Arguing With Fossils

As guest columnist for a local newspaper (a Scripts publication), I share the same opinion space with other local writers such as Fay Vincent and Stanford Erickson.  Fay Vincent is best known as a former CEO of Columbia Pictures and Commissioner of Major League Baseball.  Erickson is lesser known but thinks of himself as greater known (and unassailable subject matter expert on everything).  Now retired and resting on their laurels, Messrs. Vincent and Erickson are waaay past their prime -- and far more reactionary than expected.  Here is the gist of my argument with them:

Selected from:

Examining the role of religion in ‘the American Way’

by Fay Vincent

I grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, as did Norman Lear, though I never knew him until I became the chief executive officer of Columbia Pictures. I had admired from a distance his pioneering work as the creator of such remarkable television shows as “All in the Family.

When he called me sometime in the early 80s and asked to see me, I was eager to meet him. I found him totally charming. He was easy to listen to because he was funny and self-deprecating.

Yet he made clear he had a serious purpose in mind. He told me he and others among his friends had become concerned about what they believed was a serious challenge to “the American way.” He asked me to help confront the threat. His diagnosis of the problem was briefly stated.

He and his associates believed it was wrong and dangerous for the growing number of conservative right-wing evangelicals to use their religious views to affect their political positions and voting. He proposed to combat the threat by setting up a new foundation he called “People United for the American Way.”

His new institution would raise money to try to persuade voters that political actions should not be linked to religious beliefs. He argued it was wrong for evangelical leaders such as Jerry Farwell, Pat Robertson and others to preach to their growing audiences that their vibrant Christianity should be used to elect officials who would be in a position to translate this religious fervor into government policies. Such policies would adversely affect what Norman termed “the rest of us.”

His fervor was apparent, and he argued his case well. When he paused, I asked him if he was Jewish.

“Are you kidding me?” was his reply, so I reminded him of the intense criticism directed by Jews and others against the Catholic Church for its failure to speak out during the reign of the Third Reich, as Jews were being so viciously persecuted. The church was pilloried precisely because, I claimed, it failed to link its moral and religious convictions to political action to defend those being so horribly mistreated.

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Our meeting ended gracefully, and I never heard from him again. His new foundation soon became a powerful liberal force in our political life. I thought of Norman when attacks were made on Dr. Ben Carson for his view that a radical Muslim who supports Sharia law would not have his support for president of the United States. Criticism of him centers on the belief that the American way is not to consider the religion of a candidate.

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The American Way is not to ignore religious beliefs, and Lear was wrong to argue such beliefs should not inform political activity. In my view, religious beliefs that would likely result in corrosive political policies should be considered by voters.

Even in a freedom-loving nation, policies wrapped in religious garb must be exposed. Dr. Carson was correct to contend some religious views must be disqualifying.

Recently, Erickson posted a letter in support of the above.  Here is my reply:

Fay Vincent’s commentary (“Examining the role of religion in ‘the American Way’”) is hardly worthy of the word ‘treasure’ as Erickson claims.

I refer to Mr. Vincent’s hijacking of history to score cheap political points, and Mr. Erickson’s presumption that he -- and he alone -- is the true champion of the Jewish people, a champion more true and blue than any Jew:

“I asked him [Norman Lear] if he was Jewish.  ‘Are you kidding me’ was his reply, so I reminded him … of the Third Reich, as Jews were being so viciously persecuted” (Fay Vincent, Oct 7, 2015).

“Something I do not understand is why Jewish poeple [sic] in this country do not understand that! [sic] when most Christians do” (Stanford Erickson, Oct 2, 2015).

“I am a strong supporter of the Nation of Israel. I am just surprised that some Jewish people are not” (Stanford Erickson, Oct 9, 2015).

Why am I so hot under the collar over these postings?  I resent the implication that an honest difference of opinion means disloyalty towards Israel -- that Erickson can dismiss opposing viewpoints with such ugly derision. But first, a brief digression:

Lost in the pages of history is a lesser known author, philosopher and college professor living in Prague when the Nazi army occupied Czechoslovakia.  Few letters or literary works survive apart from anecdotal accounts handed down by word of mouth – until the trial of Adolph Eichmann revealed his fate.  According to trial testimony, Eichmann ordered the SS to stop a deportation train headed for Auschwitz and execute by firing squad a 'nettlesome agitator for human rights’ aboard that ill-fated train.  This 'nettlesome agitator’ was my great-grandfather.

The legacy of my great-grandfather does not belong to Messrs. Vincent or Erickson: It belongs to me.

Perhaps Messrs. Vincent and Erickson never experienced anti-Semitism: I have.

Perhaps Messrs. Vincent and Erickson find it incomprehensible and unthinkable for any Jew to defend the human rights of any Muslim: I disagree.

Messrs. Vincent and Erickson embrace the views of Ben Carson, a man who plays the Hitler card to advance his political agenda; a man who rationalizes the discriminatory treatment of Muslims – contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution; a man who trades on appeals to prejudice to discredit and disenfranchise an entire people. In short, Ben Carson represents the very opposite of what my great-grandfather lived and died for.  The antidote for fascism is not demagoguery, pandering and more fascism.

Fay Vincent hijacks history and opportunistically trivializes the Nazi era – as if the Holocaust were Brand X breakfast cereal repackaged for an ugly purpose.  Most especially, I resent Erickson’s self-righteously smug, sanctimonious, and repugnant attitude.

“I never heard from him [Norman Lear] again” (Fay Vincent).

 No wonder!