SOLOMON
Dry Bones KING
IN OUR TIMES
Opinion
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SLOWLY OUT
SURELY THE
EGYPTIANS WILL
EXTEND
THEIR RULE
OVER THE
PALESTINIANS
Editorial
Sustaining Our Guard
e've become used to,
and all too accepting
of, news that the Arab
and Muslim world hates us
because of our foreign policy, our
president and our freedoms. Arab
leaders tell us that they can't
move too close to the United
States because of the rage of the
"Arab street:" The "street" suppos-
edly despises us because we are
already too close to Arab leaders
(as well as being Israel's primary
ally). We hang our heads in
shame, convinced that they are
more than a little correct and that
our choices are limited to retreat,
acceptance or military action.
But the truth just might be that
we are the victims of too much
self-criticism — and our willing-
ness to focus on our real and
imagined flaws results in missing
real opportunities for progress.
Robert Satloff, executive direc-
tor of the Washington Institute
for Near East Policy, a prominent
pro-Israel think tank, writes in
the New Republic Online (Sept.
30, 2005) that "the truth of the
situation is far more nuanced
than the commonly held image of
a region in which millions of
W
Arabs rush out of bed each day to
burn effigies of Uncle Sam before
their morning coffee
He writes about the unreliabili-
ty of polls of Arab countries since
they have no history of free
speech, many languages and
dialects and, most significantly,
the fact that polling is allowed in
just three Arab countries —
Morocco, Jordan and Lebanon.
Satloff rightly notes that these
countries are hardly "among the
region's political heavyweights,
and none of them are in the
Gulf."
There are also problems in how
the polls, however unreliable, are
reported. Satloff also points out
that in 2004 and 2005, the presti-
gious Pew Global Attitudes
Survey was selectively promoted
and reported to highlight anti-
Americanism and to obscure
positive trends. For example, in
2004, negative attitudes toward
American policies were reported
as "anger" though none of the
questions asked if respondents
were angry at America. He notes
that Muslims actually respected
and respond to American
strength.
"Muslims overwhelmingly
endorsed America's role as the
world's sole superpower," writes
Satloff, "with huge majorities say-
ing that international security
would be endangered by the
emergence of a global competitor
to the United States?'
In the 2005 Pew survey, all
Muslim countries (except Turkey)
saw President Bush more favor-
ably than the year before. They
also had a greater interest in hav-
ing their own Western-style
democracy — and there was a
significant increase in those giv-
ing the United States a passing
grade for its actions in Iraq.
The serious issue of anti-
American, anti-Israeli, and yes,
anti-Christian and anti-Semitic
propaganda and teachings is all
too real and pervasive. But the
mass anti-American demonstra-
tions predicted with the
American invasion of Iraq and
steadfast support for Israel have
never materialized. While a net-
work of money and political sup-
port for Palestinian rejectionists
exists, it is only lip service and
posturing that the Arab regimes
engage in when it comes to being
IS THIS THE
GOOD NEWS OR
THE BAP NEWS??
•
www.drybonesprojectcom
against Israel.
It's easy, and tempting, to scoff
at presidential envoy Karen
Hughes' recent public relations
tour of the Middle East, but the
United States is engaged in a lot
more than PR, and it's not wrong
to send someone there to trum-
pet that message. American lives
and interests are on the line in an
effort to liberalize the Middle
East, promote democracy, contain
Iran, facilitate an end to the
Arab-Israeli conflict and, yes,
keep the oil flowing.
There is as much danger in
underestimating the possibilities
as there is in overestimating them.
To give up without a fight —
whether that fight is fought with
words, ideas, dollars, education or
troops — is not an option. El
ient parking on Telegraph,
That's how they're con-
"the spine of Oakland
structed. The smaller
County Because you have
businessperson who
to be visible," he says,
needs a $500,000 loan
Kopelman has a good
— where does he go?
deal of local experience in
That's the gap the
the field. He opened
community banks fill.
Paramount Bank, in
You can usually walk
George C antor Farmington Hills,
right in and see the
American Federal
Colum fist
president and tell him
Savings, United Savings
your story. You can't
and Macomb Federal Savings.
do that with one of the majors.
After the death of his daughter,
"We don't even look like a
however, he left banking to take
bank. No cashier windows, no
time off for healing and figure
lines. Cookies to munch on. It's a
out where he wanted to go next.
different culture?'
Then he got a phone call from an
It took a full two years to get
old friend.
Nstar up and going, with all the
"I hadn't spoken to Joel
necessary state and federal
approvals. Another reason for the Dorfman in a long time, but we
had been moot court partners at
delay was Kopelman's insistence
University of Detroit Law
that it be located on the ground
School," says Kopelman. "When
floor of a building with conven-
he suddenly asked me if I'd be
interested in getting another
bank started, it was like a mes-
sacre" •
He is used to getting messages.
Born in Brooklyn, raised in
Oklahoma, college in Arizona,
where he met his wife, Sandy, a
Detroiter.
"She wanted to come home,"
he says, "I wanted to stay in the
West. So I applied to law schools
in both areas and we agreed the
first one I heard from was where
we'd move. U. of D. got its accept-
ance letter in the mail first?'
The bank opened its door on
Sept. 7, but the "official" opening
comes next month. And there
will be cookies. ❑
E-mail your opinion in a letter to
the editor of no more than 150
words to: letters@thejewishnews.com.
Reality Check
The Loan Arranger
eff Kopelman can read the
headlines as clearly as any-
one else. He sees the cata-
strophic stories that seem to
indicate, as one local journalist
put it, the "start of a Sherman's
march through the Michigan
economy."
But where others see calamity,
Kopelman sees opportunity. He
thinks it is a wonderful time to
open a bank.
Nstar Community Bank
opened last month in Bingham
Farms with Koppelman as presi-
dent and CEO.
All those large corporations
are getting smaller,' he says. "The
people they are losing are skilled
professionals. They're not just
going away. They're going to be
doing something with their lives.
"Chances are that many of
j
October 27 . 2005
them will become entrepreneurs,
start their own businesses. And
they're going to need a bank.
Everyone needs a bank."
But the question is, why
patronize a start-up bank in an
office building on Telegraph
Road? Why not one of the old
established institutions, with
branches all over the place.
"The simple fact is that the old
established banks aren't so estab-
lished anymore he says.
"Because of the mergers and
acquisitions the names that
Detroiters grew up with are gone,
and the bank they've been deal-
ing with for years may now be
based in Ohio. Maybe even The
Netherlands if one major deal
goes through.
"These are big banks and they
are set up to make big loans.
George Cantor's e-mail address is
gcantor614@aol.com .
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