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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 14, 2016)
OPINION 4A The Holocaust and the Jewish identity Founded in 1873 STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager Thank you, LaMear, Price and Warr Fluoride would crowd out ELJXQ¿QLVKHGEXVLQHVV T he 2014 Astoria municipal election was a highly visible event. Candidates for mayor and City Council made numerous appearances, and our letters pages were full of advocacy. No one — not a candidate or for understanding the explo- D YRWHU ² PHQWLRQHG ÀXRULGH siveness of the land mine that during that campaign season. Nemlowill and Herzig wanted Thus it was a big surprise sev- to plant in the middle of town. Describing what Portland eral weeks ago when Councilor Zetty Nemlowill raised the went through in 2013 in its issue during a City Council ses- ÀXRULGH YRWH WKHQSXEOLVKHU sion. Nemlowill said she heard of Willamette Week Richard concerns from constituents 0HHNHUOLNHQHGÀXRULGHWR³DQ DERXW ZKHWKHU ÀXRULGH VKRXOG absolute piece of dynamite.” be in Astoria’s water supply. 2QWKHEDOORW0HHNHUVDLG³,W $VWRULD¶VZDWHUKDVEHHQÀX- XQL¿HV WKH UDGLFDO OHIW DQG WKH oridated since 1953, follow- UDGLFDOULJKW,I\RXKDYHÀXR- ing a popular vote in 1952. An ULGH\RX¶UHEHWWHURII,I\RXOHW attempt to revoke that decision it be a political thing, it brings out all of Bernie Sanders and all failed in a 1956 election. At last Monday’s meeting, of Donald Trump and more.” LaMear, Price and Warr Councilor Drew Herzig revis- LWHGWKHÀXRULGHTXHVWLRQVXJ- wisely pointed out that if the gesting it be on the November council hopes to complete ballot. When Herzig proposed LPSRUWDQWEXVLQHVVWKHÀXRULGH having staff draft a ballot mea- matter would be a distraction. The future of the Astoria sure, Nemlowill joined him in voting yes. Mayor Arline Public Library and Heritage LaMear and Councilors Cindy 6TXDUHDUHWZRVXFKSLHFHVRI Price and Russ Warr voted no. XQ¿QLVKHGEXVLQHVV,IWKHFRXQ- The council has dodged cil can chart a course forward a bullet, and we are grateful on both of those, that would be for LaMear, Price and Warr a major accomplishment. THE DAILY ASTORIAN MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2016 By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER :DVKLQJWRQ3RVW:ULWHUV*URXS :$6+,1*721 ² %HUQLH Sanders is the most successful Jewish candidate for the presi- dency ever. ,W¶VDUDUHVLJQRIWKHKHDOWKRIRXU republic that no one seems to much care or even notice. Least of all, Sanders himself. W h i c h prompted Anderson Coo- per in a recent Democratic debate to ask Sanders whether he was inten- tionally keep- ing his Judaism under wraps. Charles ³ 1 R ´ Krauthammer answered Sand- HUV ³, DP YHU\ proud to be Jewish.” He then explained that the Holocaust had wiped out his father’s family. And that he remem- bered as a child seeing neighbors with concentration camp numbers tat- tooed on their arms. Being Jewish, he GHFODUHG³LVDQHVVHQWLDOSDUWRIZKR, am as a human being.” A fascinating answer, irrelevant to SUHVLGHQWLDOSROLWLFVEXWTXLWHUHYHDOLQJ about the state of Jewish identity in con- temporary America. Think about it. There are several alternate ways American Jews com- monly explain the role Judaism plays in their lives. 3UDFWLFH -XGDLVP DV HPEHG- ded in their life through religious prac- tice or the transmission of Jewish cul- ture by way of teaching or scholarship. Think Joe Lieberman or the neighbor- hood rabbi. 7LNNXQ 6HHLQJ -XGDLVP DV DQ expression of the prophetic ideal of social justice. Love thy neighbor, clothe WKHQDNHGZDONZLWK*RGEHDWVZRUGV into plowshares. As ritual and practice have fallen away over the generations, this has become the core identity of lib- HUDO-XGDLVP,WVFHQWUDOPLVVLRQLVQRWK- LQJOHVVWKDQWRUHSDLUWKHZRUOG³7LN- kun olam”). Which, incidentally, is the answer WR WKH SHUHQQLDO TXHVWLRQ ³:K\ LV LW that Jews vote overwhelmingly Dem- ocratic?” Because, for the majority of Jews, the social ideals of liberalism are the most tangible expressions of their prophetic Jewish faith. When Sanders was asked about his Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP Photo Supporters listen as Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sand- ers, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign rally in Kissimmee, Fla., Thursday. -HZLVKLGHQWLW\,ZDVVXUHKLVDQVZHU it is precisely that sincerity and authen- would be some variation of Tikkun. ticity — and the implications for future On the stump, he plays the Old Testa- generations — that so concern me. ment prophet railing against the pow- 6DQGHUVLVEXW,VXVSHFWDJURZLQJ erful and denouncing their treatment of number of young Jews would give an the widow and the orphan. Yet Sanders answer similar to his. We must of course remain dedi- gave an entirely different answer. 7KH+RORFDXVW:KDWDVWUDQJH cated to keeping alive the memory and reply — yet it doesn’t seem so to us the truth of the Holocaust, particularly because it has become increasingly when they are under assault from so common for American PDQ\ TXDUWHUV :KLFK Jews to locate their iden- LV ZK\ WKRXJK , LQL- Memory is tially opposed having tity in the Holocaust. For example, it’s a Holocaust museum become a growing sacred, but as the sole representa- emphasis in Jewish ped- victimhood tion of the Jewish expe- agogy from the Sun- rience in the center of day schools to Holo- :DVKLQJWRQ , FDPH WR cannot caust studies programs see the virtue of having be the in the various universi- so sacred yet vulnera- ties. Additionally, Jew- a legacy placed at foundation ble ish organizations orga- the monumental core of nize visits for young — and thus entrusted to stone of people to the concentra- the protection of — the Jewish tion camps of Europe. most tolerant and open The memories cre- nation on earth. identity. ated are indelible. And Nonetheless, there GHHSO\YDOXDEOH,QGHHG PXVW EH EDODQFH ,W though my own family was largely would be a tragedy for American Jews to spared, the Holocaust forms an ineradi- make the Holocaust the principal legacy cable element of my own Jewish con- EHTXHDWKHGWRWKHLUFKLOGUHQ$IWHUDOOWKH VFLRXVQHVV%XW,ZRUU\DERXWWKHEDO- Jewish people are living through a mirac- ance. As Jewish practice, learning and ulous age: the rebirth of Jewish sover- knowledge diminish over time, my HLJQW\WKHUHYLYDORI+HEUHZDFXOWXUDO concern is that Holocaust memory is UHVXUUHFWLRQXQLTXHLQKXPDQKLVWRU\WKH emerging as the dominant feature of ÀRZHULQJRIDQHZ+HEUDLFFXOWXUHUDGLDW- Jewishness in America. ing throughout the Jewish world. ,ZRUU\WKDWDSHRSOHZLWKD Memory is sacred, but victimhood year history of creative genius, enriched cannot be the foundation stone of Jew- by intimate relations with every culture ish identity. Traditional Judaism has from Paris to Patagonia, should be plac- 613 commandments. The philosopher ing such weight on martyrdom — and Emil Fackenheim famously said that indeed, for this generation, martyrdom the 614th is to deny Hitler any posthu- once removed. mous victories. The reduction of Jew- ,¶PQRWFULWLFL]LQJ6DQGHUV,FUHGLW ish identity to victimhood would be one him with sincerity and authenticity. But VXFKYLFWRU\,WPXVWQRWEHSHUPLWWHG ,QEDWWOHVRYHUWUHHV VHHNDGYLFH¿UVW Hillary! Bernie! Debate! Please! W hen it comes to trees in developed areas of the 3DFL¿F1RUWKZHVWFRDVWEHWWHU protocols must be designed to DYRLGLQFUHDVLQJFRQÀLFWVRYHU preservation, maintenance and removal. At a minimum, when public agencies are involved, better consultation is needed. Disputes about trees are not XQLTXHWRWKLVDUHD$Q,QWHUQHW VHDUFK UHYHDOV PDQ\ VTXDE- bles, hurt feelings, adminis- trative challenges and lawsuits around the nation. As commu- nities and rural zones around the mouth of the Columbia LQFUHDVLQJO\ ¿OO ZLWK SHU- manent and seasonal resi- dents, we’re well on the way to becoming an active battle- JURXQGLQWKLV¿JKW Most recently, some resi- dents of Bay Center, Wash., EHOLHYH WKH 3DFL¿F &RXQW\ Department of Public Works acted with a heavy hand in removing a line of mature spruce trees from a scenic county park that doubles as a town park — ostensibly as a safety measure. Last Wednesday’s fatal- ity near Seaside when a fall- ing alder smashed a vehicle and killed the driver is ample evidence that safety is genu- ine concern, at least when it comes to trees along rights-of- way and in other public areas. Much Northwest tree cut- ting is done to protect power OLQHV7KHIDFWWKDWIHZ3DFL¿F County residents lost power in last week’s storm is at least partly due to sometimes-unpop- ular branch and tree removal near lines — plus a policy of now burying many lines. $IUHTXHQWSRLQWRIIULFWLRQLV the perennial issue of residen- tial views versus landscape s. 6RPH RI WKHVH FRQÀLFWV DUH inevitable and unavoidable when competing values col- lide. For some, a tree is some- thing you cut down. Others ZRXOGVRRQHUFXWRIID¿QJHU,Q many cases, however, commu- nication and compromise can avoid needless strife. Pruning, cost-sharing and replacing tall species with more-compact ones all are valid answers. There is a standard agency policy in many urban areas of marking trees for removal and providing a legal ave- nue to appeal these decisions. Advance consultation with a professional arborist may avoid the need to remove some trees. All these steps can be said to consist of good manners and getting along. We’ll need to polish these skills as our desir- able region continues to gain population. thinks he can provide free nothing or a big, unappe- public college tuition and tizing legislative stew, he Medicare-like health cover- refused to bite. That pretty much sums et’s give a hand to Hillary DJHIRUDOO³0\GDGXVHGWR VD\,ILWVRXQGVWRRJRRGWR up his career in Congress. Clinton and Bernie Sanders. be true, it probably is,” Clin- Sanders stood up for his After all we’ve been through with ton rejoined. principles, but he didn’t play the Republicans, it’s nice to hear pres- And then there’s the auto any real role. At one point idential candidates go at each oth- industry bailout. One of he offered an amendment to raise taxes on high-income er’s throat while they’re talking about the biggest moments in the Democrats’ Week of End- individuals, which was basi- where they stood on immigration Gail less Debates came Sunday cally ignored. He was mar- Collins issues in 2007. when Clinton caught Sand- velous, but symbolically This was Wednesday’s Democratic ers off guard by accusing him — in marvelous. debate — the second one in a week, not Michigan! — of refusing to support He was in no way like Ted Cruz, counting the back-to-back town halls Detroit during the economic crisis. who just tries to get attention by stop- in between. People, do you remember ³+H YRWHG DJDLQVW WKH PRQH\ WKDW ping things. Nobody hates Bernie when we used to complain that there ended up saving the auto industry,” Sanders. But he’s a maverick legisla- weren’t going to be enough debates? Clinton claimed while Sanders looked tor, a man without a party. That’s a way, Ah yes, long ago. Dinosaurs roamed stunned. way different kind of life than being the the earth and Marco Rubio was a hot :KDWIROORZHGZDVWKHPRVWTXRWHG person who has to run the country. ticket. moment of the encounter: ³<RX KDYH WR PDNH KDUG FKRLFHV Clinton held up well, given that her 6DQGHUV ³,I \RX DUH WDONLQJ DERXW when you’re in positions of responsibil- ¿UVWWKUHHTXHVWLRQVLQYROYHGZK\VKH the Wall Street bailout, where some of ity,” Clinton said. lost the Michigan primary, her emails your friends destroyed this economy Clinton is a stupendous debater, and whether she’d drop out if she was ——” and she’s developed smooth and sen- LQGLFWHG ³2K IRU JRRGQHVV ² WKDW &OLQWRQ³<RXNQRZ²²´ sible-sounding answers to sticky mat- LV QRW JRLQJ WR KDSSHQ ,¶P QRW HYHQ 6DQGHUV³([FXVHPH,¶PWDONLQJ´ ters like the State Department emails DQVZHULQJ WKDW TXHVWLRQ´ ,W ZDV D $XGLHQFH³2RRRRK´ and Benghazi. But she still hasn’t been tough evening. Sand- ,W¶VFHUWDLQO\DWULEXWH able to handle Sanders’ attacks on her ers accused Clinton of to the general decorum VSHHFKHV WR ¿QDQFH LQGXV- cruelty to Honduran with which the Dem- try insiders. She shrugs and says she’ll People, children. She claimed ocrats have conducted UHOHDVH WKH WUDQVFULSWV ZKHQ ³HYHU\- do you he had sided with the themselves that this was body else does,” which generally Minutemen. to draw a gasp involves mentioning that President remember enough Since the debate was from the crowd. The bar %DUDFN 2EDPD ³WRRN D ORW RI PRQH\ on Univision, there was so high on the Repub- from Wall Street.” when we is lican a strong emphasis on side that to get a ³, GRQ¶W KDYH DQ\ FRPPHQW´ VKH immigration, which pro- real response one of the VDLG ZKHQ VKH ZDV TXHVWLRQHG HDU- used to vided a kind of mirror candidates would have lier in the week about campaign dona- complain had to hit the other with WLRQV³,GRQ¶WNQRZWKDW,GRQ¶WEHOLHYH image of the Republi- can debates. Clinton and that there is any reason to be concerned that there a hammer. Sanders bickered long But let’s look at the about it.” and hard about who had bailout issue for a min- This is the stuff that makes Demo- weren’t been less in favor of ute. Sanders did vote crats want to send a message. Clinton deportation, going back for a bill to lend money LVE\IDUWKHEHVWTXDOL¿HGFDQGLGDWHIRU going to more than a decade. to the auto industry. But president. But at this point in the cam- ³0DGDP 6HFUHWDU\ , be enough it got blocked in the paign, you can understand why some will match my record Then during the people feel that voting for her against debates? Senate. against yours any day of stupendously complex Sanders is like rewarding Washington the week!”) end-of-the-Bush-ad- for its worst behavior. ,QWUXWKLPPLJUDWLRQLVQRWDQLVVXH ministration negotiations, the bailout ,QWKHHQG&OLQWRQLVWKHRQHZKR that actually separates these two peo- got mooshed into a huge, messy bill knows how to make the system work. ple. The real gulf is between the grand that did indeed involve helping Wall But she’s just got to be clearer on how vision and the practical plan. Sanders Street. When the only choices were she can work against the system. By GAIL COLLINS 1HZ<RUN7LPHV1HZV6HUYLFH L
