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Friday January 11, 2008

Letters

Lantos a mensch

One of the most memorable speeches I heard by Congressman Tom Lantos was in Foster City in September 2001, immediately after his return from the so-called U.N. Conference on Racism in Durban, South Africa. The congressman heaped scorn on the event which had turned into an ugly bashing of Israel and Zionism. He convinced the U.S. delegation to walk out. Sadly, two days later, the 9/11 attacks occurred. Today no one remembers Durban for obvious reasons.

Congressman Lantos always impressed me as a man of stature and dignity with a razor-sharp focus on the issue of human rights and a deep concern for the issues that affect our district. His strong support for Israel and his moral compass are all things that I admire in him.

Tom is an upstanding mensch and I hope his cancer treatment is successful and that he and his wife, Annette, enjoy a happy and healthy retirement. It has been an honor to call Tom my congressman for all these years. Jackie Speier or Leland Yee, or whoever takes over his 12th District seat will have some monumental shoes to fill.

Steve Lipman | Foster City

‘Extreme view’

I was appalled to learn in your Jan. 4 article that Richard Goldman, former president of the Jewish Community Federation, stated on tape that “When [dean Rabbi Pinchus Lipner] would walk into a room, the children would stand at attention as if it were the Fuhrer [may God erase his name] walking in.”

I attended Hebrew Academy. I am not, repeat not, taking sides in this lawsuit. Standing up was merely a sign of respect students in Orthodox schools are taught. It is a very old Jewish tradition. For Goldman to compare the students to Nazis is so totally outside the pale of how Jews should speak about each other. This should give one pause whether the current federation holds such extreme views about Orthodox Jews.

Mordechai Pelta | San Francisco

‘Vile and repulsive’

Shame on j. for publishing a vile and repulsive cartoon of Hamas by cartoonist Barry Hunau on the Opinions page of the Jan. 4 edition. It is reminiscent of the caricatures of Jews that were published by the Nazis and currently by some Arab publications depicting Jews with hooked noses and horns.

Good cartoonists can depict an adversary without resorting to such low-level drawings. We Jews should know better.

Marcyl Seidscher | San Mateo

Appropriate response

If Michael Savage doesn’t have First Amendment rights, neither do we. Unfortunately, people like Michael Savage are often the ones whose cases test free speech. Mr. Savage abuses his right to free speech by promoting intolerance, as Media Matters has reported:

“Nationally syndicated radio host Michael Savage claimed on Martin Luther King Day (Jan. 15) that ‘civil rights’ has become a ‘con’ and asserted, ‘It’s a racket that is used to exploit primarily heterosexual, Christian, white males’ birthright and steal from them what is their birthright and give it to people who didn’t qualify for it.’”

I support people’s right to express whatever ugly and hateful, ignorant things they wish, because I want them out in the open where they can be rebutted. I’m happy to have them embarrass themselves without effort on my part. Also, our capitalist society won’t work if we won’t vote our consciences with our dollars. A boycott of an organization or person who is doing something wrong is a legal and totally appropriate Jewish response, regardless of who else joins you in it. Michael Savage has the right to be a jerk on the airwaves, but nobody has to pay him to do it.

Shannon E. Wells | Santa Clara

‘Totally unfunny’

I recently caught up on my j. newspapers and read the Nov. 23 review of Sean Altman’s “Jewmongous” show in S.F. I can handle much edgier comedy than Allan Sherman but find his “grog” song about drinking a toast to Christian baby blood and the title of his CD “Taller Than Jesus” with accompanying picture of him towering over and leaning on Jesus totally unfunny.

He states “I don’t like to offend anybody” but goes right ahead and not only offends but disrespects the beliefs of millions of decent people. He exhibits exactly what he is offended by himself — the well-known blood libel against Jews re: the making of matzah from Christian babies.

To me, he might as well shoot himself in the foot. Unlike him, it does not get me in touch with my Jewishness because Jewishness does not make it OK. This is no way to get laughs and he couldn’t pay me to attend his show.

Naomi Karlin | Oakland

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