JWP'ers:

The Steering Committee of ICPJ today took up the issue of the ad-hoc committee's bank protest. The issue of support was brought to a vote by Farouq, clarified by Chuck: The SC would not block METF from adding our (METF) name to the sponsors of the bank action, and was passed 5-3, with 3 abstentions. The SC would not sponsor by itself, so clarifies King Chuck.

SC Member Ruth Kraut spoke and agreed that the bank protest should proceed, but voted NO (to sponsor under the name "Middle East Task Force of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice) and swayed two others with her logic: That as long as the ICPJ is co-sponsoring an event which is ALSO co-sponsored by Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends, then the SC would be "perceived as writing off the Jewish Community", and would "strain relations". Remember, she's the one who claimed our vigils are "violent", and when I asked her to explain how we were violent, she said "I don't want to have this conversation".

That other SC members would let this pass without comment is amazing. Ruth needs to ask herself who has written off whom? As far back as I can remember (~ Spring 2000) there has been no Jewish clergy appearance at ICPJ, save for this October's appeal by Rabbi Levy for the SC to "help us" in "our" struggle with Jewish Witnesses. I can still remember Alan Haber trying unsuccessfully to even get an appointment with Levy in 2000. And Dobrusin too, though still receiving the ICPJ newsletter, often voiced "doubts" about ICPJ's tendencies towards anti-Semitism.

And all this occurred before the synagogue vigils were even a twinkle in our eyes. Was elementary logic checked at the door before the SC meeting began?

Barbara Fuller (voted NO) and Russ (Abstained) were "deeply conflicted" with the tension "caused" by METF every time they turned around, and Russ even went as far as to suggest that the SC "close METF". (almost bears repeating, doesn't it?)

It was fitting that Barbara ended the meeting with a prayer asking the Lord for strength and courage.

But the family of Senator Joseph McCarthy can take heart. Thanks to Ruth Kraut, his Red Baiting tactics continue to survive 47 years after his death...

Henry