To the editor: Contributing author Josh Hammer’s considerate piece on the overlapping spiritual holidays developing this week turns darkish when he warns us in opposition to the “bad-faith actors” whose subversive techniques are inflicting an “unprecedented pressure” within the West (“Passover and Easter remind Jews and Christians to stand together,” March 27).
The three threats he mentions are Islamism, “woke neo-Marxism” — the invisible and mythological bogeyman conservatives wring their arms about — and globalism. Nowhere does he point out white Christian nationalism, which can as properly be printed on our paper cash together with President Trump’s signature. Nowhere does he point out the corruption on full show within the Trump administration, which has enriched the Trump family.
Nowhere does Hammer point out the struggle on variety and fairness, erasing hard-fought positive factors during the last century. Nowhere does he point out the tax adjustments which have funneled extra money to the highest to the detriment of the center class. Nowhere does he point out the basic must fund healthcare, schooling and infrastructure amid the budget-busting tax breaks and elevated regulation enforcement and navy budgets.
Nowhere does Hammer point out our president’s fawning allegiance to Russia, his implicit help of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alleged war crimes and his blatant, taunting disrespect of our NATO allies.
There’s bother brewing, however it isn’t Islamism, wokeness or globalism that threatens People.
Bethia Sheean-Wallace, Morton Grove, Sick.
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To the editor: As a Jew, I used to be appalled to learn Hammer’s current op-ed. Though the general sentiment of unity is admirable, he contrasts this with criticism of Islamism (amongst different issues), which he describes as totalitarian and looking for dominance over peaceable coexistence. Think about, for a second, if the phrases have been reversed and Judaism was described that manner. This might instantly be referred to as antisemitism. And, in reality, the Jewish state has sought dominance over peaceable coexistence — be aware the ever-present horrific violence within the West Financial institution as only one instance.
At a time of such intense world battle, it’s harmful and albeit irresponsible to plant concepts of division amongst numerous faiths. The issue isn’t inherent to any of the spiritual traditions. Relatively, it’s the extremism that exists in all of them. To cite Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, in one other current op-ed within the Los Angeles Occasions: “The issue isn’t Islam, neither is it America, each of that are primarily based on the foundational rules to uphold justice, dignity and the equality of all individuals … [War] narratives … marginalize the overwhelming majority of Muslims who search peace whereas empowering extremists on all sides” (“American Muslims’ unique role against anti-U.S. sentiment and Islamophobia,” March 25).
Maybe we should always think about the simultaneous observance of Passover and Easter, in addition to the current observance of Ramadan and the emergence of springtime, as a name to encourage reflection, renewal and rebuilding of a brand new world order for all of humanity.
Annette Gottlieb, Los Angeles
