I don't GET anti-semitic remarks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I came from an Asian country and antisemitism is new to me. Can somebody explain to me the historical/cultural background of this? Is it because Jesus was killed by a Jew? Or because they have a somewhat "unique" culture (marriage system, Kosher, etc.)? How did it start? And why Jews but not other race/ethnicity (other than blacks)?

I don't know how anyone can believe a thing like that. Jesus was not killed by Jews; in fact, he was a Jew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only time I hear anti-semitic remarks is when it is someone famous making it and its front page news. I'm Catholic as well, but far from a catholic environment.
I heard "Jew me down" once as a child, and the person saying it didn't mean it deragatory - it was a term she grew up with. The person she said it to gave her a quick reprimand, and I've never heard her say it again.
There was a recent post where someone wrote 'jip' and got reprimanded. I grew up with that term and never knew it was deragatory, so I've probably used it as an adult without realizing the origin of the word and that it is offensive.

I'm struggling to understand your viewpoint. You feel that a remark like "Jew me down" is not derogatory as long as one "grows up with it" -- that any kind of racism that is learned at mother's knee, so to speak, should not be interpreted as hateful. Sorry, I don't get this. Do you feel that if I were to walk to you a call you a dirty Catholic, the sting would be lessened by an explanation that this is simply something I learned in the old neighborhood? I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from an Asian country and antisemitism is new to me. Can somebody explain to me the historical/cultural background of this? Is it because Jesus was killed by a Jew? Or because they have a somewhat "unique" culture (marriage system, Kosher, etc.)? How did it start? And why Jews but not other race/ethnicity (other than blacks)?

I don't know how anyone can believe a thing like that. Jesus was not killed by Jews; in fact, he was a Jew.

To answer "Why the Jews?" http://www.aish.com/sem/wtj/82875402.html

[Anonymous]

OP here. I really didn't mean to imply that anti-Semitic behavior/remarks do not exist, or that my life was so grand, etc. I think, like many of the PPs, that I was aware of it in a broader context growing up, but I certainly didn't encounter it in my life. To be clear, I had racists as family members (thankfully not immediate family members); they just directed their racism at African Americans. I certainly heard plenty of negative things about AAs growing up, in my family, at school, etc. so I wasn't completely sheltered. There were Jews in my neighborhood and school, just not a ton.

No, I've never heard the term, "Jew me down." The first time I ever heard the term "JAP" I was lying on the beach 3 of my closest college girlfriends. 2 of them were half Jewish. One of them said to the other, something to the effect of, "Oh Ally, you know her, she's super JAPY." The other friend said, "Nice. I really hate that term." Seriously, I thought it was a derogatory term for New Yorkers! I didn't figure out what it stood for until a few years later, when I read it in a book.

This is positive people!

[Anonymous]

Jews have been history's scapegoats. In Charlie Sheen's case, he can't accept responsibility for his own actions, so he is establishing his scapegoat. Jews have been scapegoated because they tend to deal in money, because historically, the were not allowed to own property. In most cases, they weren't allowed to own property as punishment for the mis-belief that if they didn't actually kill Jesus, that they turned him in to the Romans, who did kill him. Judaism also places an emphasis on education, which tends to lead to higher paying jobs in our society. Again, another reason Jews become the scapegoats of the less financially successful.

That being said, I am a Jew. I grew up in the mid-west where my brother and I were the only Jews in the elementary school. We went to a high school where there were a handful of Jews. My brother, who was at the top of his class, was targeted by one of the less successful kids because he was a "K".

We moved to MoCo when I was 16, where it seemed to be a non-issue. I ended up hearing anti-semitic comments about stingy and Jewish when I was in college, from another one of those unsuccessful kids.

I truly believe that stereotype perpetuate. If popular media allows Charlie Sheen to blame a "Jew" for his misfortune, then it becomes OK for some other downtrodded guy blame a Jew for his misfortune. As the ecomony contracts, and educated Jews keep their jobs, who is going to be blamed for the less educated guy who loses his? That's the story that Hitler engineered that led to the death of 6 million Jews.

And as for the LA type that suggested that Jews give Jews jobs in Hollywood, would you dare point out that White Christian Guy gave a job to a White Christian Guy in the automotive industry? Or that a Mormon lawyer hired a Mormon lawyer?

I don't think Jews do themselves any favors, when they themselves tell Jewish jokes. But then again, I don't think African Americans do themselves any favors using the "N" word in rap music, but then finding it unacceptable when someone not AA says it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And as for the LA type that suggested that Jews give Jews jobs in Hollywood, would you dare point out that White Christian Guy gave a job to a White Christian Guy in the automotive industry? Or that a Mormon lawyer hired a Mormon lawyer?

For the love of cheese, that is NOT what I said! I said TWICE that it was the perception, and that I didn't agree with it. I was making the exact. same. point. you're making. Reading, friend. It's fundamental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from an Asian country and antisemitism is new to me. Can somebody explain to me the historical/cultural background of this? Is it because Jesus was killed by a Jew? Or because they have a somewhat "unique" culture (marriage system, Kosher, etc.)? How did it start? And why Jews but not other race/ethnicity (other than blacks)?

I don't know how anyone can believe a thing like that. Jesus was not killed by Jews; in fact, he was a Jew.

He was betrayed by his fellow jews-the apostles and ultimately killed by pagans- Romans.

Can people from homogeneous cultures and ares please stop saying that these biases are "foreign" to them. The Asian culture is perhaps the most racist on earth, followed only by the German. The racism is so ingrained in you from birth many can barely recognize it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And as for the LA type that suggested that Jews give Jews jobs in Hollywood, would you dare point out that White Christian Guy gave a job to a White Christian Guy in the automotive industry? Or that a Mormon lawyer hired a Mormon lawyer?

For the love of cheese, that is NOT what I said! I said TWICE that it was the perception, and that I didn't agree with it. I was making the exact. same. point. you're making. Reading, friend. It's fundamental.

May I quote your "for the love of cheese" bit! Best thing I've read all day.

I was the LA type who first questioned you and appreciate that you're really just acquainting us with a gripe that's apparently out there without commenting on its validity.

[Anonymous]

Here another point of view on the Israeli policies and accusations of anti-Semetism:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4036889,00.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those interested in details of Assange's conspiracy theory:

Mr. Assange was quoted as saying the Jewish conspiracy was led by The Guardian and included the newspaper’s editor, Alan Rusbridger, and investigations editor, David Leigh, as well as John Kampfner, a prominent London journalist who recently reviewed two books about WikiLeaks for The Sunday Times of London.

When it was pointed out that Mr. Rusbridger was not Jewish, Mr. Assange countered that The Guardian’s editor was “sort of Jewish” because he and Mr. Leigh, who is Jewish, were brothers-in-law. Later, the article recounted, Mr. Assange asked to “forget the Jewish thing,” but he continued to insist there was a conspiracy against WikiLeaks based on the friendship among Mr. Rusbridger, Mr. Leigh and Mr. Kampfner.

(From MSNBC)

Oh my god, what a moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't GET anti-semitic remarks in the sense that I don't get why it matters. Why are the Jews a protected class? Have you heard of anyone in this generation being denied any public or merit-based benefit because of Jewishness? Nope. (Admission to country clubs and other private institutions is different. I know that happens, and I think it's evil.)

Where is the great hue and cry about all the redneck jokes? The irish jokes? The blond jokes? Calling women "witches"? There is none (or very little, readily dismissed), because being a redneck or being irish is no longer any kind of social detriment. None of these insults should hold any power whatsoever. It's anachronistic, akin to "your mother wears army boots". Deserves nothing more than "huh?"

Actually I complain about redneck jokes.

[Anonymous]

I'm half Jewish and I don't like for people to state negative things about any group as a whole. But, I do find it odd anytime anyone says anything vs. Jews or blacks -- everyone jumps all over it. But, when people degrade women in general -- no one gets in any trouble.

[Anonymous]

In my experience, it's been a generational thing. My mom complained about the "Jewish librarian's" design for the new library building in our home town. Don't know what being Jewish had to do with architectural choices. My mother-in-law's boyfriend basically said that the Jews had brought the Holocaust on themselves. We shut that down right away but then MIL and he went on to talk about several difficult Jews they knew as opposed to the one nice Jew they knew. Eeeeeesh!

I don't know any young or middle-aged people who talk that way but then again they may be thinking it, I don't know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came from an Asian country and antisemitism is new to me. Can somebody explain to me the historical/cultural background of this? Is it because Jesus was killed by a Jew? Or because they have a somewhat "unique" culture (marriage system, Kosher, etc.)? How did it start? And why Jews but not other race/ethnicity (other than blacks)?

I don't know how anyone can believe a thing like that. Jesus was not killed by Jews; in fact, he was a Jew.

He was betrayed by his fellow jews-the apostles and ultimately killed by pagans- Romans.

Can people from homogeneous cultures and ares please stop saying that these biases are "foreign" to them. The Asian culture is perhaps the most racist on earth, followed only by the German. The racism is so ingrained in you from birth many can barely recognize it.

I'm the Asian who wrote the above post. Antisemitism, not biases/prejudice/racism in general is foreign to me, simply because there were no Jews around to love or hate when I was growing up. I am very aware of the racism in the country where I'm from, and hope this will change as they learn more from how Americans try to tackle this issue.

[Anonymous]

The first time I heard someone say something, in person, that was blatantly anti-semetic was when I was almost thirty, and I was absolutely shocked! Although I am not Jewish, many of my relatives are (marriage/conversion), and I have always had many Jewish friends. I went to first and second grade in a Jewish school in New Orleans that often had bomb threats, but I had no idea that it had anything to do with religion. I agree with OP; I feel really lucky that I still really don't get it.