After making comments on the air that offended many Jews, KGO Radio talk-show host Bernie Ward apologized on the air Dec. 18. But in meeting Jewish community leaders two days later, Ward reportedly sat slumped in a chair with his feet propped up and rushed out as soon as the meeting was over.
Despite the talk-show host’s apparent lack of social graces, Jewish leaders who met him are not overly concerned. Ward, a Catholic, apologized for implying that Judaism was morally inferior on his evening program nearly a month ago and promised never to do it again.
“I thought his lengthy statement about how wrong he had been to denigrate another religion was a remarkable turnaround,” said Rabbi Doug Kahn, executive director of the S.F.-based Jewish Community Relations Council.
“He was unequivocal, straightforward and courageous. I was therefore gratified that he came to the conclusion that his previous statements were beyond the pale.”
The fracas began when Ward said on the air Dec. 9 that Christianity is morally superior to Judaism because it is based on unconditional forgiveness and redemption, while Judaism was “left in the backwater of history because Judaism could not get beyond the rules and the rituals and the need for revenge.”
The San Francisco Examiner ran a story about Ward’s statements on Dec. 17. On his program that evening, Ward apologized to anyone offended by his comments. However, he also said Jews “need to get a thicker skin.”
Local Jewish leaders and others were outraged. A Dec. 20 meeting was called between Jewish leaders and KGO representatives.
Attending the meeting were Kahn and Ward as well as Michael Luckoff, KGO president and general manager; Jack Swanson, KGO operations director; Barbara Layne, KGO executive producer; Barbara Bergen, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League; Rabbi David Teitelbaum, executive director of the Northern California Board of Rabbis; and Rabbis Stephen Pearce of Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco and Lavey Derby of Congregation Kol Shofar in Tiburon.
Two days before the meeting, Ward had offered a 13-minute apology during his Dec. 18 show. “It is wrong to suggest in any way, shape or form that there are elements of Christianity that are `morally superior’ to Judaism. It’s wrong,” he said.
“Will there be disputes in the future? Absolutely. Will there be theological disputes? Absolutely. Will I ever use words like `superior’ or `inferior’ again? Absolutely not. Will I denigrate that religion — or any religion for that matter? Absolutely not.”
Jewish leaders were satisfied with the apology and put their attention toward educating the talk-show radio host during the Dec. 20 meeting.
“We were very pleased with the tone of the meeting,” said Luckoff, who is Jewish. “We expressed our regret where we had erred and had a fascinating discussion of theology.”
The rabbis talked to Ward about Jewish views of forgiveness and about Judaism as “organic, growing and not stuck in the Bible,” rather than a religion steeped in ritualistic requirements, Pearce said.
Pearce described Ward as “polite but somber. But he did not seem that interested in having this conversation. I don’t think we altered his theological beliefs. The outcome was simply: We agreed to disagree.”
However, Pearce added that Ward “acknowledged that he had made a mistake and he set a wonderful model for the ability of a person to mediate something. That’s a strength which should be played up.”
At the end of the session, Kahn added, “Ward walked out without engaging in the usual formalities of handshakes and goodbyes. This surprised us, having been in far more difficult meetings than this one.
“It was rather discourteous,” Kahn said. “But on the scale of things, it’s rather unimportant.”
Bergen, who was so angered by the situation that she was not sure if she would attend the meeting, called Ward’s apology “complete — more than one could have expected.
“I hope the theologians were able to give him a new perspective. But his personal views aren’t as important to me as what he says on the air.”
In addition, Bergen lauded Luckoff for opening the meeting by claiming a responsibility that goes beyond the fine legal points of civil rights law.
Luckoff responded, “We’re in the business of serving the community. We’re in the business of good taste.”