Febraury 14 • 2019 5
jn

A

fter a recent visit to my dentist (Hi, Dr. 
Krawitz!), I was struck by the number of idi-
oms I found in our language that employ the 
reference to teeth or dental items. So, chew on this.
A common weed, the dandelion, gets its name from 
the French dent de lion (tooth of the 
lion) for the shape of the “petals.” Dent 
in French is tooth; hence: dental, den-
tist, etc. Now you do not have to give your 
eye teeth to know that etymology.
Are you at all aware of the absence of 
unicorns? They are as scarce as hens’
 teeth.
When you are adamant about something, 
you may fight tooth and nail to get your 
point across. You may have to grit your 
teeth and remain strong in the face of an argument. You 
find, however, that once you sink your teeth in, you may 
win the argument by the skin of your teeth.
Brace yourself when you find that you are on the 
cusp of a discovery. It may require you to bridge the 
gap caused by ignorance of others; then you may win a 
crown of superiority.

Have you noticed that protestors often come armed to 
the teeth with everything but reason? That realization can 
set one’
s teeth on edge. 
Having to explain yourself many times may make you fed 
up to the teeth. However, do not fly in the teeth of conven-
tion but rather, take time to re-explain. Yes, you may feel 
like approaching a truly stubborn person with a kick in the 
teeth; teaching someone can often seem like pulling teeth.
One way to engender distrust is to be discovered to be 
lying through your teeth. Encountering such individuals 
may encourage you to put some teeth into a decision and to 
treat others with utmost care.
When all is said and done, remember that if you are true 
to your teeth, they will never be false to you. 
■

continued on page 10

views

for openers
With a Toothy Grin

SY MANELLO
Editorial Assistant

guest column
Why Henry Ford Bigotry Story Matters

Editor’
s note: This column was printed 
in the issue of The Dearborn Historian 
that Mayor John O’
Reilly ordered 
scrapped because it contained a report 
on Henry Ford’
s anti-Semitism that 
O’
Reilly said would hurt the city’
s efforts 
at inclusion. McGraw wrote the column 
to explain to readers why the quarterly 
magazine was addressing the subject.
W

ith its growing African-
American community, a 
large Middle-Eastern popu-
lation and immigrants from a variety of 
countries, Dearborn is growing increas-
ingly diverse. The Dearborn of today is 
almost unimaginable 
from, say, the Dearborn 
of 1980.
Such diversity is 
reflected in the public 
officials who represent 
all or large parts of the 
city: State Sen. Sylvia 
Santana is an African-
American woman. 
State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud and 
Wayne County Commissioner Sam 
Baydoun are Arab Americans. Mayor 
John O’
Reilly is a white man and U.S. 
Rep. Debbie Dingell is a white woman.
It’
s a varied cast of characters, and 

a reflection of an evolving America 
in which women and minorities are 
increasingly visible in public life. 
The trend is further illustrated by 
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, from 
next door in Detroit, a person well 
known in Dearborn and one of the first 
Muslim women elected to Congress. 
Her 13th Congressional District is next 
to Dingell’
s 12th District.
The emergence of minorities taking 
their rightful places has come with a 
price, and part of that price is fear of 
demographic change among some 
white Americans and a nationalistic 
backlash around the world. And a 
big part of that backlash is a rise in 
anti-Semitism.
The Anti-Defamation League record-
ed a 57 percent rise in anti-Semitic inci-
dents in the United States in 2017, com-
pared to the previous year — including 
assaults, vandalism, bomb threats and 
anti-Semitic literature on college cam-
puses.
In 2017, neo-Nazis marched in 
Charlottesville, Va., chanting “Jews 
will not replace us,
” and one anti-Nazi 
protester died. In October, a gunman 
killed 11 people in a Pittsburgh syna-
gogue. “Growing Anti-Semitism Stuns 
American Jews,
” read a headline in the 

New York Times.
That brings us to Henry Ford.
In this issue, The Dearborn Historian 
carries a special report on Henry Ford’
s 
anti-Semitism. I wrote it. It’
s not a 
happy story. 
The magazine is running the report 
because of the current climate of 
anti-Semitism and because January 
mark[ed] the 100th anniversary of 
Ford buying the Dearborn Independent 
weekly newspaper, the platform for his 
attacks. We’
re also publishing the report 
because we believe local history publi-
cations should strive to tell the whole 
truth about our past, no matter how 
unpleasant, and connect local events to 
what’
s happening in the greater world.
While many people know vaguely 
that Ford had anti-Semitic beliefs, I 
think it’
s fair to say most people have 
no idea that, as the article details, his 
anti-Semitic publishing effort was so 
vast in scope and had such a powerful 
impact, or that his publications from 
the 1920s are enjoying a renaissance 
today among extremist websites and 
online forums.
In general, Metro Detroit and its 
institutions tend to treat Ford gently 
when it comes to his dark sides. But 
historians and other experts have 

BILL 
MCGRAW

For information, 
contact Tracey Proghovnick 

(248) 661-1836 
jslmi.org

All We Need Is Love

Living Your Best ...
Jewish Senior Life

Jewish Senior Life is far more than 
a place to live. It’s six beautiful 
residences where older adults can 
embrace life and community in a 
secure and supportive environment.

JSL is proud to provide inclusive residential communities, programs and services. We 
welcome all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, disability, 
gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, familial status and marital status.

When people spend time with their 
decrease-even if the relationship isn’t 
perfect. 

Being in love is good for your heart. 
The decrease in blood pressure has to 
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lower rates of heart disease than their 
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Being in love boosts your immune 
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People in relationships live longer. 
I’m convinced my father achieved ripe 
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good woman. He also exercised 
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a dry martini daily. 

Love is good for your mental health. 
The love hormone, oxytocin, plays a role 
in decreasing depression. Sleeping next 
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quality stress-reduced sleep. 

Jewish Senior Life is home to many 
loving couples who respect each other, 
support each other and care about quali-
ty of life. They tell me it’s easy to laugh off 
the little things that happen. And with all 
the little things, they are laughing quite 
a lot. Laughter heals us body and soul. 
Love solves everything. Choose Love! 

