The other day I received an e-mail from someone who had read my
column in which I had characterized Sen. Lieberman as an Orthodox Jew.
Of course, I had simply used the terminology that the media was using in
identifying Lieberman's religion.
"You're mistaken," the e-mailer rejoined, "Lieberman is not
Orthodox. He prefers to refer to himself as 'observant.' In practice,
this really means that he practices 'a-la-carte' Judaism. He takes
whatever he likes and rejects the rest."
The e-mailer then recommended that I log onto the website of
Jews
for Morality, which has already criticized Lieberman for his record on partial-birth abortion, gay rights and pornography. Which I then did. What I found was an extensive coverage of Lieberman's voting record in a straightforward, no nonsense way.
A press release, addressed to Orthodox Jews, read, "Beware of the Lieberman Trap. Senator Joseph Lieberman's voting record on Infanticide, Pornography, and Gay Rights is a disgrace to the Orthodox Jewish community." The press release, dated Aug. 16, states,
- Rabbi Isaac Levy, chairman of Jews for Morality, today warned Orthodox Jewish organizations to distance themselves from Vice-Presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman.
"Joe Lieberman claims that he is a 'Modern-Orthodox' Jew. In practice this means that he performs many of the rituals of the Orthodox Jew but votes like a Reform Jew. -- 'With his mouth and lips he honors Me, but his heart is estranged from Me.' (Isaiah 29:13)
1. ABORTION AND INFANTICIDE.
"Joseph Lieberman supports abortion at any stage of pregnancy, even while the baby is already being born ('partial birth abortion'). He voted to oppose the bill (H.R. 1833) that would have outlawed this barbarous procedure. All Orthodox Jewish authorities on halacha (Jewish law) agree that 'partial-birth abortion' is MURDER.
2. PORNOGRAPHY.
"Lieberman voted to oppose the Communication Decency Act (S.652) that sought to protect children from Internet pornography, while supporting the National Endowment for the Humanities, a group that funds sacrilegious pornography.
3. HOMOSEXUAL LIFESTYLE.
"Lieberman voted for the ENDA Act (S.2056), a bill which adds homosexuals to the group of minorities who are entitled to special affirmative-action privileges. He also voted for the Hate Crime Act, a bill that would give to homosexuals special protections that are not granted to citizens in general.
"If the Orthodox Jewish community continues to enthusiastically support 'my son the Vice-President', it will be trapped into downplaying its most treasured traditions -- the sanctity of human life and the importance of family decency -- 'Their G-d hates immorality.'
"Lieberman has publicly stated, 'Who I am determines how I vote on particular issues.' -- If this is true, then what does that tell us about the real Joe Lieberman?"
I've quoted the press release verbatim so that readers will understand the depth of feeling that Orthodox Jews have toward Sen. Lieberman. The poor senator is getting it from both sides: from secular Jews who think he's too religious, and Orthodox Jews who think he's not by any stretch of the imagination acting in accordance with Orthodox principles and precepts.
I don't know to what extent this heated argument among Jews will affect what voters do in November. I tend to think not much. Most Jews were willing to vote for Gore no matter who he chose for his running mate. At best, the American public will merely get to know more about the various disagreements among Jews.
Certainly an endorsement of Bush and Cheney by Jews for Morality would be helpful to the Republican cause. The Democrats are the party of pornographers and abortionists and there is no reason for Republicans not to make the electorate aware of this. This election is basically more about morality than taxes. People may not like taxes, but I see no tax revolt among the natives on the horizon. And that's because most Americans have found ways to live with and manipulate the tax code. In addition, a great deal of untaxed under-the-table commerce has been going on for decades.
Also, many Americans pay their taxes through withholding and tend to get some money back. They think they're getting a gift from Uncle Sam. And we ought not to forget that there are millions of Americans whose incomes depend on taxes. They want them higher, not lower. That doesn't mean that we should give up on trying to cut taxes or stop advocating a flat tax in order to get rid of the IRS. Changes of that sort are made by strong vocal minorities, not the mesmerized and neutralized majority.
While the cost of government is still the largest single expenditure in most people's budgets, our marvelous capitalist economy permits us to buy most of what we need at very affordable prices. And what we can't afford, we can always buy on credit. Which is the way you run a consumer-driven economy.
Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see if Sen. Lieberman bothers to reply to Jews for Morality.