No one is antisemitic if you ask them. Not at all!
Certainly not John Galliano, even though you can hear him admiring Hitler in this video. Not Charlie Sheen and not Mel Gibson. These guys were just drunk or stoned and plus, some of their best friends are Jews.
Here is my feeling: Anyone who separates people into Jews and Everyone Else is antisemitic. It is frustrating to argue this point. I tried in another post, when a film reviewer praised an actress for not “trying to mask her Jewishness.” Everyone claimed to be bewildered by the premise that this is clearly antisemitic.
If you tell me about your Jewish friends, you are antisemitic, to my ears. The fact that you distinguish some people as Jews – unless they are orthodox Jews whose lifestyle is defined by religion – then you have a problem.
Me, I’m an atheist but I’m a Jew because my parents and their parents were Jews. The world will always define me as different because the world is nuts. Why the world is nuts about Jews, I don’t know. I’ve been reading about it but I’m not a historian. I don’t need to be a historian to know that most of the world hates Jews.
That’s their problem, though, I’m not going to boycott Galliano because he’s antisemitic. I love his designs and I don’t care about his personal problems. Hating Jews is like hating blacks but more insidious: It’s just ignorance and the need to feel superior. It’s stupid, but evidently we can’t cure stupidity.
Last night I watched a great movie called “The Believer” which caused such an uproar when it was previewed to Jewish leaders that it was released under the radar and disappeared quickly. It’s the true story of a self-hating Jewish student in New York who becomes a neo-Nazi.
Ryan Gosling is the anti-hero. His speech to a group of would-be fascists is so maniacal that it has stayed with me over the years. Each time I see the movie and hear the speech, I laugh out loud at its audacity and absurdity – and because its true. Here it is, copied from the script:
DANNY
How many of you think of yourselves
as anti-Semites?
(All the hands go up.)
Good. Actually, the term is a bit
imprecise since technically Jews are
only one of the Semitic peoples....
In fact, Arabs are Semites, as are
the Eritreans, the Ethiopians, and so
on.... But for our purposes an anti-
Semite is someone who hates or is
against Jews.... Now, why do we hate
them?
He looks around. The room is silent.
DANNY
Let me put it another way. Do we hate
them because they push their way in
where they don't belong? Or because
they're clannish and keep to themselves?
Murmurs of "Yeah. Both." But some are confused by this.
DANNY
...Because they're tight with money,
or because they flash it around?
Because they're Bolsheviks or because
they're capitalists? Because they
have the highest IQs, or because they
have the most active sex lives?
The audience, confused...
DANNY
Do you want to know the real reason
we hate them?...
DANNY
...Because we hate them.
(as people exchange
puzzled looks)
Because they exist. Because it is an
axiom of civilization that just as
man longs for woman, loves his
children and fears death, he hates
the Jews.
(smiles)
There is no reason. If there were,
some smart-ass kike would give us an
argument, try to prove we were wrong.
And of course that would only make us
hate them more. In fact we have all
the reasons we need in three simple
letters: J-E-W. Jew. Say it a million
times. It is the only word that never
loses its meaning: Jew Jew Jew Jew
Jew Jew Jew Jew Jew Jew Jew Jew Jew....
Perhaps completely off topic… There are real life applications of race identification. I used to work in a medical facility. Our patients were often advised to browse the premises to kill time while they waited ages to see a doctor. When time arrived to wrangle in a particular patient who had wandered out of earshot we had to find them with our EYEBALLS. If said patient is the 1 black woman out of 10 people, I will direct my staff to find “The black woman.” Just the way we find “that hot guy” or “the blond lady.” I would just as readily refer to my own husband as Asian or my sister as redheaded. My point is that identifying someone by a defining characteristic does not make you racist. I would most certainly draw the line at referring to a patient as a “cholo.” I know SW’s use of that term wasn’t meant to be insensitive but there are slippery slopes everywhere and if you take the stance of zero tolerance than you’ll be expected to walk the walk. To my knowledge nary a one of ya’ll commenter’s said boo to the cholo post. And we won’t since we understand the seemingly harmless humor of it all.
Charlie Sheen doesn’t have the brain cells left to harbor hate towards anyone that hasn’t stolen his crystalline ambrosia or stuffed his Rolex up her cooch.
Galliano is far too “flamboyant” to be throwing real stones. Of course he knows Hitler would’ve charred his ass. John is a provocateur in fashion and apparently in casual conversation. A bunch of loud ass twits aiming their i-phones at my dinner plate would piss me off too. They wanted a show. His pilled out ass gave good show.
The ShoeGIrl – I know exactly what you’re saying. I think you should see the movie: Painful, but illuminating and in the end, worth thinking about these issues and how they affect us.
Tartantreacly -Oh my, jew sound a little agitated about this topic, and not in a good way.
Another old biddy – Yep.
danno – Chola isn’t derogatory in my part of the world. And my husband is Mexican American. There is no slippery slope between Chola and “beaner,” one is a style and the other is a racist epithet.
Your apology for Galliano is ridiculous, but I like how you call him “John.”
Oh, so he’s a provocateur now, and they were loud-ass twits. Reminds me of the reason why a big bulldog killed a little rabbit. It was rabbit’s fault, he twitched his nose at the bulldog JUST SO.
danno: I don’t agree with you at all about the Galliano thing but I do agree that using a physical attribute, sometimes this being race, to differentiate a person is not racist. If there is a room full of black people and there is one Asian dude, why would you not be able to say “I came with my friend there, the Asian guy”. It is more racist to think that this is racist IMO! My race is part of who I am and as long as it does not influence what people think of me or how they treat me relative to others, I am ok with being identified as Latina.
Also, candy, your stories made me so mad. I am so sorry you have had to deal with such horribly stupid people.
I love this bit of Chris Rock’s on patriotism and racism…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtIMT3PwpoA
I grew up in a racist family, so you’d think I could spot a racist coming from a mile away, but sometimes it still blind-sides me. Here’s an amazingly racist email I got from a guy who used to be in a club with me –
http://redstapler23.blogspot.com/2010/08/post-racial.html
Sister Wolf Says:
February 28th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Quoting Pulp Fiction here: ENGLISH, MOTHERFUCKER! DO YOU SPEAK IT?
^^^
HA HA HA! Perfect quote.
I’d still question the idea that anti-Semitism (which, technically, should include anti-Muslim prejudice but I’m using the traditional definition here) is somehow more insidious than other forms of prejudice, Sister- I’ve encountered plenty of people online who might never openly make a crack about Chinese people, Muslims or South Americans, but will still hold forth for days about the inferiority of ‘made in China’ labels, ‘terrorism’ and ‘drug mules’ and god knows what else. It’s not explicitly stated, but the prejudice is there, just coded a bit differently.
It’s one reason why I learned, when I was still very young, to avoid disclosing my nationality when I was online- people come out with the weirdest shit when you turn out to be something they don’t expect (the commonest ones: “but you don’t sound ______ at all!”/”I didn’t know ______ could be into D&D!”). It’s annoying to be treated like you are your race first, and that’s all there is to you.
danno: I agree it’s not racist to refer to someone as ‘the black guy’ if he happens to be the only black guy in the room and you don’t know his name, and I think most if not all of us who read the chola post understood that the term referred to a style. But it’s really stretching it to claim that John Galliano was playing provocateur and just said it to give those girls a good show. He was wrong, he got caught, let the law punish him. Being three sheets to the wind is not an excuse.
Layers&Swathes- I’d never have gone within a mile of a keffiyeh when they were a trend, but that was more because I was uncomfortable with the cultural appropriation involved- I’d no more wear them than I would a Tibetan Buddhist monk’s robes. They’re currently a bit of a trend with our local movie star population, most of whom would probably be unable to pick out Palestine, Israel, Jordan or any of the countries of the Middle East on a map.
A proud Jew – I will play the ignorant Jew know and tell you to take Galliano’s fashion sence and stick it up your ass! take as well your Nazi friend and fuck off to what self abscessed shit pit you crawled out of. I feel sorry for you, waking up every day looking at the mirror and who’s looking back, a sorry excuse for a human beening. Intact I lie I’m not sorry, so just fuck off, cunt!
Is this enough swearing for you!
Kind regard
Mike
What is Mike talking about??
Dru – I think I see what you’re saying. The examples you give all deal with stereotypes. But I don’t understand why you conceal your nationality. Maybe I’m just more confrontational. If someone has an “issue” with your nationality, fuck them! Smash their ignorant stereotypes!
I hope one day you decide to reveal yourself.
“And all racism is based on ignorance and stupidity”
Er, not so, actually. It can be based on very hard factual evidence, as any Palestinian, or, Israeli settler, will tell you. Similarly, for much of my early life I detested all things German. These days I have a deep antipathy towards the southern Irish, even the accent irritates me. Equally, there are some national/racial groups whom I instinctively like and admire and warm to, for example Jews and Americans. Are those feelings equally based on ignorance and stupidity? Well, possibly the first but not necessarily the second. However, the notion that we should all love one another all the time, well now, that really is stupider than the stupidest thing I ever heard!
And, ‘Sis’, take myadvice, toss Sartre in the waste bin, he’s rubbish!
Dru I don’t think it’s racist AT ALL to scoff at the idea that almost every product you pick up these days has the words “Made in China” stamped on it. If you care at all about the good of the working class Chinese citizen, you’ll realize this isn’t necessarily a good thing for anyone. Anytime one country holds that much power, they wipe out all the competition and can do literally whatever they like. I do dislike the idea that this one country which holds the labor force of the world happens to have has some of THE WORSE policies known to man in regards to workers. I dislike that you can’t have many products made in America these days and that formal industrial towns on the East Coast now look like ghost towns. But I blame America for that. The businesses wanted cheaper made products, the people wanted better prices, congress wanted to satisfy the business owners, people turn a blind idea to sweatshop abuse . . . that’s what happens. Congratulations, we’ve killed our labor own labor force and left a huge gap where there used to be jobs because of our own greed.
I also dislike never knowing whether that dress I’m wearing has been sewn together by the hands of children wearing clothespins on their eyes to stay awake. Whenever one country holds such a monopoly on the production of material items, it is never a good thing . . .
Sister- that’s precisely my point, stereotypes are now the most acceptable way of cloaking racist/prejudiced sentiments, and even the positive ones don’t do anyone any favours in the long run. It’s all singling people out for something they had no choice in, and it’s not worse for any one minority than it is for others.
As for the other thing, I’m just cagey (and I get tired of the whole “Wow, you’re from____, I love the food!/movies! blah blah blah” that inevitably results. Just cut the crap, I could do without it).
Aja- I’ve visitedsome factories in my day, and honestly I’ve been appalled (understatement of the century) at the conditions. But when I spoke to some of the girls working there, they said this was literally the only work there was for them- one who couldn’t have been more than fifteen actually told me it was either this or begging/streetwalking, for most of them.
That doesn’t excuse the rotten labour policies and nonexistent enforcement that puts these children in this position, but having seen what I have, I can’t in good faith say that shutting down the factories is always the best thing for the workers in them even if it does make us feel better. Better working conditions, yes, and I’d like a future where young children aren’t forced to go to work to support their families. But Chinese labourers take a lot of heat for the decisions of foreign businesses, and I don’t think that’s fair.
I totally agree with you Dru! I’ve never been to the factories, just heard about the horror. What would be great is it the US would crack down on the Chinese government and start putting pressure on them to improve conditions of factories (and if the US consumer started to give a shit and put pressure on their politicians). But I would still love to see some of that labor return to the US. When there are no jobs left on one side, but you know the person who holds the job on the other side is being totally mistreated, it’s still a lose lose situation.
SW, I’m so confused by Mike’s statement I don’t even know where to begin. I’m not sure if he’s talking to you or an imaginary person.
Cat, unfortunately I dealt with people like that a lot and apparently it’s not over yet! I thought by moving here I have dealt with racism but that is not the case. thank you for sharing your thoughts
Cricket9 and SW, I am NOT apologizing for Galliano. He is no threatening bulldog. He’s quite pathetic. (Isn’t Naomi Campbell his dear friend?)Dior is gonna lose a lot of money and Galliano will lose his position. I’m satisfied with that outcome. Maybe I’ve simply become desensitized and no longer feel outrage with every belligerent drunken slur I hear. What I see in this video is an addict with a mental condition. Just like Mel Gibson and probably Charlie Sheen. The racists I find threatening tend to keep their mouths shut. They do things like hire only white nannies and send their kids to private school even though they live in the best public school district in the city. They demand everyone to speak English and pale at the thought of a mixed race grandbaby. They have never and would never consider dating outside their race.
Question: If my Hispanic neighbor shows me a picture of her very “chola styled” granddaughter will she chuckle when I say, “Oh. She’s a pretty little chola, isn’t she?” Such an ugly topic, this racism. Let’s put a bird on it.
Breaking: apparently Dior has sacked John Galliano.
I know what insidious means. I think prejudice of any sort can qualify – even a person’s honest effort not to be racist is, in some way, racist. Anti-semitism might seem more insidious to you because of your pesonal experience, but I think it’s a mistake that it is therefore different from any other kind of racism or prejudice.
China has already made minor improvements in its labour laws (perhaps recognizing the growing importance of local markets) – but enforcement is shitty as hell. In any case, I wouldn’t count on reforms to come from bilateral pressure AT ALL. Much more likely to be influential are local governments, private firms, unions, and of course grassroots workers movements.
Sorry, off on a tangent.
@Sister Wolf: I feel your stance on this is basically Admiral Ackbar shouting “It’s a trap!”, only instead of the Death Star it’s anti-Semitism and instead of Imperial fleets waiting in ambush it’s coded anti-Semitism everywhere.
But then again, we all have issues near and dear to our hearts.
I agree with you tartandtreacly. Improvement yes, enforcement not so much. But I still think it’s important for some of that labor to come back to the US. Not just for our economy (though truthfully it would help), but also to let China know that it’s not okay to treat workers poorly and to give them a little bit of friendly competition. Whenever I see “Made in the USA” stamped on a product it influences my decision greatly.
Yeah, I saw Galliano’s firing coming from a mile away. Now let’s see what his next move will be. I think an apology is certainly in order. I hope he’s smart enough to do just that.
I agree with you there. I mean, look at what has happened to the Garment District.
Exactly. For years I’ve dabbled with the idea of wanting to design shoes. Finding a factory in the US is like looking for a needle in a haysack. So disappointing. If I ran a business I would want to provide jobs for people here. I think that’s a part of being a responsible citizen.
Aja, I agree wholeheartedly about American manufacturing. It is really sad and a big part of why we find ourselves in the economic mess we are in. Everything has been outsourced. I feel good about working for a company that manufactures right here. It’s not prejudiced or racist to know that quality is usually better here than it is when mass produced in China.
Regarding racism/prejudice it’s a sad fact of life. People judge others based upon their color, their religious beliefs, their clothing, their looks and it sucks. The best way to change this is to change the way you react to it. I come from a multi-cultural background and i get a lot of assumptions made about me in person and from just my name.
Regarding Galliano and others, I believe that it is like this, think what you like but he moment you start spewing out garbage at others you have a problem. I am thoroughly disappointed, my fashion fantasy of meeting him and going through the Dior archives has totally died. I feel bad for him that he would think that this behavior is okay. I also feel bad taht such a talented person would mess up an excellent career based upon ignorant behavior.
Layers&Swathes: the Palestinian Keffiyeh represents Palestinian nationhood. What about that bothers you?
Sister Wolf: What bothers me most when I read exactly what a lot of other people brought up. Why the need to distinguish different forms of racial or religious hatred?
I think this is what gets to a lot of people. As a non-jew, but a minority in the US, I can’t help wonder why these kinds of distinctions are made. Here’s how it looks to some of us. Jews are a relatively prosporous minority in the US (I know not the most prosperous.), and thus, have economic power. Jews have political power in the US. When a Jew walks into a store, usually no one can identify “AHA! JEW!” And the country that receives the most US foreign aid is the self declared “Jewish state.” And, going to back to political power, no US politician can be taken seriously if he suggests ending funding to Israel, while its perfectly acceptable to talk about making Muslims carry id cards, singling out Latinos for special attention when pulled over in a traffic stop and reducing funding for schools that will inevitably effect Black and Latino schools the most.
These kinds of things, and I could go on and on, make a lot of people (including me) wonder why anti-semitism is often considered a especially virulent form of racism when its effects seem to be minimal TODAY.
And just to be clear, I’m not discounting the past effects of racism or religiuos hatred against Jews. I’m simply offering some obvious thoughts on the question of ‘why.”
Danno – Last night, I asked my husband about Chola. He informed me that cholo and chola HAVE been used as derogatory so I have to admit I was wrong. I had no idea! To me, these terms were appreciative (white middel-class jew mindset). Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
tartandtracly – Are these Star Wars references? I didn’t see any Star Wars movies. I hear you saying: “Oh stop whinning about antisemitism, jew are making a mountain out of a molehill.
Erika – I hate the idea that everything I wear has been made in a sweat-shop by desperate women and children. But I don’t want to take away someone’s only source of income. Huge problem.
February – PERFECT! How dare those jews complain when they run everything! Tell it to Mel Gibson.
I think we need to distinguish Jews and zionists! those are not the same thing. Usually a zionist is not the kind to be a good person who pray at the sinagogue but the kind who has political powers and abuse them and is a satanist (which is a religion). That’s why we need to understand that the zionists are destroying the jews and creating more antisemitism pretending they are themselves jews (as race and religion) while they are not. Zionism is political.
How refreshing, Sister Wolf. You got my good. My post was all about a challenge to the Jews right to address real grievances. It wasn’t addressing your implied question of why and it didnt bring up valid points. Nice job.
However, since I’m apparently a hateful anti-semite, let me just push a little further. I guess the problem with racial and religious hatred is all about people not liking you, right? It has nothing to do with the inequalities of political and economic represenation. Thus, pointing out the obvious contradictions in claiming to be CURRENT victims of religious or racial hatred, while having a disproportionate degree of political and economic representation is simply nonsenese. I think I understand now. Thanks for all the insight you’ve brought to this topic.
February – I am not asking for, or defending, my right to address grievances. I’m just noting the phenomenon of worldwide antisemitism. The world hates Jews, it’s a given, and that’s what has been underscored this week.
Here is my personal theory (I’m pretty sure I’ve shared this before) The three most hated groups are, in this order: Jews, Gays, and Blacks. I wish I could be all three, thereby to be more of a thorn in the world’s side.
But listen, I am offended by all prejudice, and I mean all.
@candy: except that there are some who would argue that antisemitism is often disguised as or couched in anti-Zionism…
@Sister Wolf: Yes, Star Wars. I suppose it comes across as trivializing your outrage, but let me make it clear that I DO think Galliano’s remarks were obviously antisemitic hate speech. (And I like that Dior’s announcement of his firing was short and unequivocal.) But I DON’T see the issue with pointing out someone’s Jewishness if it is at all relevant or heck, even appreciative.
I think there are ways to be racist in mentioning race, and ways to be racist in NOT mentioning race (i.e. paleocons who pretend that racial discrimination has nothing to do with urban povery). It’s a fine line to negotiate.
@Aja: I imagine all those American companies that outsource/offshore do want to Stand For Something, but CSR often crumbles in the face of tempting profit margins and economies of scale. And of course that perpetuates a vicious cycle.
That’s why AA was so revolutionary (in its own skeezy, mismanaged way…) Because it gave a big EFF YOU to the dominant supply chain model by using its own factory.
I am not asking for, or defending, my right to address grievances. I’m just noting the phenomenon of worldwide antisemitism. The world hates Jews, it’s a given, and that’s what has been underscored this week.
When I was young my dad used to always remind me that people secretly resented and hated the Chinese and feared the onslaught of a Yellow Peril. His aggrieved mindset was formed by unpleasant past experiences, but it wasn’t a healthy way to think and live.
Tartandtreacly – It’s all in my mind? Hahahahahahahahahahaa!
I agree but usually those who use the word zionist know well (so I hope) that there is a big difference between an ideology and a race. The zionists hate jewish people! this sounds crazy but the jews are used by the zionists. People who condemn Israel, I hope they understand that the people of this country are not responsible because the zionists DO NOT want to do good for their people but for the power they seek in the NWO. Proof that zionism has nothing to do with jews are the rabbis who condemn it. For me that speaks words but there are people in the shadows who hate the jews and justify it with Israel and there are people who hate zionists and deep inside they hate the jews. This is wrong because there are jews who know the difference. The rabbis againts zionism are an example. Zionism is a system not a race.
“Here is my personal theory (I’m pretty sure I’ve shared this before) The three most hated groups are, in this order: Jews, Gays, and Blacks. I wish I could be all three, thereby to be more of a thorn in the world’s side.”
My Dad and I were just discussing this last night.
Blacks are perceived to be responsible for all the crime/drugs etc.
Gays-the dissolving of our moral fiber/family.
Jews????
I still dont get it.
I know I am looking for logic where there is none.
I love these discussions because I find my upbringing really wasn’t much different from a lot of other people’s. My mother told me at a young age, that most people would always think they were better than I because I am black and although this is not true, I should expect it and not be surprised. Now that is complex giving material right there. But I can’t blame her. It was what she was told and so on. Vicious cycle. And yes, I agree with Tarandtreacly. It’s not a healthy way to think or live. It doesn’t help anything or make you feel better.
Funnily, I had just rented The Believer a week ago for the first time and had discussed with a friend of mine how I thought some of that intense anti-Semitism was a thing of the past (i.e. when my mom went to college, her roommate asked where her “horns” were; when I went to the same place many years later, I heard maybe three peeps of small-scale nastiness over my entire four years). I think I have the privileged opinion of someone who has grown up with Miami residents and New Yorkers as friends. Though I’m atheist, I still consider myself a secular Jew, so The Believer was of particular interest…I thought the rhetoric was much better than the flimsy plot, but the rhetoric and Gosling were worth the view. If you haven’t read the short story “Conversion of the Jews” by Roth, you should. It has a lot of the same rage and questioning as Gosling’s character, channeled perfectly through Roth’s prose.
As per Mr. Galliano, I feel very little except that he probably shouldn’t shit where he eats–having Natalie Portman as the face of Dior perfume, inviting Tavi to front row, a blogger who had frequently discussed her Bat Mitzvah, and then thinking he woudn’t feel repercussions? Silly. I don’t see any difference between someone who has those thoughts and stays quiet versus someone who articulates them. It’s a difficult thing…in a perfect world, I would never hear non-artistic statements from artists/writers etc. because most of them are pure terror, but as a student of poetry I’m not going to not read Ezra Pound because he was racist. Certainly I can note that he is someone whose character pains me, but ignoring him or his work does not make the sentiment go away…I’d rather confront it head-on. It’s easier with Galliano…he put cellophane on models heads. I’ve always found it interesting that some of the ugliest people make some of the most beautiful contributions to the arts…as if the humanity they have is cloistered into those moments when they are creating, and then obliterated when they are in society.
Kellie, Can you add Arabs please?
I think since 9-11 arab hatred went to the roof. Although I am not an arab, I have been mistaken for one and know how it feels.
@Aja one of my teacher in Europe suggested me to change name and go blonde. I have dark hair and eyebrows. She said that we will have to fight twice as hard. She was right on the fight argument!
Years after that, one of my teacher went to see another teacher in another University to ask if our evaluations could be checked to see if they could accept us for the master year for next year, as we were in a special section (new degree). He said “they all have the same profile all from North Africa!” the teacher repeated that to my French friend who told me. We were a small class, around 8. 4 from North Africa, 2 blacks, one french.
this happened along time ago.
I ended up having him as a teacher at the University and he was indeed racist.
Sister Wof- your last comment unscrores my point. This idea that there’s a “phenomenon of worldwide antisemitism” – one that brings Jews to the type of your victim’s of racism heirarchy is absurd. I would agree if it were 1936, but in 2011, the fact that you point to a TV star and a fashion designer as the sources of this ‘insidious’ racism shows just how absurd it is. RACISM AND RELIGIOUS HATRED ARE HARMFUL PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RAMIFICATIONS OF THE BELIEFS.
As a minority, I couldn’t care less if someone likes me or doesn’t like me. What concerns me is being economically and/or politically disadvantaged. Jews, specifically in the US, are not economically or politically disadvantaged. In fact, they have a very high representation in both area given the percentage of the population thats Jewish. And stating this is neither “anti-semitic” or an attempt to invalidate the rights of Jews to complain about anything they want to complain about. Its fact. Fact that calls into question this idea that Jews TODAY are victims of some sort of racism that needs to be called out for its especially insidious or invidious.
Perhaps Jews, having SUCCESSFULLY asserted their rights as human being to ecomonic and political rights, should stop insisting on a special catagory for Jewish victimization, and instead, use their power, knowledge and experiences to JOIN current victims of racial and religious hatred in ending ALL racial and religious hatred.
That’s all I have to say.
People do not hate you because you are Jewish. They hate you because you have no heart.
some interesting points raised on all this… I knew I could count on your blog to have some food for thought.
I agree with Aja – time and experience has much mellowed my own response to racism. Having grown up an indian muslim in a predominantly white neighbourhood in a small town, once voted the most racist town in the UK, i’ve seen and heard it all, and learnt to take it as it comes, ie not v important. yes i am a ‘raghead’ – erm, what is the big deal? get over it. etc. I agree- it’s not a particularly healthy way to live – to hang on to your victimhood as a security blanket – I see enough of it in my own community and it pisses me off.
There’s no point in engaging with idiots, whether their idiocy comes out in a drunken friday night barrage, or in the smoothest intellectual lingo. while some of the more vicious extremes make me very sad that such hatred exists in some of my neighbours (a pigshead and blood nailed on a mosque door in recent days) I get a little tired of the vertigo from our own pedestals. Everything is politically charged with potential offence, well over and beyond the point of absurdity – from a sikh child wearing a bangle to a woman’s (crucifix) pendant. Good god, it’s ridiculous. Galliano’s actions were stupid, and Dior’s steps are inevitable – they are a business after all, and this is a big blotch on their brand – but I too echo February’s questions about why different forms of hatred should somehow be put in a heirarchy. when other (not anti-semetic) cultural stereotypes and prejudices are voiced, there is barely a sniffle, if that. The inherent racism and size prejudice in the fashion industry is well known, but it’s somehow brushed under the dust. Muslim id cards, gypsies being kicked out, working class kids being tarred with the brush of hooligan thugs… it goes on, with barely a blink. Anti-semitism is worldwide, but so is a lot of other hate.
I disagree that anti-semitism is ‘more’ insiduous – all hatred has its stumbling ogres, and silk-tongued serpents too. I work in a fairly highbrow environment in the arts, and oh, it’s quite hilarious catching the mildly raised eyebrows from the moment I walk in the room to the sneaky little innuendos that litter our conversations. In fact it’s weirdly amusing to get into convoluted conversations with older white men and women (usually upper class but not always) who have unapologetically racist views about me, because they at least have the nerve to be upfront about their dislike of me. it’s more disturbing and painful when I meet other folk who try to cloak their repugnance of my colour/faith/gender in patronising, pseudo intellectual waffle, ‘oh, I’m not racist, but…’
WTF Klara? We are having a rather meaningful discussion here, so eff off. You have no brain.
It seems useless to defend a group, the Jews for example, by saying they’re “just as good as anybody else.”
Graucho Marx was smarter. He said, “Well, there are a lot of Jews I can’t stand, either.
But Mark Twain said it best: “The worst possible thing you can say about the Jews is that they are human beings.”
Racism is lazy thinking. But it’s a form of convenient thinking that I’m guilty of myself. “Republicans are all heartless, selfish, greedy racists.”
This is clearly not true. I’ve heard that there are one or who who aren’t.
I think Klara doesn’t understand grief. Grief takes years.
Lenny Bruce said he felt sorry for the Filipinos.
“There are no ethnic slurs about them. They’ve been left out and ignored.”
And so he said he’s tried to start the rumor that all Filipinos come quick and giggle.
Bravo, Dexter. Thanks for putting together a trifecta of quotes that puts all of this in its proper perspective.
what do you think about people who say that “you have a strong accent!” is it racist? I want to ask because I don’t know. I had a discussion with my husband about this and for me this refers to the origin of the person, so is it racist or just a constatation with no harm done? this is employment related, remark was done by the employer.
** “Klara” is a “person” who keeps commenting stuff like “Why don’t you kill yourself, Sister Wolf?” Same IP as someone who has commented here as “Hitler’s mom.”
candy – I hope you’re not referring to me when you throw in “grief.” This is not a post about grief.