Almost nothing President Bush does during his about-to-begin second term will affect the American future as profoundly as his appointments to the courts.
Philip Roth was born to a generation that believed in America, and although some of them were like the undertaker in the first scene of \”The Godfather,\” who also believed in America, but went outside the courts for justice — Roth\’s parents love their country, or what they remember of it.
\”Evangelical Christians support Israel because according to prophecy, Jews have to be in Israel in order for the apocalypse to happen, and the messiah and all that stuff,\” Al Franken said.
\”And when that happens, of course, Jews will all burn in hell,\” he said. \”And so I think at that point the coalition will break up.\”
Quick action by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon managed to avert a looming crisis over Israeli building in the West Bank, but the tension could resume as Israel comes under pressure to meet its commitments to dismantle illegal settlement outposts and not to expand existing settlements.
One can argue whether the actions Israel\’s government has taken in the face of terror and recalcitrance are moral or effective. One can argue that Israel\’s settlement policy — as its architect, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, has come around to doing — is deleterious to the nation\’s security.
The painful case reveals the vulnerability of clergy to character assassination as well as the difficulty for lay people in challenging a religious entity that keeps its decisions secret.
Several high-profile cases in recent years — both locally and nationally — have helped foster a newfound willingness among rabbis to work with mental health professionals not only to handle crises, but to take proactive measures as well.
In 1947, a group of parents led by Gonzalo and Felicitas Mendez of Westminster fought to end California\’s segregation of its Latino school children. Their suit came to the attention of the state\’s governor at the time, Earl Warren, who went on to hear the Brown case as chief justice of the nation\’s highest court.
Altogether, approximately 700 pro-Israel demonstrators from around the world gathered in the Dutch capital to bear witness and protest the travesty of justice taking place.
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