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Emerson's Warnings
Are Not Islamophobia
Regarding "Emerson Peddles Hysteria
About 'Muslim Conspiracies"' (Sept. 26,
page 5), I recently met a Dearborn friend
who told me with a smirk, "Islam is get-
ting stronger everywhere!" I agreed. The
fact is that no matter what atrocities are
done in the name of Islam, the world and
America remain apathetic and do little.
Since 1970, more than 10,000 people
were murdered in the name of Islam. In
London, Madrid, Bali, Israel and recent-
ly in Nairobi, Muslim terrorists killed
and maimed thousands of civilians.
On 9-11 at the Twin Towers, 19
Muslims murdered about 3,000
Americans (more than at Pearl Harbor on
Dec. 7, 1941), but what we hear are shouts
"fight Islamophobia." It comes from many,
including Jews who equate Islamophobia
with anti-Semitism. FBI statistics reveal
hate crimes against Muslims account for
about 7 percent of all hate crimes, while
anti-Semitism accounts for 67 percent!
So why is there so much concern about
Islamophobia? Years of conditioning that
"Islam is a religion of peace" makes us
pretend that there are two Islams, "radi-
cal" Islam (the terrorists) and "moderate"
Islam. Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Erdogan in 2007 put these definitions
to rest stating: "There is no moderate or
immoderate Islam. Islam is Islam, and
that's it" He added, "Democracy is like a
train: When you reach your destination,
you get off it!" Indeed, Islam and democ-
racy do not go hand-in-hand. The last
train station is Shariah.
Muslim atrocities, like the use of chemi-
cal weapons in Iraq and Syria; persecution
of Christians, Jews and Sikhs; destruction
of churches, synagogues and Sikh relics;
murder of gays, and abuse of women are
not worrisome enough to justify "fear"
of Islam? The Muslim Brotherhood and
Hamas Charter preaches: "The Day of
Judgment will not come about until
Muslims fight the Jews ... The stones and
trees will say 0 Muslims, 0 Abdullah, there
is a Jew behind me, come and kill him7
Jews never advocated genocide of non-
Jews. They preached tikkun olam instead.
Emerson is doing what the U.S. govern-
ment, the White House, should have done,
warning us about the challenge of Islam
to Western civilization. We should all be
thankful and support his gallant effort.
Isaac Barr, M.D.
Bloomfield Township
Correction
In the story, "Kindertransport Reunion"
(Sept. 5, page 24), it was stated that
Habonim ran the refugee hostels
in London, but it was the Jewish
Refugee Committee. Also, the age limit
stated was 5-17, but some children
younger than 5 also were transported.
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Contest
C ailing all budding artists:
It's time for the Jewish
News' Chanukah Cover
Art Contest.
To enter, submit one original
piece of artwork, along with the
entry form on page 55 by Nov. 1,
to Jackie Headapohl, the Detroit
Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern
Highway, Suite 110, Southfield, MI
48034.
Winners will be chosen in three
age groups: up to age 6, ages 7-9
and ages 10-12.
When choosing your materials,
make them bright and bold, using
markers, crayons, paint or cut
paper. No pencils, light blue cray-
ons, glitter or computer-generated
artwork. All artwork must be hand-
made.
The grand prize is $100 and the
winner's artwork on the Nov. 21,
2013, cover of the Jewish News.
First-place winners in each cat-
egory will receive $18. Public online
voting will take place at www.
thejewishnews.com from Nov. 7-14.
Accountable Care Act
Fills Gaps In Healthcare
This is in response to the letter regard-
ing the Federation-sponsored panel dis-
cussion of the Accountable Care Act or
ACA ("Doctors, Patients To Feel Pinch
Of Obamacare," Oct. 3, page 6). I have
fought for more than 38 years for qual-
ity access to medical care for all.
While I was president of the Michigan
State Medical Society (2005-2006), we
presented an independent study that
showed a shortage of physicians in
Michigan of more than 4,000 by year
2020. These numbers have been verified
by many organizations including the
American Medical Association (AMA).
The state of Michigan did not trust
our study so it conducted its own study,
which showed almost the same statis-
tics. This shortage was and is real and is
happening now and will continue, espe-
cially as baby boomers age.
The so-called 2,700 pages of the ACA
were written with large print and mar-
gins and can easily be condensed into
the size of a popular novel. U.S. Rep.
Sander Levin is correct that much of
this could be simplified.
This does not mean that everything
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Last year's winning entry by
Adam Krugel
First-place winners in online voting
will receive $18 each as well.
Finalists in all categories will be
featured inside the 2013 Chanukah
issue, Nov. 21, and will be exhibited
on our website.
Submissions can be picked up at
the Jewish News Nov. 7-Dec. 1.
❑
is excellent. Removing prior existing
conditions, allowing young adults to
age 26 to remain on their parent's insur-
ance are very big pluses. The ACA really
applies to about 10 percent of the popu-
lation. The guiding principle of this act
is to benefit all people with affordable
health care and not place the burden on
those who have it, thus raising our pre-
miums each year.
This is not a new proposal but
one first put forward by the Heritage
Foundation more than 15 years ago and
supported by the AMA and other health
care organizations. This is not a social-
ized, one-payer medical system. Nor
does it affect those who currently have
insurance either through an employer,
privately or those on Medicare and
Medicaid.
I mentor students at all levels and still
encourage them to go into the healing
arts of medicine and surgery. Medicine
is a calling.
Alan M. Mindlin, M.D. FACS
past president of the Michigan
State Medical Society
senior delegate to the
AMA House of Delegates
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Bloomfield Hills
October 10 • 2013
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