In an April 14 letter (“Judaism and Israeli politics”), Olga Vilella takes issue with an excellent April 11 op-ed by professor Kenneth Seeskin (“When does anti-Zionism start to become antisemitism?”). She states that Seeskin is mistaken when he states that Jews are a nationality like Greeks, the French and Koreans. She asserts that, in fact, the correct addition to this list is “Israelis.”
As a partial rationale for this incorrect statement, she states that “conflating Judaism with Israeli policies is the reason why criticism” of the current Israeli government is equated by some with antisemitism.
Vilella is flatly wrong on both counts. Jews are a people, what many also refer to as a “nation.” Judaism is the religion practiced by most Jews. Israelis are citizens of or emigrants from Israel, most of whom are Jews but also Muslims, Christians, Druze, Samaritans, and members of other religions and ethnicities. I note that there are many examples of nation-states that have shared populations of the same nationality while being divided by international borders.
Virtually no one equates criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism, although I suppose it can be if made by an antisemitic person. What is often but not always antisemitic is denying the right of Jews alone to national self-determination and having the chutzpah to take it upon oneself to deny the peoplehood of Jews and to fit them into the narrow Western category of only a religion.
— Mark Segal, Oak Park
Choose love, not fire of rage
In regards to war breaking out in the Middle East now, I think it’s important not to facilitate hatred and not to fan the fire of rage, even though some people do this. This is wrong! Feelings of anger and rage are normal reactions to crimes committed against oneself and must be processed. Otherwise, a person is doomed to live with those feelings for the rest of their life and possibly for the rest of eternity. My ex-wife and the Catholic Church taught me this.
I will always believe in the power and triumph of love. I no longer believe in a God of judgment, wrath and punishment. Men do these things, not God! My God hates hate. God is love. I realize it’s going to take time for me to detox from my previous brutal relationship with God.
And when the missiles stop flying and the bullets stop firing, human life will resume once again in a better world. Because it always does and because love wins!
— Rusty Rich Alfonso Salazar, Chicago
In agreement over NPR
I don’t often agree with the Tribune Editorial Board’s political point of view. My liberal Jewish father would not allow Col. Robert McCormick’s conservative Tribune in our house except on Sundays (for all of the ads). But as I read the editorial (“Liberal bias at NPR, old-school journalism and the reluctance to admit a mistake,” April 14) about how left-wing and pro-liberal NPR has become, I was happily amazed.
Finally, someone agrees with me about NPR.
Kudos to the editors.
— Bruce Sutchar, Hanover Park
Editorial reflects board’s bias
I am bewildered by Uri Berliner’s (and, by extension, the Tribune Editorial Board’s) claim of “egregious liberal bias” at NPR. One piece of supposed evidence was the network’s refusal to admit that Donald Trump had been cleared of collusion with Russia following the Mueller report. I am sitting here reading about the 2020 U.S. Senate intelligence committee report, led by Republicans, that Trump’s collusion posed a “grave” counterintelligence threat. And then there was the claim that Hunter Biden’s laptop contained politically relevant details of the Biden family’s financial dealings. Ironically, this proved to be just more fingerprints of Russian disinformation after “informant” Alexander Smirnov was charged with lying to the FBI.
The editorial reads more about the editorial board’s bias than NPR’s.
— Craig Mindrum, Oak Park
Giving priority to veterans?
I wanted to respond to Sara Bargo’s letter about her perceived lack of health care for veterans (“Healthcare for veterans,” April 13).
As a registered nurse with more than 40 years of experience, I wanted to bring several important facts to light.
The length of time to treatment or diagnostic tests is not unique to veterans. Those of us in the private sector face just as lengthy, if not longer, waits, and just as important, we pay for our care. There is a three-month wait for an appointment with my primary care provider. My spouse had to wait months for an MRI for a brain tumor.
The fact that veterans served “with honor and courage” is admirable but should not place them in front of those of us who pay the taxes that pay the members of our armed services and allow then to get free or low-cost health care, as well as to retire after a determined length of service. Currently, we in the private sector must work much longer to receive Medicare (65 years old) and Social Security (currently 67 years old for those born 1960 or after).
Despite employer contributions, we still pay a considerable amount for our deductibles, medications and copays.
I would say, everyone’s health care plans are suboptimal now and no one should take priority over anyone else’s.
So I say to veterans, we appreciate your service, enjoy your benefits we pay for, as well as your free or low-cost care, and realize you are luckier than millions in this country who worked just as hard as you.
— J. Alan Hale, Chicago
Eliminating college student debt
I have traditional Democratic values. These include civil rights, fair wages, affordable health care, fixed Social Security, clean air and water, safe infrastructure, and effective consumer protection laws. That doesn’t mean I’m not critical of many existing or proposed programs or believe improvements can’t be made.
I am upset by efforts of the current administration to eliminate debt incurred by college-educated citizens who borrowed federal dollars to get an education to launch a career and lifestyle of opportunity. From my earliest days, I was told by my family and teachers that education and opportunity are linked.
So how can college-educated Americans who drive late-model cars, live in comfortable neighborhoods, take expensive vacations and enjoy other benefits requiring payment, feel entitled to welch on the most definitional element of a loan? What justification can any person not seeking available court assistance reorganizing the entirety of their financial life have a right to be excused from the single indebtedness most closely aligned with providing life skills of an educated person?
Taxpayers should have mandatory repayments added to their federal tax obligations with deferrals for those earning less than a prescribed amount.
— Sheldon I. Saitlin, Boca Raton, Florida
What my dog illustrated to me
It turns out that William Shakespeare was wrong about life signifying nothing. Take our dog, Oscar, for instance, who died recently.
While his life was full of sound and fury (more like barking and growling), Oscar undoubtedly enriched my life — from his easy companionship when I worked from home to his over-the-top exuberance at my return on those long days when I didn’t.
Life was fuller with Oscar. And if his brief, nine-year canine existence held real meaning and purpose, surely there is hope for us all.
— Stacy Seiden, Northbrook
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
