On An Ethnic Slur

I was happy, though, that (4.00 / 6)

they didn't say I had a big nose.  Not yet.

Thanks for reading.

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by: davidseth @ Mon Oct 19, 2009 at 21:53:40 PM UTC

Thank you for writing, david. (4.00 / 2)

When all is said and done, what really matters is whether or not you are happy.

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by: Robyn @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 01:46:37 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'd not be surprised if they told you ... (0.00 / 0)

... they wanted to, but the publisher Jewed them down.

Obscured by the stupidity of the "someone says" is the fact that the argument is patent nonsense - earmarks cost fractions of pennies of the federal dollar, while bills normally cost substantially more, because there has to be enough in the bill to garner enough support to make it possible to logroll with something else.

"Watch the pennies and the dollars takes care of themselves" doesn't cut it if you are watching the pennies but spending $10 bills like they are going out of style. And that is what the Republican philosophy of "Defense Spending Doesn't Count" amounts to.


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by: BruceMcF @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 16:39:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Goodness. (4.00 / 1)

That expression, the one about "jewing somebody down," is something I really, intensely dislike. It amazes me that people actually say it to me in what I think is going to be "polite conversation."  Why not, I wonder, just call me the K word and be done with it....

Visit The Dream Antilles, a Lit Blog.

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by: davidseth @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 19:23:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I first heard it in the early 90's in ... (4.00 / 1)

... grad school, from a fellow grad student from Denton TX. Growing up in rural central Ohio to a Ohio Board of Regents public university with a normal share of Jewish students, and then to teach in Grenada where all of the shopkeeper-class stereotypes are allocated to the Lebanese ...

... I was like, "wadidyusay?"

AFAIR, he had to explain it to me, "You know, on price - don't jew me down on price."

It was delivered with that blithe front, the "now don't you dare take offense at me being folksy, here" attitude used to excuse ethnic and racist slurs of every make and model.

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by: BruceMcF @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 19:57:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

And I acknowledge its harsh presuming they'd talk that ... (0.00 / 0)

... way "without proof", but I really don't think Messrs Merwin and Ulwin have left any doubt that they are at least that prejudiced.

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by: BruceMcF @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 23:19:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

thought you might (0.00 / 0)

be interested in this article

Stereotypes: 'Issue not political, it's human'

"We gotta be careful about stereotypes, putting people into any kind of category that makes them feel uncomfortable. Even if a person doesn't mean anything negative about it, you still have to be very careful about how your words are perceived by those that are being discussed," said Epstein, noting that a better understanding of Jewish history and culture is perhaps needed.

"It's very important to be aware of what are the sensitive issues that people face. The issue is not political. It's a human issue, one that will hopefully lead to understanding of various ethnic and religious groups, what their story and historical experiences are and what the hot button issues are that can lead to prejudice and misunderstanding," Epstein said.

Epstein said stereotyping is a "dangerous" practice that affects not just the Jewish community but all races in a negative way.

(my bolding)

come firefly-dreaming with me..&..do no harm

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by: RiaD @ Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 20:05:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

"Ching chong Chinaman, sitting on a fence, (4.00 / 1)

… trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents."

("Nursery rhyme" common when I was a kid.)

Hateful populist sentiment is often not only anti-Semitic but also anti-Sinitic.

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by: lotlizard @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 18:27:47 PM UTC

repub. chairmen apologize (4.00 / 1)

http://www.thestate.com/politi...

A Jewish state senator Monday said he is incensed by the reference.

"The words of these key Republican leaders are disgusting, unconscionable and represent prejudice in its purest form," wrote State Sen. Joel Lourie in a prepared statement late Monday.

Lourie, a Richland County Democrat and one of two Jewish members of the S.C. Legislature, called on both U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint and S.C. GOP chairwoman Karen Floyd to denounce the comments and remove the two men from their posts.

Floyd denounced the comments but refused to remove Ulmer and Merwin. DeMint has yet to comment on the matter.

"It was an offensive and inappropriate comment that Jim and Edwin have rightly apologized for. These kinds of stereotypes are absolutely unacceptable" Floyd said in a statement Tuesday morning. "It goes without saying that some people will continue trying to exploit this mistake for political gain, but as far as we're concerned, their apology ends the matter."

demint responds
http://www.thetandd.com/articl...

Responding to the comments by Ulmer and Merwin, Sen. Jim DeMint told CNN:

"I just read the op-ed last night and the comments were thoughtless and hurtful. The chairmen have apologized as they should have."

too little, too late, imo.

come firefly-dreaming with me..&..do no harm

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by: RiaD @ Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 23:17:08 PM UTC