Home
In this issue

July 3, 2008

Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski: A spiritual budget (TOUCHING!)

Jeff Jacoby: Israel still paying for its defeat

JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part IV by Rabbi David Aaron

July 2, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Appeasers Make Poor Patriots

The Kosher Gourmet By Kathleen Purvis: Slaw, y'all: For BBQs or Sabbath dinner, these southern recipes are something else!

JWisdom:: Rabbi Mordechai Becher: Jewish Rx for A Simpler Life

July 1, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. I think it's important to leave a legacy to my children. How much should I save towards this end?

Paul Greenberg:A President who is history deficient?

JWisdom:: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Poland's Unique Antisemitism

June 30, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Remembering the architect of Torah Judaism for the modern world

Abe Novick: Hulk: Still a Jew?

JWisdom: : Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 2: The Abandoned Child

June 26, 2008

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Quantum leap to evil

Caroline B. Glick: Victimized families must not be allowed to dictate policy

June 25, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Today in Biblical History: King Jeroboam of Israel prevents pilgrimage to Jerusalem

Jonathan Tobin: Real Friends and Real Enemies

JWisdom: Raping of reason By Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 25, 2008

Steven Emerson: Kristof: Never Mind the Terrorists

Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: Mediterranean Flyover: Telegraphing an Israeli Punch?

JWisdom: Rabbi David Aaron: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part III

June 24, 2008

Caroline B. Glick: What were they thinking!?

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Guilty knowledge

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Warping Innocence

June 23, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Diploma dilemma

Jeff Jacoby: A world without children

JWisdom: Rabbi Dovid Gross: Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality --- Introduction

June 20, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Man: The Crowning Glory of Creation

Caroline B. Glick: Israel's darkest week

JWisdom: We aren't worthy? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 19, 2008

Rabbi Elazar Meisels: The saints who don't come marchin' in

Chris Christoff: Muslim woman demands an apology from Obama after camera snub

June 18, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Still Dancing Around Jerusalem

The Kosher Gourmet by Steve Petusevsky: Chilled fruit and vegetable soups

JWisdom: Souls Need A Check Up? by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 17, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Baby Einstein

Caroline B. Glick: Bush's rhetoric, Bush's policies

JWisdom: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part II by Rabbi David Aaron

June 16, 2008

Varda Branfman: Bob Dylan, won't you please come home?

Diana West: Academic dares to question the 'religion of peace'

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Positive Backfire

June 13, 2008

Rabbi Berel Wein: Trading manna for whine

Caroline B. Glick: Peace with friends

JWisdom: From the mouths of … by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 12, 2008

Michael Feldberg: Meet Paul Revere's pal, the Orthodox Jew who played a key role in laying Boston's cultural and business infrastructure

The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Manweiler: No need to be tempted by Wendy's mandarin chicken salad

JWisdom: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part I by Rabbi David Aaron

June 11, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: What would Hillel say?

Jonathan Tobin: UNRWA and NGOs: The Real U.N. 'Insult'

JWisdom: Sara Yoheved Rigler: Greatness Made Simple: How a momentary decision shifted life's course and destination

June 6, 2008

Rabbi Pinchas Stolper: Revelation: The basis of faith

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: Mere hours after becoming Israel's new 'best friend' Obama backtracks on status of Jerusalem

Caroline B. Glick: UN choosing to protect rogue nuclear programs

JWisdom: Sameness in difference by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 5, 2008

David Lightman: Now Obama wants to be Israel's newest 'best friend'

Obama's remarks to AIPAC policy conference

The Kosher Gourmet By Ethel G. Hofman: Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Lokshen Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread

JWisdom: Why a Jewish Jerusalem makes so many nervous by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 4, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: A different sort of 'religious broadcaster'

Jonathan Tobin: Misgivings on the Road to Damascus

JWisdom: 44 Years Without An Argument? by Sara Yoheved Rigler

June 3, 2008

Daniel Pipes: Obama vs. McCain on the Middle East

Everything's Relative: There is a crisis growing in Orthodox synagogues worldwide, reveals Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkel

JWisdom: White Facades; Black Secrets by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 2, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: Lie to outsmart discriminator?

He writes the songs that make our souls sing:Gavriel Aryeh Sanders interviews Jewish music legend Ben Zion Shenker; includes stirring, uplifting song

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Of laws and lives

March 22, 2007

J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review Jan. 18, 2006 / 18 Teves, 5766

How the Dems continue to set themselves up for failure

By Ed Koch


Printer Friendly Version
Email this article

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | From an Associated Press dispatch last Monday:


"The American singer and activist Harry Belafonte called President George W. Bush 'the greatest terrorist in the world' yesterday and said millions of Americans support the socialist revolution of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez."


The report noted that "Belafonte led a delegation of Americans, including the actor Danny Glover and the Princeton University scholar Cornel West, that met with the Venezuelan president for more than six hours late Saturday." At the meeting, Belafonte referred to the U.S. President as the "greatest tyrant in the world."


Chavez is viewed in Venezuela as an enemy of the middle class, who have tried to remove him from office by coup and election and failed each time. Many view his authoritarianism as akin to that of the late Juan Peron of Argentina. Chavez actively supports the governments of Iran, North Korea and Cuba, and he has made it clear that he is extremely hostile to the U.S. government and particularly toward President George W. Bush. He has said, "Iran and Venezuela, these two brothers, are and will be together forever. Iran, confronted by the United States, has our solidarity."


Belafonte has every right to support Chavez. He also has every right to denounce and demean President Bush. But our country is currently at war with international terrorism, and self-restraint is in order. Belafonte and other critics of the president and U.S. policy have obligations as U.S. citizens receiving its protection.


Historically during wartime, there are societal self-imposed limits on what critics can or should say in voicing their disagreements with the president. Telling the truth and not slandering the president is surely one restraint. Can Belafonte honestly and rationally refer to George W. Bush as "the greatest tyrant in the world" and "the greatest terrorist in the world?"


Because of his immense talents as a singer, Belafonte is known in many countries. He is also a United Nations UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and his comments are listened to around the world. Does he really want Saddam Hussein's supporters in Iraq, who use car bombs and suicide bombers to murder fellow Iraqi civilians, to justify their actions with his characterizations of President Bush? Similarly, does he want the leaders of Iran and North Korea, who are threatening the world with the use of nuclear weaponry, to cite his slanderous words in defense of their threats? How does Belafonte respond to statements by al-Qaeda leaders such as Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi who said, "Killing the infidels is our religion, slaughtering them is our religion, until they convert to Islam or pay us tribute?"


Harry Belafonte is widely associated with the Democratic Party, and leaders in the Party use him and his musical talents on many occasions for fundraising events. After I read his comments, I expected some Democratic Party leaders to denounce him publicly and distance the Party from his slanderous remarks. As far as I know, no one has done so.


Thus far I believe only the Daily News has denounced Belafonte. In its January 14th editorial the News said, "At this point, Harry really shouldn't be permitted even to wander the grounds of a nursing home without close caregiver supervision so he does not amble away or fall down and hurt himself." The New York Post has published letters from readers criticizing Belafonte.


Belafonte is not suffering from dementia. He knows exactly what he is saying. The impact of his words is enhanced when no one in the Democratic leadership denounces him. The country's security and its fate are more important than partisan advantage. Criticism of the president and his policies is not only to be expected but is to be encouraged in debate. But respect and deference for the office of the president is surely extremely important, and to be expected from political and cultural leaders in our country.


The expectation that Democrats would take back the House, Senate or both in this year's general election diminishes with each passing day, and it is not difficult to understand why. The American public does not want to see the president demeaned or humbled before the world. They expect and demand that simple courtesy be afforded that office. In philosophy, the country is much closer to George W. Bush than it is to Ted Kennedy. A sane and wise voice is that of liberal Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL)who in response to the recent Alito confirmation hearings said, "George Bush won the election. If you don't like it, you better win elections." In his simple and direct statement, he is absolutely right. In a commercial for brokerage firm Smith Barney, John Houseman once said, "They make money the old fashioned way…they earn it." George W. Bush was reelected the old fashioned way…he earned it through hard work and on the merits.


In my opinion, the Democratic Party is head and shoulders better for the country than the Republican Party on so many issues, e.g., tax reductions (on who gets the major benefit); social security (the people immediately saw through the president's privatizing scheme); comprehensive national medical insurance (denied to the people by the Republicans at every opportunity); prescription drugs (the public knows that the new law is a sick joke); and on so many others issues.


The failure of John Kerry early on in his presidential campaign to denounce Whoopi Goldberg for her use of vile and obscene attacks on President Bush at Kerry's Radio City Music Hall fundraiser presaged his ultimate defeat. Why? Because it showed he was unable to stand up and denounce those who engage in conduct unacceptable to the American public, for fear of losing a single vote.


In the words of Pete Seeger, "Oh, when will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?"

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Edward I. Koch, the former mayor of New York, can be heard on Bloomberg Radio (WBBR 1130 AM) every Sunday from 9-10 am . Comment by clicking here.

Archives


© 2006, Ed Koch

Insight (Our Columnists)

 Mitch Albom
 Michael Barone
  Dave Barry
 Tony Blankley
 Andy Borowitz
 David Broder
 Stratfor Briefing
 Mona Charen
 Linda Chavez
 Ann Coulter
 Greg Crosby
 Rod Dreher
 Larry Elder
 Suzanne Fields
 John Fund
 Frank J. Gaffney
 Lloyd Garver
 Jonah Goldberg
 Michael Goodwin
 Julia Gorin
 Jonathan Gurwitz
 Paul Greenberg
 Victor Davis Hanson
 Betsy Hart
 Nat Hentoff
 David Horowitz
 Laura Ingraham
 Jeff Jacoby
 Paul Johnson
 Jack Kelly
 James Klurfeld
 Ed Koch
 Ch. Krauthammer
 Jonathan Last
 Michael Ledeen
 John Leo
 David Limbaugh
 Kathryn Lopez
 Rich Lowry
 Michelle Malkin
 Jackie Mason
 The Medicine Men
 Dick Morris
 Bill O'Reilly
 Clarence Page
 Kathleen Parker
 Dennis Prager
 Wesley Pruden
 Tom Purcell
 Jonathan Rauch
 Celia Rivenbark
 Robert Robb
 Cokie & Steve Roberts
 Pat Sajak
 Debra J. Saunders
 Culture Shlock
 Roger Simon
 Michael Smerconish
 Thomas Sowell
 Mark Steyn
 John Stossel
 Cal Thomas
 Jonathan Tobin
 Bob Tyrrell
 Diana West
 Dave Weinbaum
 George Will
 Walter Williams
 Mort Zuckerman

'Toons
 Robert Arial
 Chuck Asay
 Chip Bok
 Dry Bones
  Lisa Benson
 John Branch
 Gary Brookins
 John Cole
 Paul Combs
 J. D. Crowe
 John Deering
 Brian Duffy
 Everything's Relative
 Mallard Fillmore
 Jake Fuller
 Bob Gorrel
 Joe Heller
 David Hitch
 Jerry Holber
 Steve Kelley
 Jeff Koterba
 Dick Locher
 Chan Lowe
 Ranan R. Lurie
 Jimmy Margulies
 Rick McKee
 Michael Ramirez
 Jeff Stahler
 Danna Summers
 John Trever
 Gary Varvel
 Kirk Walters

Lifestyles
 How 2
 Know-It-All
 Lori Borgman
 The Savvy Consumer
 Elder matters
 Fixit
 Dr. Peter Gott
 Marybeth Hicks
 GET A JOB! by Marty Nemko
 Richard Lederer
 Tech Maven
 Nutrition Myths
 Supermarket Shopper
 Bruce Williams
 How Stuff Works