STATE BALLOT DEBATE

Yes On Proposal 2

I

'm voting for Proposal 2. Why?
Because God wants me to.
As a rabbi representing the val-
ues of Torah Judaism, I must first spell
out certain assumptions that underlie
my position on this very sensitive issue.
• I believe that God created the
world.
• I believe that He communicated
how He wants us to live our lives
through the Torah.
• I believe in the eternal truth of that
Torah.
The Torah clearly and unequivocally
forbids homosexual behavior. This pro-
hibition falls under the rubric of sexual
ethics that apply not only to Jews, but
also humanity at large. It's in the Torah
in black and white.
Today, a great debate rages over the
issue of whether people are born with a

Reuven Spolter is rabbi of Young Israel

of Oak Park. He is a member of the
executive committee of the Rabbinical
Council of America and a member of
the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of
Detroit. He and his wife, Rena, have
three children.

genetic predilection towards
but of freedoms and rights.
homosexuality. It seems obvious
We have freedom of speech.
that some people have a stronger
We have freedom of religion
tendency towards homosexuality
— something I do not take
than others. And that's precisely
lightly or for granted. And,
why God forbids it. Why would
America grants us the free-
God forbid us from doing some-
dom to choose whatever
thing if we'd never want to do it
lifestyle we like. Taking those
in the first place? Many com-
freedoms to their logical con-
RABBI
mandments in the Torah
clusion,
Western society
REUVEN
demand us to withdraw, to
today
has
decided to with-
SPOLTER
refrain from doing something we
hold
judgment
on sexual
Special to the
wouldn't want to do. God for-
ethics.
While
pregnancy
out
Jewish News
bids one from sleeping with his
of wedlock was once consid-
neighbor's wife precisely because
ered scandalous, today it's
that's something that he might very-
commonplace. From the bedroom hop-
well want to do. Homosexuality is no
ping on Friends to the explicit dialogue
different. While it's true that some peo-
of Sex in the City (no, I haven't seen it),
ple face a greater struggle than others in it has become culturally unacceptable
this particular area, their predilection
to make value judgments about the
toward homosexuality doesn't permit
choices people make in their personal
them to submit to their desires. It
lives. Western culture asks, "Who are
forces them to struggle — sometimes
we to judge? Who am I to say whether
for a lifetime, in a lonely and noble bat- one choice is better than another?" I'm
tle we must acknowledge and venerate.
OK and you're OK.
American society today speaks not of
But it's not OK.
prohibitions and rules and struggles,
Have you ever wondered, "Why has

This proposal would amend the state Constitution to
provide that "the union of one man and one woman in
marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a
marriage or similar union for any purpose." Should this
proposal be adopted?

America done so well? Why have we, a
group of immigrants from around the
world, succeeded in growing to become
the most powerful country in the world
today?" I'm not looking for a political
or economic or military answer either,
because while all of those reasons might
be important, I'm looking for a meta-
physical explanation — a spiritual
explanation. So I need to mention one
final underlying assumption:
I believe that the hand of God guides
the major events not only in our per-
sonal lives, but in the events that shape
the world.
Without a doubt in my mind,
America has grown to become the great
society that it is because God wanted it
that way. America stands for so many
great things. We protect the oppressed.
We persecute evil in the world. We feed
the world's poor and send medicine to
its sick. America has a special relation-
ship with God: We trust in Him, and
He has given us His trust and blessing
in return.
But recently, I fear that we've begun
to slide backwards. While we represent
SPOLTER on page 54

No On Proposal 2

R

abbi Abraham Joshua
Heschel of blessed memory, a
luminary of the Conservative
movement, who grew up in a
Chasidic family, often spoke of his
march with Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. in Selma. These great leaders held
hands and together they spoke out
against bigotry, discrimination and
racism. Rabbi Heschel often said of
his activism: "I was praying with my
feet."
Almost 40 years later, Rabbi
Heschel's bravery reminds me that
our religious teachings support and
reinforce the moral and ethical
tenets espoused by the civil rights
movement itself. For this reason, I
am compelled to speak out when I
see that the civil liberties of other
human beings are being threatened.
Our Constitution guarantees that
no individual be denied equal pro-

Joseph Krakoff is a rabbi at

Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield and West Bloomfield and
president of the Rabbinical Assembly-
Michigan Region. He and his wife,
Susan, have three children.

tection under the law. Nor
unions as well. It will perma-
is permitted to be married. The State
shall any person be denied
nently deny legal protections, of Michigan cannot dictate this most
the enjoyment of his/her
such as hospital visitation
intimate and personal of relation-
civil or political rights or be
rights, inheritance rights and
ships. The Constitution does not
discriminated against.
pension benefits. It would
currently define or even mention
Indeed, this is in line with
eliminate benefits that have
marriage; this is how it must remain.
the words of our Torah that
already been negotiated into
Admittedly, American and Jewish
recognize all human beings
union contracts.
attitudes toward marriage are com-
as created in the image of
In other words, passage of
RABBI
plex. Conservative Judaism takes
God — male and female,
Proposal 2 will jeopardize
JOSEPH H.
halachah (Jewish law) as binding, as
gay and straight. We also
already existing domestic
KRAKOFF
it does civil and human rights. For
learn that God is omniscient
this reason, the leaders of our move-
Special to the partner benefits, especially at
and omnipotent, yet we are
universities and in city gov-
ment felt a need to publish a state-
Jewish News
endowed with free will. And
ernment, thereby depriving
ment in May 1990 at the Rabbinical
we can exercise that free will
children and families of
Assembly Convention that expresses
at the polls on Nov. 2.
health care and other vital basic
the following beliefs:
Proposal 2, the purported
needs. With high premiums and
Whereas Judaism affirms that the
"Marriage Amendment," is begging
already unaffordable coverage, are we Divine image reflected by every
us to educate ourselves to what this
really going to deny other human
human being must always be cher-
legislation is really about. Contrary
beings access to good medical care?
ished and affirmed, and
to all the noise and fanfare, Proposal
Proposal 2 constitutionally legal-
Whereas Jews have always been
2 is not a gay rights amendment
izes discrimination. No other group
sensitive to the impact of official and
because gay marriage is already ille-
is excluded from the civil right of
unofficial prejudice and discrimina-
gal under Michigan's Marriage
marriage and its benefits. The pro-
tion, wherever directed, and
Protection Act.
posal also creates a clear violation of
Whereas gay and lesbian Jews have
This proposal is purely about civil
the separation between "church and
experienced not only the constant
rights, not just for homosexuals but
state."
threats of physical violence and
also for heterosexuals. It doesn't just
Marriage is a religious institution,
homophobic rejection, but also the
abolish same-sex marriages, but
and it is up to each individual reli-
pains of anti-Semitism known to all
domestic partner benefits and civil
gion and/or its clergy to decide who
KRAKOFF on page 54

10/29

2004

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