A writer recently considered their father, Fred, a Jewish youngster freed from Europe by General George S. Patton’s forces, who picked America instead of a potential soccer career. Fred’s perspectives were careful and subtle, qualities that have become rarer in public discourse since he died sixteen years ago.
He anticipated that everyone should earn their citizenship, especially through military service, but showed sympathy for those arriving under difficult situations, while advocating for a quick departure for those breaking laws. Fred felt a deep concern for those less privileged, as he had received aid from the American government and its citizens.
Lessons from a Lifelong Learner
As a dedicated lifelong student and rigid enforcer of rules, Fred held that educators should emphasize fundamental subjects, like reading, writing, and math, and that pupils must take responsibility for their actions. He understood that when leaders speak, their statements carry weight, and would be dismayed by how politicians now refer to each other and fellow Americans.
Fred grasped the risks of dehumanizing language and endorsed effective steps against provocation and violence, a stance tested when neo-Nazis attempted to march near his home in the 1970s. He witnessed directly the outcomes when institutional controls failed during Gleichschaltung, the process used by the Nazis to unify the German government and society.
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A Radical Moderate
Having been pursued by security officials solely because of his religion, Fred would have been furious at excessive force used by law enforcement. Yet, he acknowledged that social disorder happens when individuals commit crimes without consequence. He upheld the inherent American right to defend itself against all foes, both internal and external.
Nevertheless, he would be horrified by the use of Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt’s “state of exception” to limit civil liberties and mistreat others. Fred was a centrist who desired an America that rewarded rule-followers, punished rule-breakers, and balanced competing interests. He would have concurred with Thomas Sowell that there are no answers, only compromises.
According to the writer, Fred’s legacy is a reminder that creating a more perfect union requires a delicate balance between rewarding those who play by the rules and addressing those who do not. The writer hopes that all of us can learn from Fred, to make our next 250 years better than the first.
