HEY JEWS

so this "That Jew!" thing with Chuck Schumer (which totally just makes me think of "That Girl!") reminded me of something I wanted to ask my fellow Jews... my wife (Hungarian, raised as a Catholic but now she's pretty much buddhist-pagan-whatever) was talking with me the other day about how, for the longest time, she thought it was derogatory to refer to Jewish people as "Jews". I said no, of course not, people who are Jewish are Jews. As a proper noun, there's nothing wrong with it. Used as a VERB ("he jewed me out of my college fund!") or an ADJECTIVE ("Jew lawyer") then that's anti-semitic, a slur, etc. But then there's this thing with Schumer.... I mean, obviously referring to him as "that Jew" is rude at best... but is it just the "that" in front of it that makes it so? I mean, Schumer IS a Jew, its not like he called him a kike or anything. Is this like when McCain referred to Obama as "that one"?

Hey Jews I wrote a little passover ditty, sung to the chorus of "Eye of the Tiger":

also just wanted to say A+ for this

http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/2/busey_clapping.gif

xp

yeah that song is even better in person

and yeah Shakey I think it's the that here that makes it so weird.

she thought it was derogatory to refer to Jewish people as "Jews".

lol, i was raised Catholic and I thought the same thing for awhile

so this "That Jew!" thing with Chuck Schumer (which totally just makes me think of "That Girl!") reminded me of something I wanted to ask my fellow Jews... my wife (Hungarian, raised as a Catholic but now she's pretty much buddhist-pagan-whatever) was talking with me the other day about how, for the longest time, she thought it was derogatory to refer to Jewish people as "Jews". I said no, of course not, people who are Jewish are Jews. As a proper noun, there's nothing wrong with it. Used as a VERB ("he jewed me out of my college fund!") or an ADJECTIVE ("Jew lawyer") then that's anti-semitic, a slur, etc. But then there's this thing with Schumer.... I mean, obviously referring to him as "that Jew" is rude at best... but is it just the "that" in front of it that makes it so? I mean, Schumer IS a Jew, its not like he called him a kike or anything. Is this like when McCain referred to Obama as "that one"?

― High in Openness (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, May 14, 2009 9:32 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

it's the "that" but also calling someone "a" jew seems like it has a bit of a pejorative connotation, just because it makes the jewishness the sole defining quality. like calling someone "a" black.

Yeah, the nasty part wasn't "Jew," it was "that." Like "that woman." Or when McCain called Obama "that guy."

I work with a girl who called South Williamsburg "the Jew section" and called Andy Samberg "the young Jew on SNL".

hmmm.... yeah I guess the pejorative thing is key here. This all came up because my wife was asking if one of our friends was Jewish and I think I said "oh yeah, he's a Jew" and she was all "how come you can say that and I can't?" and I said "what the hell are you talking about? He's Jewish! He's a Jew!" etc. you can guess the rest

x-post

as a response to "is he jewish" it's ok, but if you're like just generally calling him "a jew" it would be weird

like, "you know that jew i work with? he's really into lost."

b/c of the whole desert thing?

i think the main thing is that it just seems irrelevant to the context here?

lol bnw

^^^ditto

which is basically what slocki said. there's nothing inherently wrong with the phrase "a jew" or even "that jew", but it's reductive and weird in this context.

What about bringing back "Jewess"?

she thought it was derogatory to refer to Jewish people as "Jews".

Also see "Mexican".

what about the month of "Jew-n"

Jack: It's not because you're a... I'm sorry. What... do you call... yourself ?
Elisa: A Puerto Rican.
Jack: No, I know you can say that but what do I call you?
Elisa: Puerto Rican.
Jack: Wow. That does not sound right.

when i make hamantashen and give them to friends i sometimes refer to them as "jew treats", is that bad

I would make it clear tho that even if you can call someone Jewish or a Jew, I'd still stay away from calling them a kike.

^^^lolz yeah not really a lot of grey area there

sheeny mo collier

too bad cankles can't add to this discussion

My gf's mom was telling us about her hairdresser's trip to Moscow or whatever, and I was like, "Oh, is she Russian?" and my gf's mom said "Yes" and then, apropos of nothing, blurted out "She's also Jewish" -- which made it seem like it's all she can think about when she's getting her hair done and she just had to tell someone.

heheh

it's the "that" but also calling someone "a" jew seems like it has a bit of a pejorative connotation, just because it makes the jewishness the sole defining quality

the "that" doesn't actually do this - "jew" does alone - but it provides an assist to the othering

ya, that's why i said also - the that just emphasizes it.

I imagine some of this depends on tone/motivation. If you're a Jew, or a Jewophile, and you're like, "AND HE'S JEWISH," that might just mean that you love Jews and you love mentioning it. (My family does this all the time with celebrities. In fact, there are some celebrities that we can't mention in any context without also mentioning they're Jewish.)

see also canadian

i mean, i think all jews do that, but canadians do too, and when it's a canadian jew, you better watch out.

SHATNER!

trifecta for me - montreal jew

Gay Canadian Jew David Rakoff had a funny bit about this on This American Life years ago:
http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=793

all canadians know that episode

I would imagine.

weirdly enough, i am going to a book launch for a jewish montreal TAL contributor in an hour.

You can just say Jonathan Goldstein, it's OK.

jew.xls

Great article calling out N0rm4n P0dh0r3tz:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/books/review/Wieseltier-t.html?_r=2&ref=books&pagewanted=all

Shana Tova to the tribe!

haa great revive

my best friend just texted me this. Shana Tova. And the year we're living in.

I am going to services tonight and tomorrow. I am like the best not-Jew ever.

shana tova!

I ain't doin jackshit for Rosh Hashanah this year! well my wife might make some farfel and I will eat it but that's not really significant.

Podhoretz seems to be living the Vilna Gaon’s adage — maybe he can find it in some encyclopedia — that the best way for a man to preserve his purity is never to leave his house.

damn dude!

Shana Tova, dudes!

quincie why aren't you Jewish

tryin to find a shul in this town where you don't need season tickets