By Sheila Orysiek
SAN DIEGO–One of the things that caught my attention when I joined a synagogue community was the importance of guarding one’s tongue when speaking of others. The rabbi said “Gossip is like murder.” I think that is true – and it is an insidious failing of our human aspect which needs constant guarding – especially when emotion runs high.
This is also true of “bearing false witness” the importance of which is enshrined in the Nine Commandment. Since Judaism is practiced as a community rather than as a singular aesthetic experience, the protocols and structure of how society interacts has always been important to the Jewish community and is part of the gift which the Hebrew Bible has given to the world at large.
The connection to Hebrew law is manifest in many inscriptions, statues, statutes, and codes taken almost directly from the Torah. In a country such as the United States, which is a representative republic, with a legislature representing widely divergent opinions, how the representatives communicate and interact within the political context is very important.
On December 7, 2009, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Democrat-Nevada) took to the Senate floor during the debate on the Health Care Bill and made the following statement:
“This is indeed historic and I’m not afraid to say it is, but instead of joining us on the right side of history, all Republicans can come up with is, ‘Slow down, stop everything, start over.”
He continued: “If you think you’ve heard these excuses before, you’re right. When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said, “Slow down, it’s too early, things aren’t bad enough.”
Reid then went on to add to his condemnation of Republicans the fight for the 19th Amendment (Women’s Suffrage) and the battle for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He finished by saying: “History is repeating itself before our eyes….if not now when?”
One expects in the normal course of a political debate a certain amount of hyperbole – but that does not excuse outright distortion – and downright lying – about history.
The Republican Party was formed in 1856 specifically as an anti-slavery party because neither the Whig nor the Democrat Party was working toward abolition. Abraham Lincoln was the new Republican Party’s second presidential nominee; winning the White House in 1860 – only four years after the formation of the party. Lincoln, of course, signed the Emancipation Proclamation during his term of office and had stated his intention of leading the country back toward healing from the wounds of a devastating civil war.
What about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which Senator Reid also referenced?
The Republicans were in the minority in the House of Representatives and Senate during the Johnson administration. Of the 420 members who voted, 290 supported the Civil Rights Act and 130 opposed it. Republicans favored the bill 138 to 34 (79 percent); Democrats supported it 152 to 96 (63 percent). Republicans supported it in higher proportions than Democrats. Without Republicans the bill would have failed in the House.
How about the Senate? Since the Democrats were in the majority in the Senate, it was natural that Senator Hubert Humphrey, Democrat, would lead the fight. But it soon became clear it was conservative Republican Senator Everett Dirksen who was the key to victory for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Without him and the Republican vote, the Act would have died. Dirksen was a tireless supporter in his efforts to craft and pass the Civil Rights Act. He began the tactical arrangements for passage of the bill and organized Republican support by choosing floor captains for each of the bill’s seven sections.
A filibuster opposing the Civil Rights Act had been organized and led by three senators: Robert Byrd, Democrat; Albert Gore, Sr., Democrat; and Sam Ervin, Democrat. The filibuster, one of the longest in the Senate’s history, lasted eighty three days. When Byrd finally sat down after speaking in opposition to the Civil Rights Act for fourteen hours and thirteen minutes, he was followed by Senator Richard Russell, Democrat, the final speaker in opposition. The vote for cloture (to shut off debate) which required 67 votes (at that time – it is now 60) had arrived.
On June 10, 1964, the Senate gallery was packed as all 100 senators were present for the climactic moment – they were voting on cloture. Late in the morning Everett Dirksen, Republican, addressed the Senate. By this time Dirksen was very ill, drained from working fifteen and sixteen hour days, he quoted Victor Hugo, “Stronger than all the armies is an idea whose time has come. The time has come for equality of opportunity in sharing of government, in education, and in employment. It must not be stayed or denied.”
After Dirksen spoke the roll call vote was called for cloture. As each name was read, members of the press and spectators in the gallery kept tally. At 11:15 a.m., Senator John Williams, Republican of Delaware, replied “aye” to cloture. It was the sixty-seventh vote; cloture had passed, ending the filibuster. It opened the way for the Civil Rights Act to be passed. After successfully defeating the 83-three day filibuster, Dirksen, when asked why he had become a crusader in this cause, replied, “I am involved in mankind, and whatever the skin, we are all included in mankind.”
In the final vote the Senate passed the Civil Rights Act by 73 to 27. Six Republicans and 21 Democrats voted against passage. Democrats voted 46 to 21 in favor – that’s 69 percent. Republicans voted 27 to 6 in favor – that’s 82 percent. Republicans voted in a higher percentage than Democrats in favor of passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Yet, somehow history has been re-written – and accepted – that Republicans were against the Civil Rights Act.
What about Women’s Suffrage – the right of women to vote? In 1878, Republican Senator A. A. Sargent of California introduced the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in the Senate giving women the right to vote. However, it was rejected four times by a Congress which was controlled by Democrats. It wasn’t until Republicans controlled Congress in 1919 that the Amendment was finally passed – giving 50 percent of the population the right to vote.
States with Republican legislatures all ratified the 19th Amendment while eight of nine states under Democrat control rejected the Amendment. But, even before this twelve states – all under Republican control – had already given women the right to vote within those states.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democrat from Nevada, needs to be reminded of the Ninth Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Or one might be more charitable and conclude that Senator Reid needs to brush up on his history before erroneously, flagrantly and egregiously besmirching others who happen to disagree with him while representing their constituencies.
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Orysiek is a freelance writer based in San Diego. She may be contacted at orysieks@sandiegojewishworld.com