Letters

'Misguided editor'

While the Planet exec editor, Becky O'Malley, has the right to publish hate literature such as the anti-Semitic screed by an Iranian student living in India, one wonders how his article serves the people of Berkeley.

There might be some justification if the writer had been a local resident, even a Northern Californian, but India? How does his opinion impact the people of Berkeley?

One further wonders if O'Malley would bother to publish the piece in question if it had been about blacks instead of Jews? Or Muslims, or Filipinos, or perhaps the Irish? Not likely — it wouldn't be P.C., would it?

In my lifetime, I have encountered anti-Semitism, but I am hard-pressed to recall anything appearing in a commercial publication that matches Arianpour's diatribe. Shame on the Planet and its misguided editor.

Allan Altman | Greenbrae




Doing real damage

Kurosh Arianpour's Aug. 8 letter from India in the Berkeley Planet, which rants about why Jews should be exterminated, is fascinating.

Among other things, he wants the reader to ignore the fact that his country, Iran, is currently at the top of the pariah list in the world, even using the United Nations as a reference point; his national leader has repeatedly called for the destruction of a whole country; a majority of his fellow countrymen are utterly incapable of choosing leaders who actually represent them; and thousands of years of Persian splendor has resulted in an oil-rich nation led by a bunch of twisted 7th century minds and, soon, nuclear weapons.

What's wrong with this picture? Nothing except that it's much too easy to blame the Jews for everything, including anti-Semitism, than to employ rational analysis.

If Arianpour really wants to torment people in the West, many Jews included, he should become a Dell support technician while living in India. Then he can do some real damage.

Desmond Tuck | San Mateo




Guilt by association?

The Aug. 11 j. article on Sen. Joseph Lieberman's loss in the Connecticut Democratic primary election contained a photograph of Lieberman making his election-night concession speech to Ned Lamont.

If your publication had displayed a large enough photograph of Lamont giving his victory speech, readers would have seen, standing right behind him, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Both Jackson and Sharpton are associated with anti-Semitism.

In 1984, as a candidate for president of the United States, Jackson called Jews "Hymies" and referred to New York City as "Hymietown." On March 4, 1984, the New York Times reported Jackson as saying: "I'm sick and tired of hearing about the Holocaust."

On Aug. 25, 1991, the Times reported: "The Rev. Al Sharpton led some 400 shouting, chanting black protestors through the heart of Chassidic Crown Heights [in Brooklyn, N.Y.] on the Jewish Sabbath yesterday."

Sharpton was an incandescent figure in a New York dispute between blacks and Jews.

Lieberman, during his concession speech, did not have any purported anti-Semites standing with him.

Lamont, however, needs to say if he harbors any prejudice against Jews. Otherwise, he will be known by the company he keeps.

Richard S. Colman | Orinda




Double standard?

I agree with those accusing Mel Gibson of anti-Semitism, including Abraham Foxman of the ADL. However, I cannot fathom the strong reaction from the Jewish community, including Foxman.

In August 2004, I worked for an attorney in Burlingame who called me a "f—king New York Jew" in front of office staff. Gibson made a similar comment to the arresting officer because she had a Jewish-sounding last name.

When I complained about the incident to the local S.F. office of the ADL, the interviewer asked: "Do you think he meant that as a joke?"

Despite being offended, after I told her the context of the comment, she then let me know how interested she was in doing her job by saying: "You just probably misunderstood your boss."

I hung up the phone.

This kind of double standard reflects upon the hypocrisy of our self-appointed Jewish leaders. 

Many people see right through Foxman's ploy to extract a nice donation from Gibson, just like Arnold Schwarzenegger forked over the cash to the Simon Wiesenthal Center in response to allegations of his family's connections to the Nazi Party.

Mordechai Pelta | San Francisco




No contradiction?

Michael Harris claims there is a contradiction in calling myself both Jewish and Christian (9/1 letter). Why is it that Jews can be Buddhist and still be Jewish? That they can be atheist and still be Jewish? That they can commit war crimes and still be Jewish?

I love and believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rachel and Leah. Am I less of a Jew because I also have appreciation for a Jewish rabbi from Nazareth who taught love and compassion for all? 

The true contradiction is in Harris' claim that the Jewish people have a right to "their own country in their own homeland" while ignoring the fact that hundreds of thousands of indigenous people were driven from their ancestral homes in this land because they were not Jewish. As a Jew, I continue to protest this injustice done in my name.

I thank God there is Jewish Voice for Peace that speaks for me.

Wendy Kaufmyn | Berkeley




A grandson replies

I'm writing to correct some factual errors in your November article "Jewish card set features baseball's best and worst," which I just saw.

• Lefty Weinert did not have a child named Joe.

• With a lifetime win-loss of 18-33 and ERA of 4.59 (not 4.44), my grandfather is hardly "one of the worst ballplayers to ever don a uniform." In fact, he led the 1922 Phillies rotation with a 3.40 ERA in 166.7 innings pitched. After his playing days ended, he had several successful years as the head coach of the Villanova Wildcats and as a regional scout for the Orioles and the Dodgers.

• Weinert's raw talent and work ethic earned him a spot on the 1919 Philadelphia Phillies roster when he was just 19 (not 17, as the stat sheets show). His baseball career put his sister through dental school and helped all nine of his children graduate from college.

• He was also one of the first Jewish Major League baseball players during a time of rampant and open anti-Semitism.

Your writer's dismissal of Lefty Weinert's career is inaccurate and unjustified.

Jeff Reichman | Santa Barbara




Wrong conclusion?

Evelyn Gordon's Sept. 1 opinion piece on "kicking the global oil habit" started out correctly but had a mistaken conclusion. Her first point that support of Israel should include doing something about our dependence on Mideast oil is right on the mark. But her second point that somehow liberal organizations would help this effort is not.

Unfortunately, it is the liberal opposition to nuclear power and oil-drilling offshore America and Alaska (but of course not overseas) that are especially to blame.

Mark Manber | South San Francisco




Boycott Russian goods

I know that Russian President Putin isn't a big friend of the state of Israel. He supports Hamas and Hezbollah.

He doesn't consider Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations because they do not attack Russia. But it is OK for him if Hamas and Hezbollah attack Israel.

Putin went to Israel and he was wearing a yarmulke. But he give weapons to the Arabs — Hamas and Hezbollah — to destroy Israel.

He said Palestinians made a good choice when they chose Hamas.

Let's boycott the Russian Embassy in San Francisco everybody. Let's boycott Russian products and stores as well.

Paul Shkuratov | San Francisco




'Not a fair fight'

Kate Raphael, one of the Jewish women who recently protested at the JCRC and JCF building for the agencies' support of Israel, is no stranger to anti-Israel actions. According to the S.F. Chronicle, she's been deported twice from Israel "as a result of her protest activities." Raphael told that paper her protest against the barrier was part of a wider protest against "the apparatus of apartheid," which she said would disappear only when the state of Israel was dissolved and replaced by a single country uniting Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

She has been a member of groups who are uncomfortable about a state with a Jewish majority ruled by Jews but who seem to have no problem with any of 22 countries ruled by Arab Muslims which are intolerant of any religion other than Islam (ISM, IWPS, Women in Black and QUIT).

Jewish criticism and protest of Israel is legal, but until there are Palestinians speaking out about Palestinians, Saudis about Saudis, Syrians about Syrians, the playing field is not level. In fact, until there is freedom of speech and press in the 22 Arab Muslim countries it is not a fair fight. I hope Raphael will consider this.

Sheree Roth | Palo Alto




New diplomacy?

Your recent cover story about the Israeli Bedouin who became a diplomat was excellent. I gave it to a friend — a Christian Israeli citizen — to read.

When he returned the j., I was told that the Bedouins in Israel are not Muslim and they don't consider themselves as Arabs.

Just what effect will this have on diplomatic relationships?

Rita Stock | San Mateo