From the other side of the bench: A pit bull with lipstick

Issue of Sept. 12, 2008

Most hurricanes blow in from the southeast. This one blew in from the northwest –– Alaska to be precise. “Hurricane Sarah” took the stage in St. Paul last week and blew away the naysayers. Politically astute leftists, while continuing to bash her policies, had to admit that this “pit bull with lipstick” was more than they thought she would be and that they indeed did have a fight on their hands with a formidable opponent. Suddenly, those on the right saw McCain’s decision as a stroke of genius. Oh, what a difference one night makes.

Though this might disqualify me from entrée into certain circles, and while one day it might cause certain types of boys to eschew dating one of my daughters, I admit it: we have a television. (We used to have two, but in a compromise with my wife, I pulled the plug on one of them.) I come from a long line of convention watchers. I grew up watching them, my father grew up watching them and the only reason my grandparents didn’t watch political conventions on TV was because I don’t think they had television back then. But I’m sure they listened on the radio.

I say with pride that while a lot of children were watching Hannah Montana last week, my children, ages 7, 8, 10 and 12 were watching Sarah Palin. They asked me questions about the candidates, the process and the issues. I really was proud of them and did my best to a) answer their questions and b) compliment them on their decision to broaden their horizons beyond “Barney.”

I entered the room to hear my two youngest arguing about whether John McCain is Jewish. My youngest said that he isn’t Jewish, while her older sister held firm to her position that he is. She based her belief on a reporter who defined McCain as conservative.

“You see, he is Jewish –– he’s not Orthodox, he’s Conservative.”

I tried to explain to her that in politics, Conservative means adherence to time honored traditions while in Jewish religious terms, it means allowing for certain more modern interpretations and approaches. I don’t think that I was successful.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t help thinking as we sat there that evening, whether our young ladies whom we bless on Friday nights to follow in the footsteps of our biblical matriarch Sarah, could also benefit from the experiences of the Sarah we were watching on television. Could they be as poised, as comfortable speaking in public, as educated, as involved, as engaged and as engaging? Could they serve as leaders, as champions of causes that benefit society as a whole?

I wrestled with the question for about three seconds as I knew the answer was a resounding yes. Our Jewish women are talented enough. The next question is whether we are producing such leaders, followed by the question of should we be steering our women in that direction.

To be sure, we are graduating female doctors, lawyers, accountants and the like. But I must tell you that too often we are sending our young Orthodox Jewish women the message that it’s either family or community. I don’t see it that way. I know that there is room for both and a need for both. Our schools must begin the process of instilling in our young women the notion that they can do both, serve their families and our country. Women bring a unique perspective to a host of issues that face us in these troubling times. Men trust that all is fine, while women worry that all should be fine. It’s unique. It’s fresh. It’s an imperative.

At the very least, our young women should be taught the “content” of these issues so that they can adequately express their needs and provide this input to those in leadership. I, for one, would be extremely proud if my daughters could at least best a male opponent in a debate on the issues even if she is not an official “candidate.”

And so I find the dribble and drool dropping out of the mouths of the misguided left media, reeking with irony and hypocrisy. Think about it; they criticize the center and the right for abandoning the forgotten, the underprivileged, the minorities, the women, and the huddled masses yearning to be free, while with the same tongue they ask if Sarah Palin can be a mother and a leader!

In the little that I have seen, she can run circles around all of them. When they attempt to close the door on Sarah Palin, they are closing the door on our Sarahs. But we are at fault if we are not bringing our daughters to the doorway in the first instance. A daunting challenge? No doubt. But fulfillment creates happiness, and accomplishments create fulfillment. The weak and meek see mountains as a barrier. The strong and determined view them as challenges. Giving our children, and specifically our young ladies, the tools, resources, and confidence to mount such a challenge will benefit them and society as a whole.

Those seeking to destroy us, and our principles, will not back down if seated across the table from a puppy with a loud bark but little resolve to bite. They need to see the pearly whites of a pit bull with lipstick.

David Seidemann is a partner with the law firm of Seidemann & Mermelstein. He can be reached at (718) 692-1013 and at ds@lawofficesm. com.