EVANGELICALS AND HAREDIM, EXTREMISTS AT LARGE

"EXTREMISM IN THE DEFENSE OF LIBERTY IS NO VICE..." Barry Goldwater.

But Senator Goldwater was no fool. He also said,

“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.”

All this is brought to mind by two strains in the news:

LIBERTY University in Lynchburg, Virginia has its own notions of "liberty." Employees can be fired for speaking out. No teachers have tenure. The student newspaper is controlled by the university.

The school is effectively run by Jerry Falwell, Jr., and has more than 100,000 students, 90%  of whom are online and who provide the financing for the campus. Those students are recruited by a phone bank. Liberty is by far the largest and most prominent Evangelical school in the country.

Two weeks ago, Falwell, a lawyer and real estate entrepreneur, son of the late Reverend of the same name who started the "Moral Majority" and was nationally known as head of the "Christian Right," rejected advice of physicians and other scientists, and refused to close the school at the end of the Spring Break. He insisted on referring to covid-19 as "the flu," and regarded all who told him it was a serious disease as politically motivated enemies. His view was "Impeachment didn't work, the Mueller report didn't work, Article 25 didn't work, and this is their next attempt to get Trump."

So the students obeyed the school President, and 1900 of them returned to school. Within a week, 12 students had covid-19 symptoms, and half the student body fled and went back home, bringing back to families and neighbors whatever viruses they exchanged in the dormitories and classrooms during their week at school. The remaining students still dine together, live in the dorms, crowd on city buses, etc.

Not to worry: Falwell insists his recall of the students was justified because the "cure rate for people under 50 years old was 99.7%." Falwell has thus far not published his source for that bogus claim.

It's good to be a Christian.

Surprise, surprise, covid-19 is also present in Israel. The "Falwell Equivalents" in Israel are the ultra-orthodox Jews. A cohort of members of this close-knit society ignore government edicts about social distancing. They continue to crowd at weddings, funerals, prayer services, etc.

The government is now considering sending in the military to enforce a lockdown of the Haredim neighborhoods. A leading ultra-orthodox rabbi insists the commotion is the Israeli equivalent of fake news: His Falwellian comment:"The media are trying to slur the Haredim."

But once again, the facts have a way of interfering with doctrine: The ultra-orthodox make up 10% of the Israeli population, but they occupy 50-60% of the covid-19 beds in the country's hospitals!

It is not only the governing officials in Virginia and Jerusalem that need to find the courage and political will to deal with  extremists of all stripes. It's time the rest of us did as well.

Pogo said it best:  "We have met the enemy, and he is us!"

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I end this essay with a report of a contrasting personal experience here on the island of St. Barths, (pop. 10,000), where we will remain until it's safe to return to NYC. 

We have had six cases of covid-19, one recovered, the other five quarantined in their homes. Island President Magras has decreed a tight lockdown. We are confined to our villa except to go to the supermarket, pharmacy, or other essential trip.  No beach, no long walk around the harbor, nada. If you have a government authorized reason to leave home, you must carry a self-generated  form specifying your reason for venturing out. It must bear your name, date of birth, address, today's date, time of day, and your signature. Violators are subject to a 135 euro fine.

Our house is about a block up the hill from a crossroad that leads to Corossol Harbor. Yesterday, I ventured out to drop off bags a garbage at a municipal pickup site, about 30 yards down from the crossroad. (I drive because only a goat could walk up the steep hill back to our house!)

I was stunned to see two gendarmes at this off-the-beaten-path intersection, checking passes. Law abiding citizen that I am, I had my pass. He examined it carefully, looked into the back window and saw the two garbage bags,-- the black one bound for the incinerator, and the transparent one containing glass and cans for recycling,-- and sent me on my way, but not before extracting a promise I would return home immediately after dropping off the bags.

Oh, yeah, he spoke and understood no English, and  I spoke and understood no French. We exchanged big smiles minutes later, on my way home.

A bientot.

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