In a little bag around their necks, according to Cartman
April 16, 2007 9:33 PM   Subscribe

I didn't in any means want to infer or imply anything about Jews and finances and things. What I was referring to ladies and gentlemen is the accomplishments of the Jewish religion and the Jewish people. You have been outstanding business people.
"...Earning money. You know that's sort of part of the Jewish tradition."
posted by orthogonality (51 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: And this thin blip about a farkakte goy we should post why? -- cortex



 
IM N UR BASE OFFENDIN UR JOOZ
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 9:36 PM on April 16, 2007 [8 favorites]


If her were a Jew himself, he might have had a little trouble putting that foot in his mouth.


on account of the nose
posted by pmbuko at 9:40 PM on April 16, 2007 [1 favorite]


Link won't open...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:46 PM on April 16, 2007


More correctly, the tradition is for Jews to get into the kinds of businesses that the righteous pious Christians at the time felt were 'un-Christian' to do. Some (but certainly not all) of the businesses, like Banking and Show Biz, have turned out to be very very lucrative for some (but certainly not all) Jews who have gotten into them. As a result, many righteous pious Christians have arisen in righteous pious anger at the Jews from time to time. This has also applied at times to righteous pious Muslims. And you may also occasionally substitute "atheists" for "Jews". And that's life.
posted by wendell at 9:48 PM on April 16, 2007


Well, he *is* sorta true in that because of a confluence of factors, Jews in Europe were often merchants. No?

Although that doesn't excuse bandying about a stereotype like that.
posted by Firas at 9:48 PM on April 16, 2007


jinx
posted by Firas at 9:49 PM on April 16, 2007


who gives shit?
posted by BostonJake at 9:50 PM on April 16, 2007


Aha, it opened. Hmmm... I dunno, the guy's probably just a little dumb, based on his other comments about "Jewish bonds" and the "Jewish Defense League". Hey, he's a 'publican from Wisconsin, fer pete's sake. But a rabid anti-Semite who's statements are outrageous enough to justify an FPP? I'd say not.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:50 PM on April 16, 2007


"You're not like other white people, you're so well spoken and polite."
posted by yeloson at 9:52 PM on April 16, 2007 [5 favorites]


Awesome self-destruct impulse. Soon the Republicans are going to be actively recruiting our county alderman and small town mayors to run for president, desperately looking for someone who hasn't made and ass of himself on tape or been divorced too many times.
posted by tula at 9:53 PM on April 16, 2007


What's great about this is how he tries to backpedal but doesn't understand precisely what was wrong with what he said, so the foot sinks a little deeper into his throat.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:54 PM on April 16, 2007 [2 favorites]




Yeah, but they can't jump for shit.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:59 PM on April 16, 2007


Pope Guilty (apropos username), what would you have recommended saying? Pretty much any follow-up escalates the incident (but so does not following up.)
posted by Firas at 10:00 PM on April 16, 2007


flapjax at midnite writes "But a rabid anti-Semite who's statements are outrageous enough to justify an FPP? I'd say not."

What Pope Guilty said. It's just so hilariously maladroit, and relevatory of mindset I think, this "soft bigotry of high expectations".
posted by orthogonality at 10:01 PM on April 16, 2007 [1 favorite]


Also, Jews are the best boyfriends. But I can see why he didn't mention that.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:03 PM on April 16, 2007


"It's just so hilariously maladroit, and relevatory of mindset I think, this "soft bigotry of high expectations".

Well, I wouldn't disagree with that, orthogonality. I guess my point is that every time some knucklehead makes some asinine comment, is that FPP-worthy? The blue's gonna be full of that fast.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:05 PM on April 16, 2007


Speaking as a liberal Jewbag, is this FPP-worthy?
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 10:06 PM on April 16, 2007


I guess my point is that every time some knucklehead makes some asinine comment, is that FPP-worthy?

I certainly hope not, flapjax. However, when a presidential hopeful says something that probably cooks his candidacy to a tender, shrunken morsel, it's interesting.
posted by QuietDesperation at 10:09 PM on April 16, 2007


However, when a presidential hopeful says something that probably cooks his candidacy to a tender, shrunken morsel, it's interesting.

It wasn't before?
posted by Krrrlson at 10:13 PM on April 16, 2007


Do you suppose Governor Thompson affected a Yiddish accent to prove he was one with his audience? It worked so well for the Borscht Belt comedians.
posted by Cranberry at 10:26 PM on April 16, 2007


Hey, getting the Flordia jewish vote on-side helped Bush get elected.

Sorta. Kinda.
posted by Artw at 10:33 PM on April 16, 2007


I would have said something along the lines of "I'm sorry, that was terribly inappropriate of me and I sincerely apologise" or something along those lines.

Then again, I'm not a campaign manager.
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:41 PM on April 16, 2007


who gives shit?

Do not ask for whom the shit is giveth; It is giveth for thee.
posted by loquacious at 10:42 PM on April 16, 2007 [4 favorites]


And what this really reminds me of is George Allen's detractors discovering that he's part Jewish, and Allen getting angry at people calling him a Jew... because it doesn't occur to him until someone points it out that the rest of us aren't antisemitic.
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:42 PM on April 16, 2007


I would post, but I need to go to sleep...on my GIANT PILE OF MONEY.
posted by jewzilla at 11:02 PM on April 16, 2007 [10 favorites]


This post may attract some lively chat, but as a single-link snippet of newsfilter, I would prefer to see it loaded onto a cattle car & sent eastwards.
posted by UbuRoivas at 11:10 PM on April 16, 2007


If he gets nominated and picks the retired IL senator as his running mate, will their campaign slogan be "Shekel & Hyde"?
posted by rob511 at 11:11 PM on April 16, 2007


I don't hear this crap very much in the US anymore. But when I meet someone from Asia and tell them I'm Jewish, the instant reaction is either that Jews are very smart, Jews are very rich, or both. Of course, they're wrong about that. We're not all rich, and we're not all smart. But we all are fantastic lovers.
posted by 1adam12 at 11:13 PM on April 16, 2007 [1 favorite]


UbuRoivas, duuuude, that's a fairly potent shaker of ExtremeTasteless™ you've got on hand! :)
posted by Firas at 11:16 PM on April 16, 2007


as a single-link snippet of newsfilter, I would prefer to see it loaded onto a cattle car & sent eastwards

Where it could enjoy a little lebensraum with this deleted post from yesterday? I think they'd become friends!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 11:18 PM on April 16, 2007


that's a fairly potent shaker of ExtremeTasteless™ you've got on hand! :)

no, don't get me wrong: i'm allowed to say such things, becoz the soviets packed so many of us latvians off to siberia in cattle cars.
posted by UbuRoivas at 11:33 PM on April 16, 2007


Not really related and also a single newsfilter link but this (nytimes, reg. required) is an example of astounding insensitivity from a few days ago.
posted by rdr at 11:43 PM on April 16, 2007


I'm a little too tired at the moment to go into it at length, but there have been Jews with a history of commerce and banking, including Radhanites and Rothschilds. While it's true that not all Jews are rich or even care much about money, as it's true that not all African- Americans play basketball, why is it perfectly okay to say that a lot of pro basketball players are Black but horribly antisemitic to refer to some Jews' facility with finance? I know that stuff about the "Jewish" slave trade and the Elders of Zion is bullshit, that there's nothing wrong with Jewish capitalists that's not wrong with capitalists who are (say) Filipino Scientologists, but chances are if a smelly wino asks you for a quarter he's probably some kind of Gentile.

As for, say, referring to research supposedly showing Jews tend to have higher IQs, that's perfectly okay with the Jews I've known, including those who weren't all that smart themselves but were proud of belonging to a smart people. (Maybe like those SUV-driving Bush supporters who are still proud of American freedoms?) Since when is being smart (or perceived as smart) a BAD thing? How can you be prejudiced against smart people without thereby proclaiming you're an ignorant idiot? ("How unfair! He's not a moron like me!")

I never quite understood antisemitism (as opposed to anti-Judaism or anti-Zionism, which are antipathies toward ideologies not people), given that (as I said elsewhere) most of the Jews I've known were decent people (and of at least slightly above average intelligence). I can say too that I have always been biased in favor of Jewish women, and that my experience tells me that the "JAP" jokes (That I heard mostly from Jewish men) are bullshit too.

Anyway. Maybe I should have started this "essay" off by saying 'I'm a little too tired to issue intelligent discourse (but not tired enough to not babble inanely)', eh? If there really is sense up there I trust my fellow Mefites will find it.
posted by davy at 11:46 PM on April 16, 2007


I don't hear this crap very much in the US anymore.

You don't hear it as much anymore, but people certainly think it.

The best comment I ever got was from a townie in my college town who, on learning I was a Jew, said -- all seriousness -- "oh, you must have a lot of gold, huh?"

YES, AND I DRAIN THE BLOOD OF CHRISTIAN INFANTS FOR ARBITRAGE PURPOSES
posted by killdevil at 11:58 PM on April 16, 2007


the saddest thing is that he probably meant it as a compliment

and anyway, why the hell is a Republican wasting time with a constituency that, even after all the JESUS LUVS AMURICA & HE LUVS TEH IZRAEL evangelical Republican crap, still voted 85-15 for Kerry? Jewish voters and African American voters, as constituencies, are lost to the GOP, probably forever (plainly, victims of prejudice have an uncanny ability to figure out who their enemies are, no matter the occasional, self-serving sweet talk).

it's a bit like a Democrat Presidential hopeful -- maybe, even a non-white candidate -- campaigning in certain parts of the Confederacy South: essentially, a waste of time.
posted by matteo at 12:11 AM on April 17, 2007


It is perhaps a pickle (Kosher dill, natch) that this "Jews love money and are greedy" age old stereotype (warning: ridiculous Nazi shit) overlays coincidentally or otherwise with a very likely high-skewing income level for US Jews. I don't know from statistics, but half my friends are Jewish and none is from a background as poor as the other half. This observation, call it anti-semitic if you like, contributed to my curiosity about, love for and eventual infiltration of the culture. This awesome faith, and lox? Dayenu! I spread a sort of Jews-are-the-best-ever gospel around my gentile family et al, explaining hasidim and dietary laws to the curious people who still don't ask a real Jew, so whatever my hyperbole, it's a good thing, right? Shiksa power!

So what I mean is, if he did mean it as a compliment, I understand. But even if it were true, it's too evocative of the sort of targeting and blame that was used before and that we should remember to look out for.
p.s. I was also Yente in the play in high school.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:44 AM on April 17, 2007


Pity poor Tommy. He was just trying to butter them up so as to get invited to their secret lair at the center of the earth.

Really, though, what a bullshit "compliment" that was in the first place. I have such respect for you people...um...because you're rich. Looks like a long-shot campaign just got longer. If you can't even talk to Jews without tripping over your tongue, how the fuck are you supposed to talk to Iranians or North Koreans?

comedy assist there, for someone who wants to complete the goal
posted by felix betachat at 12:46 AM on April 17, 2007


Ugh, by "overlays coincidentally or otherwise" I so didn't mean that relative class placement of US Jews might have anything to do with the oldschool stereotype I mentioned. I was trying to convey that it might be a coincidence that Jews are on average wealthier, and it might be a valid and hard-earned cultural momentum.

God, is this like, a topic spoken in close range to one's foot or what?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:55 AM on April 17, 2007


I've been waiting for so long to vote for someone named Tommy and it slips away like so much gefilte.
posted by stavrogin at 1:07 AM on April 17, 2007


"Making money is part of the Jewish tradition"

Funny, but a girl in my law school was wearing a shirt the other day that would seem to confirm this: something to the effect that "my jewish mother gave me two choices in life: doctor or lawyer." I suppose it is more positive than a shirt saying "I'm a nappy-headed ho"!!

Of course, another guy had on a pseudo army shirt saying "be all jew can be." Listening to the TV talking heads, I'm sure middle america would be confounded as to whether they can make such a play on words with their jewish homies.

In defense of old white [protestant] guys who never really have been in touch with "others", I'm sure it can be baffling to know what is 'kosher' to say and what isn't.
posted by pwedza at 1:32 AM on April 17, 2007


why is it perfectly okay to say that a lot of pro basketball players are Black but horribly antisemitic to refer to some Jews' facility with finance?

You've never read Dickens I suppose.
posted by three blind mice at 1:33 AM on April 17, 2007


Ambrosia Voyeur: don't you mean G-d?

;]
posted by batmonkey at 2:03 AM on April 17, 2007


Ambrosia Voyeur writes "Also, Jews are the best boyfriends. But I can see why he didn't mention that."

Is it the hole in the sheet thing? Because I'm sure we gentiles could get behind that as well. You'd only have to ask.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 2:31 AM on April 17, 2007 [1 favorite]


✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡  Dayenu [דַּיֵּנוּ] ... NOT!
I'm a very good Jew, and I only made $32.17 from this FPP.
posted by pruner at 2:55 AM on April 17, 2007


damn... 2 of those stars were supposed to be yellow.
posted by pruner at 2:56 AM on April 17, 2007


That's probably one mistake Rudy and Hillary won't make. Everyone's McCaining!
posted by DenOfSizer at 3:43 AM on April 17, 2007



In defense of old white [protestant] guys who never really have been in touch with "others", I'm sure it can be baffling to know what is 'kosher' to say and what isn't.
posted by pwedza at 1:32 AM on April 17


that's a good point. the answer is, you will never be right, no matter what your intentions, if your talking to someone who's looking to exploit the cache of being an "offended religious minority". and unfortunatly the smaller the religion and the more tenuous the connection to actual worship, the greater the need to use controversy to stay in the public conciousness.
posted by mikoroshi at 3:51 AM on April 17, 2007


Thompson is just a buffoon.
posted by caddis at 4:08 AM on April 17, 2007


How many jews do I need to know before I can stereotype them? I know a lot of jews.
posted by toothgnip at 5:22 AM on April 17, 2007


How many jews do I need to know before I can stereotype them?

Or, how many do you have to know before you start capitalizing the J?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:35 AM on April 17, 2007


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