Rabbi ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL (from file footage, “The External Light,” NBC, 1972): God is either the father of all men or of no man, and the idea of judging a person in terms of black or brown or white is an eye disease.
ABERNETHY: Heschel also publicly and passionately opposed the war in Vietnam.
Rabbi HESCHEL (from file footage, “The External Light,” NBC, 1972): How can I pray when I have on my conscience the awareness that I am co-responsible for the death of innocent people in Vietnam? In a free society, some are guilty, all are responsible
Was he opposed to the war in vietnam, or just American involvement in it? Would he support the North Vietnam war against the South? Or would he support South Vietnam’s resistance?
Brother Michael, I think the key to answering the questions you are posing is in the article. Rabbi Heschel’s experience in Germany was of a fascism that arose because of a culture of arrogance and hatred which denied the humanity of the enemies of the Reich. If God is the creator of all humankind–as we believe–than an attempt to vilify and dehumanize others so that we might kill them is immoral and bad theology. I believe Rabbi Heschel would be against war as a solution. I don’t believe he is being anti-American. I believe he is trying to be faithful. Blessings, Randy