IN THEORY:Of lesser evils and greater goods

Politics is all about power and keeping control. Then you get to make the rules. If it were about anything else, then you would see less name-calling and finger-pointing and more positive debate and compromise. It would be about relationship-building and listening, not about dividing and conquering, with the emphasis on conquering. My belief that the initiative can be a positive element in our society if it's properly administrated isn't shaken. That may be a big if. But God does still work miracles.

GALEN GOBEN

Foothill Christian Church

La Crescenta

More than 2,000 years ago, a great Jewish leader by the name of Rabbi Gamliel stated: "Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person only for their own needs. They appear to be friends when it is beneficial to them, but they do not stand by a person at the time of his distress."

When reading this recent story about the Bush Administration, my first thought was, "So what else is new?" Most politicians, whether Republican, Democrat, Independent or anything in between, have only one thing in mind: getting votes. They will say and do almost anything to accomplish that goal.

We have witnessed this phenomenon time and again — and although we should never accept it, we should no longer feel shocked by such headlines.

These are the political realities we face, and we must make the best of them. Religious leaders should not lose heart or be distracted from their humanitarian mission; on the contrary, they should use this incident to the benefit of the people they represent by pressing the administration to rectify its duplicity and promote even more faith-based initiatives and social services.

Here is an opportunity to transform a political blunder into something positive, and turn what may have been an unfortunate circumstance into a charitable boon for the needy.

RABBI SIMCHA BACKMAN

Chabad Jewish Center