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
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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.
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$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
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:$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.
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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-
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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
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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:
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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-
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&OLQWRQ³<RXNQRZ²²´
sible-sounding answers to sticky mat-
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6DQGHUV³([FXVHPH,¶PWDONLQJ´ ters like the State Department emails
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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
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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
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