Letters

Gays, lesbians can be a part of Judaism

I feel compelled to write in response to the article in
Friday’s paper titled, “Panel discusses reconciliation
of being Jewish, gay or lesbian” (News, Oct. 11). I was
quoted as having said, “Why can’t (homosexual Jews)
leave the Orthodox community? There’s so many places to go
where you’d be welcome in the Jewish community.” In
fact, this quote was taken out of context and expresses the
opposite sentiment I tried to convey on the panel.

So many people ask the question, “Why can’t gay
Orthodox Jews just leave their communities? Why not join a gay and
lesbian synagogue, or a welcoming Reform or Reconstructionist
community?”

What I believe the film “Trembling Before G-d”
demonstrates so poignantly is that these Jews cannot simply abandon
their family relationships and religious practices. Those who would
ask them to turn their backs on their communities perhaps do not
fully understand the nature of Jewish Orthodoxy. I hope to clarify
that I do not expect Orthodox Jews to leave their communities for
more progressive, welcoming synagogues. Rather, my hope is that
Orthodox communities will strive to find ways to reconcile
homosexuality with Judaism and exchange ostracism for inclusion. I
know that Sandi Dubowski created the film, “Trembling Before
G-d,” with this hope in mind.

Rabbi Mychal Rosenbaum-Copeland Associate director of
Jewish student life UCLA Hillel

Focus on abstinence helpful, not wasteful

I was appalled when I saw the title of Keith Southman’s
submission “Abstinence focus dangerous for teens”
(Viewpoint, Oct. 10). He mentions that the teen pregnancy rate in
the United States is twice as high as the rate in countries like
Canada, Britain and the Netherlands, but then proceeds to attack
abstinence education. Last time I checked, the only 100 percent way
not to get pregnant is to abstain. If society chooses to ignore the
lessons of abstinence until marriage or other committed
relationships, so be it. Let them reap the emotional and physical
consequences.

To think that we need to spend $135 million on sex education is
ludicrous. And for what? To tell people not to have sex or how to
put on a condom? Sex comes with the possibility of pregnancy or
disease. If you’re not ready to love and support a child or
to become a walking STD, don’t have sex! We wouldn’t
have to worry about STDs or unwanted pregnancies if so many people
weren’t sleeping with multiple partners.

What happened to saving yourself for the one love of your life?
Now, couples who want to get married have to worry about how many
people their partners have already been with. Abstinence requires
self-control and self-esteem, two things many members of society
lack.

Why should the government spend millions of dollars to do work
parents should be doing at home? And if we are going to spend
tax-payers’ money, promoting abstinence is by no means
“dangerous.”

Joseph Groff Second-year, history

Eisner no wiser than celebrities

The beauty of U.S. democracy is that, despite columnist Ian
Eisner’s relatively limited experience and historical memory,
he is as entitled to express his opinions as are citizens Ed Asner,
Susan Sarandon and Barbra Streisand.

Ian Eisner regards George W. Bush’s policy on Iraq to be
“sensible and measured.” Many other Americans consider
it expedient, illegal and potentially catastrophic, as seen in the
article, “Law professors say war on Iraq illegal,” in
the same issue of the Daily Bruin (News, Oct.11). It is the right
of any U.S. citizen, whether celebrated or unknown, to dissent when
he or she thinks that the nation is about to commit a grave
error.

Margaret Trenchard-Smith Graduate student,
history