Dennis Prager
| Dennis Prager | |
|---|---|
 Dennis Prager speaking at the California Capitol Building, 2008 |
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| Born | August 2, 1948 USA |
| Occupation | Radio host, political commentator, author, and television personality |
Dennis Prager (born August 2, 1948) is an American syndicated radio talk show host, syndicated columnist, author, and public speaker. He is noted for political and social views emanating from Judeo-Christian, Jewish, and American values. He defines the latter as E Pluribus Unum, In God We Trust, and Liberty (which includes small government). He is a Media Fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University. He taught Jewish and Russian History at Brooklyn College, and was a Fellow at the Columbia University School of International Affairs, where he did his graduate work at the Russian Institute (now the Harriman Institute) and Middle East Institute from 1970-1972. He has lectured in 46 states and on six continents and traveled in 98 countries and the 50 U.S. states. He speaks French, Russian, and Hebrew, and has lectured in Russian in Russia and in Hebrew in Israel. An avid classical music lover, he periodically conducts orchestras in Southern California.
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[edit] Early life
Raised in Brooklyn, New York as an Orthodox Jew, Prager attended Yeshiva Rambam from kindergarten through 8th grade and Yeshivah of Flatbush for high school, where he met his future co-author Joseph Telushkin in the 10th grade. Prager attended Brooklyn College majoring in Middle Eastern Studies and History; he graduated in 1970. He went on to study at the Russian Institute at Columbia University.[1]
[edit] Political views
In his articles, broadcasts, and lectures, Prager has declared that the U.S. is engaged in a "second non-violent civil war" "culture war" over the fundamental moral values on which American society was built. Prager argues that many influential American institutions (including universities, trial lawyers, labor unions, the ACLU, civil rights groups, and most large newspapers and television networks) are dominated by "secular leftists," who, he says, attack and misrepresent the uniqueness of Judeo-Christian values and their positive historical effect upon America and the world.[2] In 2005, 24 of his columns were devoted to explaining those values and how he believes they make the United States special.[3] Prager also appeared on Penn & Teller: Bullshit! to discuss his views on PETA's campaign comparing livestock farms to the Holocaust.[4]
[edit] The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council's Resolution
In 2006, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council (which, among other projects, governs the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). Due to Prager's involvement in the Quran Oath Controversy the Council on American-Islamic Relations called for Prager to be removed from the council overseeing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial. One member of the Memorial Council, former NYC mayor Ed Koch was vocal in advocating his removal.[5] Koch, however, was a lone voice on the Council. No other member spoke up in favor of Prager resigning. In the end, the executive committee of the council issued a resolution that has been seen as "distancing" the council from Prager's remarks.[6] In an interview with the Associated Press, Prager stated "he was honored to 'continue serving' on the board, and that he understands the pressures that caused it to issue a statement."[7]
[edit] Bibliography
Prager wrote for the Sunday Los Angeles Times "Current" section, and writes a weekly column published in newspapers such as the Washington Examiner and online at Townhall.com[8], National Review Online, Jewish World Review and elsewhere. He also writes a bi-weekly column for the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.
He is also the author of four books:
- Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism (with Joseph Telushkin) (1986) ISBN 0-6716-2261-7
- Think a Second Time (1996) ISBN 0-0609-8709-X
- Happiness Is a Serious Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual (1999) ISBN 0-0609-8735-9
- Why the Jews? The Reason for Antisemitism (with Joseph Telushkin) (2003) ISBN 0-7432-4620-9
[edit] References
- ^ Maxprager.com
- ^ http://townhall.com/columnists/DennisPrager/2005/05/03/moral_absolutes_judeo-christian_values_part_xi
- ^ Town Hall.com/columns
- ^ http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/episodes.do?episodeid=121058&ep=201
- ^ http://www.forward.com/articles/9621/
- ^ James Besser (2006-12-22). "U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council distances itself from Prager". The Jewish Journal. http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=17007. Retrieved on Dec. 22, 2006
- ^ "Ellison tells Virginia Rep., "He has nothing to fear"". Associated Press. 2006-12-22. http://kstp.com/article/stories/S20836.html?cat=1. Retrieved on Dec. 22, 2006
- ^ http://www.townhall.com/opinion/contributors/dennisprager/archive/2006/
[edit] External links
- Dennis Prager at the Internet Movie Database
- Prager University
- Dennis Prager Controversy in Joining the US Holocaust Memorial Museum from Holocaust Survivors and Remembrance Project
- dennisprager.com
- Dennis Prager Features at Creators Syndicate
- pragerradio.com
- Townhall columns
- Podcasts of Prager's recent articles
- Dennis Prager Biography
- Why Are Atheists So Angry? A Debate Between Prager and Sam Harris
