January 11, 2007
Morally Kosher; Defending the Dennis; <BR>Teddy the Great; Jane Ulman means ‘brilliant writing
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Mark ParedesLos Angeles
Take a Hike
As Jews who practice and preach tikkun olam, supporting to hike up the minimum wage to $7.25/hr is the least we can do to help those in need ("Is Turnabout Fair Play for the 110th Congress?" Dec.1). This will allow the weekly income of a minimum wage earner to rise up to $290 up from $206, before tax!
To those of you who say, "this will destroy our small businesses," the facts don't bear this out. It is precisely in small businesses where decent wages keep workers happy, motivated and striving to succeed because they feel the system honors their basic needs.
To those of you who say, "It's not our job. Let the working poor find two jobs if they need more," I say that you are ignorant. Read Barbara Ehrenreich's book, "Nickel and Dimed," which shows the impossibility of a life with two full-time jobs as a parent.
As Jews we should demand more of ourselves and set the bar higher to help motivate those around us to honor basic human needs.
David Koff
Los Angeles
Give and Not Get?
For those who believe Jimmy Carter that the obstacle preventing is the so-called "occupation" by Israel, let's remember: Hamas, Hezbollah and the PLO/Fatah all maintain charters that call for Israel's destruction ("With Friends Like These..." Dec. 15).
Hamas has repeatedly said they will never recognize Israel's right to exist, in fact, this very issue has prevented the Palestinians from forming a unity government.
Hamas and Hezbollah are fundamentalist Muslim groups. As such they adhere to teachings from the Quran, which states that the Muslim judgment day will only come after the Jews and Christians are killed. These are non-negotiable beliefs.
So, if I lived in Concord, and there was a group committed to my destruction, who would never negotiate with me, would never accept my existence, would continue to send suicide bombers and rockets to murder me, would accept the cut off of international aid and suffer terrible financial hardships rather than accept my right to exist, would never sign a peace treaty with me, why would I want them to live without restriction next door, say in Walnut Creek?
That's exactly what Jimmy Carter suggests Israel should do.
Let him live in "Concord" for a while and see if he feels the same way.
Dan Calic
Menlo Park
Radical Muslims
Enough already with Democrat attack dogs against Dennis Prager or anyone else who dares raise concerns about the growing influence of radical Muslims in American politics ("Democrats Call on GOP to Condemn Prager, Rep. Goode," Jan. 5).
Consider the recent cases:
Muslim leaders initiated and lobbied for an L.A. County Human Relations Commission award for Israel-basher Dr. Hathout; a United Teachers of L.A. committee called for boycott and divestment/sanctions against Israel; and radical Arab/Muslim city council candidate, Belal Dalati, who re-registered as a Democrat to build on his political base in a community called Little Gaza in Anaheim, Orange County.
Defend, deny, attack: Every time Jewish leftists ignore their own growing Israel problem (i.e., Jimmy Carter's latest book), and the rising global and local attacks on Jews, they lose more Jewish votes.
Jay Hoffman
Los Angeles
Local Democrats
Are we now going to see local Democrats like Andrew Lachman mimick the nasty political tone of national Democrats ("Democrats Call on GOP to Condemn Prager, Rep. Goode," Jan. 5)?
Instead of rebuking Senator Durban (D-IL) for comparing our brave volunteer troops to Nazis, Stalinists and the Khmer Rouge, or calling out Democrat congressmen for voting against the Palestinian Anti-Terror Act of 2006 (41 of 46 no votes were Dems), local Democrats now castigate talk show host Dennis Prager for raising concerns about new Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) taking his oath on the Koran, without a Bible present.
Even if you believe, like his leftist Jewish supporters in Minnesota, that Mr. Ellison is just fine with his background as spokesman for Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam, or close ties to the radical Council on American Islamic Relations, do Jewish Democrats really want to spend their time picking fights with adored Jewish leaders, rather than confronting real threats to the Jewish community?
I guess so. Liberalism has replaced Judaism as the religion of Democrats.
Lawrence Peck
Los Angeles
Corrections
In the Dec. 29 article "Yoram Hassid: The Man in the Middle," The Iranian American Jewish Federation's committee chair should have been identified as Eliyahoo Ghodsian, not Davood Ghodsian.
In the Jan. 5 article "Ricky Ashley Comes of Age -- on Stage and Off," Dan Elish wrote the book for the new Jason Robert Brown musical, "13," not Dan Ellis.
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