Rather than being a science-fiction fantasy (or horror) scenario, cloning of animals seems to be reality. When Barbra Streisand mentioned in an interview a few months ago that she had cloned her dog, it brought the subject to the forefront of people’s minds. When I read a bit about it, it reminded me of my husband’s joke that living with a clone of yourself would be terrible because every time you started to tell a joke your clone would yawn and say, “I know that one.”
Donald Trump’s selection of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court reminded me of one of the advantages of having 50 disparate states with their 100 varied Senators. I have written a number of times in these Musings about my frustration with Republican leadership, a dissatisfaction that many shared with me as evidenced by Donald Trump’s election. However, the other side of the coin deserves to be voiced as well.
Having specifically mentioned Mitch McConnell in a less than flattering light in some Musings, I was remiss not to laud his steadfastness in preventing President Obama from appointing a third Supreme Court Justice. Senator McConnell’s unwavering stance paved the way for Justice Gorsuch.
This week, eyes turn once again to the Senator and I pray that he lives up to the praise he is being given in advance for knowing how to shepherd a nominee through a contentious process. The opposition to President Trump’s choice, while having little to do with the proper role of the Senate in confirmation hearings, is loud, powerful and nasty. Somehow, a soft-spoken, meek-looking, and gentlemanly man needs to face the storm. There are many Senators whose active words and demeanors I prefer, and I still think those traits are necessary to regain the culture, but this case reminds me of the importance of knowing the ropes and working behind the scenes.
The review of old text by a well spoken teacher was on how vows need caution. It can apply.
Some over-zealous party-ism can dismantle jurisprudence, undermining constitutional process.
So, Leti us be sure we are in line with meaning and intent of true freedom, and not in excess. Nor gripping in over-restraint, which becomes repressive.
America was a country founded on the principles of the Bible, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. This has long been forgotten by many of our fellow citizens, and replaced with the political theater which we now call government. It’s in many ways like watch an episode of the WWE, sad but true.
Political theater is a good phrase, Michael. But, while things have certainly degraded, there was quite a lot of that in the past as well.
Slight change of topic. I’m always wondering why your family never moved to Israel?
Matt, we are going to move this to the Ask the Rabbi column for a future week. There are a number of times that we see comments that should really be Ask the Rabbi questions and we’d like to encourage people to submit those over there. Thank you.
Well, Matt,
As Susan says, we’re going to plan on a full response to your question on our Ask the Rabbi page. Meanwhile, I’ll just clarify this way: Our religion is Jewish. This we practice whether we’re in Seattle, Washington DC, Florida, or on a sailing boat in the middle of the Pacific. Our nationality is American, our citizenship is United States. Our religion does not in any way require us to renounce our citizenship, Heaven forbid, neither does it require us to relocate to anywhere specific. That said, we do have very warm and emotional feelings for Israel and regard it as an enormous privilege to have been able to spend a month a year teaching and writing in Jerusalem.
Cordially
RDL
I feel like we will lose no matter which of the radical sides prevails. What ever happened to common sense and civility?
Well, we need to work to bring them back, Bob, starting in our own lives.
How wonderful to hear your fairness toward someone one is tempted to lambaste and barbecue (and oft with justification)! It illustrates the old proverb ‘Give the devil his due.’ I am reminded with great affection of the episode on the AJW show on TCT wherein Our Rabbi advises us objectively that nobody is ALL bad, indeed even old Hitler had his good points, as does everyone on this planet. When I heard that remark from a rabbi, my jaw dropped into my lap and might have hit the floor. But he was right, of course. We are no fans of Hitler, but our youngest daughter got in hot water once in school for saying the same thing in total objectivity: old Hitler did a few good things. He catalyzed invention of the Autobahn and the Volkswagen, for starters. Of course, what he ended up doing in large dragged his nation through the slime, muck, destruction and deprivation for the next 30 years and Germany and Europe have not yet seen the end of its unwanted consequences.
Yet as for cloning a human being, such an act is doomed to failure in one respect: a human being is not only heredity, s/he is also a product of environment and exposure. What if a clone of Rabbi Lapin had all his inherited disposition, passion and fervor and native intelligence, yet had the wrong father to raise him exposed to a modern environment of political correctness, entitlement and sour disdain for non-Progressive ancient tradition? Would the original and the clone be inevitably at war from opposite ends of the spectrum?
That fine novel The Boys from Brazil (1970’s?) entertains such issues, wherein agents of the Third Reich have not only cloned Adolf Hitler, but go to immoral extremes to duplicate all developmental factors in the clone’s childhood, to ensure that another Hitler is born and raised. p.s. NOTA BENE: I know you were discussing Sen. McConnell. I hasten to add, by mentioning Hitler several times as an example for argument’s sake, I am NOT comparing your Sen. McConnell to Hitler like many a loose-cannon leftist ignoramus might do.
I’m glad you added that at the end, James, but as disappointed as I sometimes have been with Sen. McConnell I certainly wouldn’t call him the devil, and I don’t think you meant it that way either. To be clear as well, my husband wasn’t whitewashing or defending Hitler which it might sound like out of context.
No indeed. ‘To give the devil his due’ is a time-honored humorous expression exhorting one to be fair and objective always, that we are all a mixture of good and bad. Thus, even the worst of us have some good qualities. I was proud of your husband for maintaining objectivity. You are right in that these days humor seems to be on the way out, for political correctness and victimology seek insults in humor.
…am reminded of a quote from Margaret Thatcher … “ I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left…
That is clearly what we are seeing all over the place, Joanne.
I very much trust McConnell to see this through. His experience, knowledge, and steadfastness in the face of criticism and threats are exactly what we need right now and no other more qualified candidate springs to mind.
I hope you’re right, Van.
If you trust McConnell, I pray God will give you a spirit of discernment. I know him and I would not trust him in any way.
I think all we can do is continue to pray that God will put forth Godly, honest, righteous, upright men who value the lives of our preborn children…he’s been answering our prayers! Many hate Trump, BUT, he is doing what he promised and I will continue to support him…he wasn’t my republican choice, but we needed a person like him it seems! He loves and supports Israel, and that’s very important to me.
Agreed, Vicki.
Pray for Justice Kavanaugh, Americans! Pray for the President. Pray for their families and advisors. Constitution-revering citizens are seeing some momentous progress in returning America to its proper role as a chosen nation and we, the people, a chosen people. God speed!
Amen, Kristin.
Susan,
Thank you for your view point. As with the Senate, We the people need other like minded citizens also studying the challenges we face as a nation. HOLY men and women must never be silent for the enemy is very loud and very frequent! GOD bless you and your husband, you are appreciated.