Calling a Bigot a Bigot
August 29, 2006
In July Laura asked, “Since when is White an Ethnicity?” I think Laura was tapping into something uglier than she realized. Now when you go and read her story, don’t believe that I think the census bureau is racist or that Laura was claiming that. But, she really was beginning the conversation of growing resurging problem in our society — acceptable bigotry and racism.
I’m not saying that bigotry and racism of any kind has ever gone away. I’m just not that blind. But — for decades it’s been unacceptable. Racism used to be just fine. Treating African-Americans as inferior wasn’t even seen as racist. It just was. Being anti-semitic was just fine for generations too.
The signs read, “No Blacks, No Jews, No Dogs.”
So now we start seeing all kinds of anti-semetic garbage in the press — and no one is screaming, “BIGOT! ANTI-SEMITE! RACIST!”
I would like you to replace the word Jew in the vitriolic garbage that Mel Gibson spewed recently with the racial epithet of your choice. Just imagine some lovely bit of racist spew about African Americans, Koreans, whatever — there’s lots of non-Aryans to choose from. Do you really think that people would have been okay with it? We’re not even allow to write the worst racial epithet used against African-Americans. We’re just allow to say, “the n-word.”
It’s okay to say it about Jews. They don’t really mind.
For example take this article which discusses the white power dabblings of Bill Frist’s son. Yes, the Senate Majority Leader. The worst thing is that they equate young master Frist “declaring membership in the “Jonathan Frist appreciation for ‘Waking up White People’ Group” on his Facebook page,” with another sentatorial child dancing on a table and locking lips with a chick.
Now there’s this clearly bigoted crew shopping their ideas around Washington and no one will call them bigots! Journalists will hint at it and even discuss how these two claim NOT to be anti-semetic. Now we say “Israel Lobby” when referring to Jews. Now we claim that the “Israel Lobby” is responsible for the Iraq War? Seriously? Not the President, Vice President, or Rumsfeld — but two Jews who worked at the Pentagon. Oh, but it’s not anti-semitism. Is Ted Kennedy anti-American because he is concerned with Ireland? Of course, the Kennedys may not be the best example, because despite flaming anti-Catholic bigotry for generations — Joe Kennedy was a flaming anti-semite and Hilter supporter. At least his kids seem to have learned how monumentally stupid that was and worked hard to end racism.
I think the problem is that Jews don’t have a good racial epithet. Racists usually stumble and out themselves by using a forbidden word. All they call Jews is Jews. Great — that’s the epithet?
Enough already. Call out bigotry. Don’t let it masquerade as “scholarship.” The Holocaust deniers have been trying that nonsense for years. Don’t let it hide behind anything.
Look — can you see the man behind the curtain? I can.
Technorati Tags: bigotry, racism, anti-semitism, israel lobby, bigots, racists, jews, jew, mel gibson
Comments»
I definitely see your points…I never thought about epithets that way or how bigotry against Jews is harder to identify.
The issues that continue to puzzle me, though, are the confusion of race/ethnicity/nationality and the over-emphasis of race in American society.
It’s idealistic, but I just wish people in this country could focus their considerable energy and resolve in a more positive direction - living together peacefully, not creating arbitrary divisions.