Free Republic

<p>WASHINGTON — For convicted spy Jonathan Pollard's first public appearance in 16 years, his father chose a back row seat.</p> <p>Other supporters jammed the court's front rows, and some were turned away, as his lawyers tried Tuesday to help win Pollard an early release from his life sentence for selling military secrets to Israel.</p>

Is the Jewish community overreacting to The Passion, Mel Gibson's graphic portrayal of the Crucifixion of Jesus and Jewish culpability for that act even before the film's release during Easter 2004? Or are Christian friends ranging from liberal Catholics long-involved in ecumenical dialogue to conservative Evangelicals, known for their unwavering solidarity with Israel being disconcertingly sanguine? At stake is freedom of artistic and religious expression, dogma, profound misgivings about Gibson's motives, and fear of stoking the embers of Jew-hatred. There is no Christianity without the Crucifixion, and there is no Crucifixion narrative without the Jews. The Romans may have executed...

August 9, 2003 Butner, North Carolina Dear Prime Minister Sharon, Today is my 49th birthday. In honor of the occasion, I am writing to share my thanks, my blessings and a piece of hard-earned wisdom which the last 18 years in prison have taught me. First of all, my thanks. This may surprise you, but I am grateful to you. Allow me to explain by citing several of your recent initiatives as examples: We have learned that when you met with President Bush just prior to my 49th birthday in prison, you never mentioned a word about me - an...