Beck: common good "paves the way to death camps"

But if it's possible, I'd like to move beyond Beck's grotesque Holocaust rhetoric for a minute and turn to another substantive disagreement Beck and I have, not about the causes of Nazism but about the future of America.

On the one hand are those of us, including many in faith communities, who believe that government has a vital role to play in promoting the common good. As I wrote in the initial op-ed, "Government is one way which we care for our neighbors, and tradition tells me to care for my neighbor as I care for myself. Here's what we do for each other as Americans: We grow food, we create jobs, we build homes, pave roads, teach our children, care for our grandparents, secure our neighborhoods. Government makes our country function."

This reasonable sentiment reflects the values system of many Americans. It is true that government in the United States has always had its flaws. Jews and other communities have, at different times, suffered from these flaws. But at its best, government plays a powerful role in providing us with greater freedom, security and opportunity.

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