From: saal@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (samuel.saal)
Subject: wrap up on Michael Lerner talk
Organization: liver ---> spleen
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 17:28:19 GMT
Keywords: a fun time; too bad I couldn't ask my questions. Thanks for the help


Here's the wrap-up on the speech by Michael Lerner, but first, a plug.

I saw Mr Michael Lerner as part of the Anshe Chesed Young Professionals
dinner on September 18.  These dinners are held about once every 3
weeks, and are a great way to meet people, have a good meal, and hear
an interesting speaker.  If you are in NY City for a Shabbat on which
one of these is held, consider calling Anshe Chesed (they're in the
phone book) for details.  Anshe Chesed is a Conservative Synogogue
andthe meals are catered in accordance with the highest standards of
Kashruth.  The dinners cost about $18 - a pretty good price.

OK. Now back to our Lerner-bash!

As I said when in invited people to submit questions, I dont care for
Lerner, his politics, his arrogance, his political correctness, or his
outlook.  He is, however an animated and charismatic speaker.  In
standard propogandistic fashion, he started by trying to slide a few
things past the audience then built his argument on that foundation -
one you were expected to have accepted.  In this case, he condemned a
meritocracy as something the wealthy and powerful like to perpetuate
because it tends to be a good explanation for why they have money and
power.  I accept that power can be abusive and that people can abuse
power.  I do not accept, though, a blanket condemnation of meritocracy
because of the potential (or even the actuality) of some abuse.

I had posted a pair of requests looking for questions I could ask Mr
Lerner.  The first post was a general question while the second asked for
things specifically on his topic.  By the time I posted the second article
I knew his topic was the same as the cover article in the current issue of
Tikkun (Will the Democrats Blow the Election Again) and I wanted help with
questions that were on-topic.

I received a variety of responses and came up with a few on my own.
Unfortunately, in his introduction Lerner promised lots of time for
questions but left very little.  Only three people got a chance to ask
questions and of the three, two did what I was afraid of - they lectured
him without asking questions.  Also unfortunately, I did not get a chance
to ask my questions (the third questioner came close to one I had
prepared).

As promised, here is a summary of the questions and information fellow
netters sent me.  Thanks to all those who sent questions and
suggestions.  [My comments are in square brackets.]

From: levene@aplpy.jhuapl.edu (Robert A. Levene)
[this response was sent before I knew the topic.]

Polite:

  We are in a time of widespread assimilation, lack of Jewish
  knowledge and loss of Jewish identity.  What role does _Tikkun_
  play in working toward the survival of the Jewish people?

  Follow-up:  *Why* should one want the Jewish people to survive?

------------

Same question (flame bait):

  How should a Jew be taught morality, and how should a Jew
  be taught what makes him or her Jewish?  Since the present educational
  system has left most Jews unaware of our heritage and what
  makes us unique, what would you propose in its stead?

------------

Massive flame bait

  As was common among our enemies throughout history, several
  countries today ban the Jewish form of animal slaughter, and
  legislation is periodically proposed to ban 'bris milah' - Jewish
  circumcision.  If, G-d forbid, such laws were passed in the U.S.,
  would Tikkun stand up for the rights of fellow Jews against these
  assaults on our freedom to worship?

From: schultz@garnet.berkeley.edu (Richard Schultz)
[this response was sent before I knew the topic.]

You might consider asking him how he reconciles the opinion expressed a
couple of months ago in his magazine about homosexuality (the editorial
was in fact posted to s.c.j.) with his willingness to be the shaliach
tzibur in an Orthodox synagogue.

From: wsr@soft.gtech.com (Bill Rubin)

When I heard ML he did asked for people to subscribe.  He said something like
your $31 is the only way to voice support for liberal Judaism.

I want to know, what direct effect did he/his org have at/on the democratic
convention?  (He was there)

What action has he/his mag/his org had in stopping/helping war in former
Yuogoslavia, famine in Somila, apartid in South Africa, needs of southern
Flordia and Louisiana, changes in LA....

From:	<wsr@soft.gtech.com>

Yes,  he talks/writes a lot but I have the impression it doesn't do 
a lot in the real world with real people and real problems.  Althought I
consider myself a liberal, I feel he doesn't do much but talk the line.

From: Nabil Idriss [This was one of the best questions]

Can you ask Micheal Lerner if Clinton really love the Jews, or is he
playing music in their ears just to get their votes?

From: Alan Lustiger

Can you suggest reasons for Tikkun's circulation to be dropping while
circulaiton for a magazine like Commentary is increasing even in a
recession and even in a year in which the right, in general, is not doing
too well?

From: lajcher@brachot.jct.ac.il (Chana Lajcher JCT Library)

a long list of abstracts of articles written by Mr Lerner.

----------------------------------------------------------

Here, then, are the questions I wrote.  All are specifically relevant to
the article in Tikkun with the same name as the topic of his speech:

As a Jew who tries to be Halacha observant, there are aspects of American 
Liberalism that are attractive to me.  Yet, I have a certain difficulty with 
the concept of value-free education, relative ethics, and other underlying 
agenda or policy ideals of the left.  How can I reconcile my allegience to 
Halachic ideals and values with those of today's liberals

As a leading left-leaning liberal, do you consider there to be separate
Americas - specifically, one white and one black? If so, do you hold "white
America," responsible for the Los Angeles riots? And if so, do you hold "black
America" responsible for the rape and mugging of the Central Park jogger?

I don't understand the assumption that only thye Left has people's best
interst in mind, especially given your claim that they don['t even know
that "meaning" is what drives people.  Are you saying the Left knows what
people want even if they don't? (Followup: isn't that a bit patronizing?)

In your rejection of moral relativism, one I tend to agree with, it sounds
like you hold cooperation, responsibility, justice, peace, moral and
spritual sensitivity, tolerance, love, and caring as the basis for an
absolute morality.  While few would disagree that these are "good things,"
how do you know they are a basos for absolute morality, especially when
there are contradictions like peace at any cost versus justice.
-- 
Sam Saal      kingfish!saal OR saal@kingfish.att.com
	Vayiftach HaShem et Peah Ha`Aton
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish