the U.S. economy and an
• Energy — In addition to its
upsetting loss of international lead-
indispensable importance, it is also
ership and prestige. Israel and the
what funds the very states and move- United States need a president who
ments most involved in terrorism; it
will not commit such serious strate-
fuels Israel's greatest physical threat,
gic misjudgments. ❑
as well as a threat to the entire
world. Discussing energy depend-
ence in this reality is not an academ-

Don't Enshrine Inequality

Los Angeles
he most important mitzvah
in Jewish law is pikuach
nefesh literally, regard for
human life.
Rooted in Leviticus 19:16,
"Neither shall you stand idly by the
blood of your neighbor," it is the
name for our obligation to aid
endangered persons. Pikuach nefesh
supersedes every other mitzvah and
is the origin for our passion for
social justice, our concern for those
facing discrimination and oppres-
sion.
On Nov. 2, Jews in Michigan have
the opportunity to act out the mitz-

T

Richard Frank, a native Detroiter, was a
member of the Domestic Concerns
Committee of the Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit 1991-
1995 and taught at the Jewish Parents
Institute at the Jewish Community Center
of Metropolitan Detroit 1984-1995. He
now lives in L.A. His e-mail address is
rjfrankla@sbcglobal.net

8/13
2004

24

vah of pikuach nefesh by helping to
defeat an amendment to the state
constitution that would ban the state
from ever extending the right of
marriage to gays and lesbians. This
discriminatory proposal is contrary
to Jewish values and an offense to
my life. Despite a remove of 3,000
miles and seven years, I am com-
pelled by my love of my home state
to speak out against this effort to
enshrine discrimination into
Michigan law.
My opposition to this amendment
stems from the basic fact that all
human beings are created b'tzelem
Elohim — in God's image. It says in
Genesis 1:27, "And God created
humans in God's image, in the
image of God." The diversity of
humanity manifests the greatness of
God, and we are required to act in a
manner that honors God. B'tzelem
Elohim requires us, as Jews, to
demand equality for everyone and
reject every effort, like this proposal,
to create division. To do anything

else dishonors our faith and
is threatened by trivializa-
tradition.
tions like The Bachelor, Who
This is personal. I am a gay
Wants to Marry a
Jewish man, created b'tzelem
Millionaire? and cynical
Elohim. I give honor to God
attempts to exploit the
in living out my life fully,
sacredness of committed
openly, honestly. It says in
relationships for political
the Torah (Genesis 1:310
gain.
"And God saw every thing
There is no threat from
RIC HARD
that was made, and behold, it
the gay couple down the
F RANK
was very good." This article
street, from the two mothers
Sp ecial
of faith includes me, without
Corn mentary of your daughter's playmate
question.
or from your kid's teacher at.
And with the same faith, I
synagogue Sunday school.
believe that as an American, born in
Indeed, those of us in the gay and
the United States of parents born in
lesbian community struggling for
the United States, I have the same
full equality of rights for our rela-
rights as my neighbors — including
tionships honor marriage, honor the
my right to marry. The proposal on
sacred and give honor to God.
the ballot in November is an assault
Our community must work to
on my humanity and my citizenship.
ensure that this effort to enshrine
I am your brother, your friend, your
intolerance and inequality into
teacher: Do not allow this offense to
Michigan's Constitution fails and
my life to stand.
does so by an overwhelming margin.
Proponents of this amendment
In this way, we will carry out the
argue that marriage in America is
mitzvah of pikuach nefesh and give
threatened nowadays. If so, marriage
honor to God. ❑