Opinion

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More Journalistic Bias?

Brooklyn

F

allowing the news coverage of
the events in Israel, I sometimes
doubt my sanity. Or has the rest
of the world lost its collective mind?
I see a clear-cut situation. There is
unspeakable evil out there. People who
glorify death and murder; who aim deadly
rockets at civilian populations; who rejoice
when lives and families are irreparably
destroyed.
Then there's a democracy that values
human life. A nation that yearns for peace
but has no choice other than to defend
herself against a mortal enemy. A nation
that does all in its power to protect human
life — both its citizens as well as the hos-
tile civilian population wherein the enemy
is embedded.
So simple: Evil must be destroyed
— utterly and completely. Yet others view
the situation differently.
Israel is accused of the "slaughter of
innocent Arabs." Others call for a halt to
the "disproportionate, unlawful use of
force by Israel ..."
And then there are Israel's well-

intended friends, who fever-
thanking God for other, seem-
ishly worked to bring about a
ingly more basic needs, such
truce. Which puts them more
as sight, mobility, clothing and
or less on the same boat as our
more.
"unbiased" news media that
It's very telling that the
takes great pains to present the
morning blessings accentuate
news "objectively" Both accom-
the significance of the wisdom
plish the same goal: lending
to discern between light and
legitimacy to the cause of evil,
darkness.
portraying the conflict as one
Contrast this approach
between two "sides."
Rabbi Naftali
with today's society, much of
What two sides? Do we also
which prides itself on its abil-
Silberberg
highlight the "side" of a serial
ity to obfuscate the boundary
Special
murderer? Do we try to broker
between light and darkness.
Commentary
a "truce" between him and his
In the name of objectivity and
victims' families?
progressiveness, we try to explain away
Which brings me back to my original
evil as "misunderstood good." There is no
question — Who has lost their mind, me
good and evil, we are taught to believe.
or them?
Everything is relative. It all depends on the
Upon awakening in the morning, we
perspective you choose to adopt.
recite a series of blessings, thanking God
Torah tells us otherwise. There is
for the various gifts He grants us on a
good and evil, life and death, and we are
daily basis. After thanking God for restor-
enjoined to distinguish between the two
ing our souls into our bodies, the very
and "choose life!"
next blessing thanks God for "giving the
Sometimes, good and evil are readily
rooster the wisdom to distinguish between distinguishable. Other times, we need a
day and night." It's curious that this is so
measure of wisdom to differentiate —
important that it precedes the blessings
such as when two people are both bran-

dishing weapons, but one is an offender
and the other is a defender.
It's not a virtue to confuse the difference
between good and evil. The best journal-
ists labeled 9-11 as an awful and sad day
— without concern that their credentials
as unbiased reporters would be sullied.
When you turn on the news and hear
vicious crimes described as tragic and
horrific, or when you hear people's chari-
table works described as heartwarming
and exemplary, that is good. It shows that
as a society we — at least sometimes —
see the difference between good and evil.
It's time now for the world to wake up
about the true situation in Israel. It's time
that everyone realizes that if you want to
call it a battle between two sides, at least
identify the diametrically opposed nature
of each side.
Because there comes a situation when
"unbiased" journalism is nothing more
than a tool that guarantees the survival
of the evil and darkness it chooses not to
identify. 7—

Detroit native Rabbi Naftali Silberberg is an

editor for Chabad.org in New York.

King's Pro-Israel Legacy And Obama

New York/JTA

S

ince claiming the presidency,
Barack Obama has been univer-
sally praised by foreign leaders
as a breath of fresh air for American diplo-
macy. On Dec. 27, however, world leaders'
jubilant anticipation of his inauguration
took a backseat as Israel began its current
operation in Gaza and questions arose
as to how the incoming president would
respond to the conflict.
While President Obama correctly insist-
ed that there cannot be "two presidents at
a time," his inauguration is now passed;
the global community is now looking
to him for guidance on the Middle East.
Obama would be best served by embrac-
ing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
and his unequivocal support and commit-
ment to the State of Israel.
Israel launched Operation Cast Lead in
order to end Hamas' capacity to launch
rockets from the Gaza Strip into southern
Israel.
Pro-Israel supporters should take corn-
fort in the pronouncements by President
Obama and key figures in his adminis-

A30

January 22 = 2009

tration. Obama himself has
As we come together to
already affirmed his pledge to
welcome the first African-
pursue aggressively an end to
American president against the
the conflict upon taking the
backdrop of the current crisis
oath of office.
in the Middle East, Obama
Additionally, when visiting
should recall the noble legacy
Sderot last July, then-candi-
of King and his steadfast dedi-
date Obama said he would do
cation to Israel.
whatever he could to protect his
King understood the neces-
daughters if they were threat-
sity for Israel to protect its citi-
ened by rocket attacks. His top
zens, invoking the sentiment,
Rabbi Marc
political adviser, David Axelrod,
"Peace for Israel means secu-
Schneier
has been quoted as saying,
rity, and we must stand with all
Special
"When bombs are raining
of our might to protect its right
Commentary
down on your citizens there is
to exist, its territorial integrity."
an urge to respond and act to put an end
The people of Israel held a special
to that. That's what [Obama] believes:"
place in King's thinking. During Israel's
1956 war with Egypt, he wrote: "There is
Mr. Axelrod has also said the Obama
something in the very nature of the uni-
administration plans to work closely with
Israel, which he called Washington's "most verse which is on the side of Israel in its
important ally in the region:'
struggle with every Egypt."
In March of 1959, returning to the
What irony that Barack Obama's inau-
United States by a circuitous route that
guration fell one day after King's 80th
took him through Jordan and Egypt, King
birthday commemoration and national
visited Jerusalem and Jericho, then still
observances of the day across the country.
King's struggles and his supreme sacrifice
in Arab hands. Though Jordan refused to
let him into the Jewish Quarter in the Old
laid the groundwork for an Obama presi-
dency.
City of Jerusalem, King often spoke of the

adventure and excitement of being in the
Holy City and the Holy Land.
In fact, the last speech he gave before
his death specifically referred to his trip
on the Jericho Road. King remarked, "I see
Israel, and never mind saving it, as one
of the great outposts of democracy in the
world and a marvelous example of what
can be done, how desert land almost can
be transformed into an oasis of brother-
hood and democracy."
As president, Barack Obama is faced
with a number of urgent domestic and
international issues. The crisis in the
Middle East will present a great challenge
to our new president.
I trust King's legacy will offer him great
wisdom and guidance.
As King so eloquently stated, "The ulti-
mate measure of a man is not where he
stands in moments of comfort and con-
venience, but where he stands at times of
challenge and controversy.

Rabbi Marc Schneier is president of the

Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and

author of "Shared Dreams: Martin Luther King,

Jr. and the Jewish Community."