IS THER..E A
CURE FOR
ANTI-SEMITISM'
427
is not wrong to demand respect for a Western civilization that has
brought the world to undreamed-of heights of personal freedom, as well
as material prosperity.
As an historian and a nonbeliever, I am prepared to concede to
Bennett that the degree of personal freedom we now take for granted -
the political ideals that are now being embraced by the peoples of the
whole world - arose in the West on Christian foundations. The defense
of Western civilization therefore requires firm respect for the Christian
tradition that undergirds it. The assault on Western civilization and on
Christianity that now disgraces our campuses has led inexorably to the
assault on the idea of an American nationality and to the suicidal pro–
gram for the transformation of our nation into a loose federation of
People's Republics of Purported Victims.
These are big and complicated issues. So let me cut to the bottom
line with respect to anti-Semitism and America's relation to Israel.
It
is
dangerous for our government to base its support for Israel on the
democratic character of the Israeli state. Suppose events compel Israel to
curb its democracy and install an authoritarian regime. That is unlikely
but hardly impossible. (And it would be none of our business.) The
American government should long ago have made clear that we will
never permit the Jews to be "driven into the sea" and that we shall
forcibly intervene to confront any idiots who try it.
Israel, as a Jewish state, constitutes a discrete part of the larger civi–
lization that we must defend at all cost. Its existence and security must
not be made a subject for discussion, much less of negotiations. The
Jews, for all they have suffered at Christian hands, constitute a part of
our historic family of nations. And on this matter I offer you the counsel
of my Sicilian forebears: Wish others well; do your best to do them jus–
tice and accord them friendship. But the family comes first.
Nothing I am about to say should be taken to suggest that the Jews
could safely rely on others to fight their battles or that they should sur–
render to anyone the initiative in the struggle against anti-Semitism.
Rather, I am here concerned with the responsibility of the Gentiles, in–
dependent of what the Jews have to do for themselves. Speaking as a
Gentile, I shall risk expressing myself in a way that may not be to Jewish
taste. However much the Jews have been outsiders and dissenters from
the religious mainstream, they have constituted an essential and belatedly
appreciated part of our larger family of historic Christendom: They are,
so to speak, "ours." He who assaults the Jews assaults "us" - and should
be made to understand that "we" shall return the blows with the utmost
ferocity.
Edith Kurzweil:
Thank you, Gene. Martin Peretz.
