Every year
The Forward, a century-old Jewish weekly newspaper, compiles its list of the
50 American Jews that have been newsworthy, some famously, others infamously.
As you might imagine, Joe Lieberman is pretty much a mainstay on the list. However, particularly after this election, I believe another Senator needs to be on the list as well: Russ Feingold.
Help me out on the flip...
It's pretty simple: send an e-mail to letters@forward.com to let them know what you think about one of the important voices of the Democratic party getting snubbed yet again.
Here's what I wrote to them:
To The Editor,
Looking through your Forward 50 this year, I noticed that you included Joe Lieberman (Lieberman-CT), but omitted Russ Feingold (D-WI). Since you commend Lieberman for "reaching across the aisle" (for, I suppose, saying things like: "[I]n matters of war we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril" in opposition to John Murtha's plan to accept reality in Iraq), I have to ask: Was it Senator Feingold's commitment to our Constitution that caused him to be omitted? Was it his insistence on dissent in the face of overwhelming opposition, as it was when he voted against the Patriot Act, and again when he called for Censure of the President for tapping American's phones without a warrant?
In short, was Feingold too Jewish?
If there is one thing that is the essence of Judaism to me, it is this: Actions speak louder than words. For all of Lieberman's words (and boy are there a lot of them!), it is Feingold's actions that show Judaism at its best.