Landlords!??
Sat, 01/01/2011 - 11:28am
An email I received yesterday from an acquaintance promoting an upcoming show included a baldly antisemitic statement. I'm including the passage in context below, but it's the last two sentences that are particularly relevant--and offensive. The person who wrote this is a known goofball--and if you think about it, what he wrote is basically idiotic--but I don't think that excuses anything. This is not the first incidence of this sort of prejudice I've encountered from friends on the scene. I think it's important to call attention to these sorts of things. I've written something longer about it here:
http://sidewalkatsidewalk.blogspot.com/2010/12/landlords.html
Herb
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I hope you've been enjoying the snow. It was awesome at first. Our blizzard tradition here has been to go to Shake Shack, steel some metal treys, and go sledding in the park. Walking around South Williamsburg, I loved seeing all the abandoned city busses and taxis. One thing I've long enjoyed about cold and stormy wether is the fact that rich and poor alike have to deal with it. No matter where we are in life, we still have to face the cold. I've long found that grounding. If you are rich, your streets will get plowed sooner, but that aside. Mayor Bloomberg at first blamed the citizens for abandoning their cars blocking plows to get through. But in fact many of the abandoned cars were city vehicles, namely the busses. I much enjoyed walking through the Chasidic part of Williamsburg, and watching those guys, Landlords as I call them, deal with snow. I am convinced that this storm was sent from God just to smite them, and that's one of the reason this storm fell on Christmas.
Mon, 01/03/2011 - 12:22pm
#2
Context?
I'm interested in knowing what context this was said in? It sounds just like a joke in bad taste. Was it supposed to be sarcastic? I understand your apprehension in speaking about it's specific source but I think it might be relevant if this person wishes to defend him or herself?
Mon, 01/03/2011 - 3:11pm
#3
My Take
The guy has an awesome sense of humor, is a genius, and had a great show last night.
I think he was just word associating and plunked it out.
That doesn't excuse the stereotyping.
I know this guy kind-of well and I am guessing he is like me, on a voyage to let go of all preconceived ideas and predjudices/racism and maybe just isn't done yet.
It still is weird, but I have done the same thing so I can't condemn him.
Mon, 01/03/2011 - 4:30pm
#4
the landlord can eat a ham
Thinking about Barry and MMM's posts, context really is everything. I'm not saying you should throw the person's name out there, Herb, but I can think of several people around the city who had shows last night and that comment could have been taken a variety of different ways, depending on who said it and what I know about them. As long as you spoke up to the person, that's really the most important thing.
Mon, 01/03/2011 - 7:43pm
#5
Context?
I can't imagine any context in which lumping together all Chasidic Jews as "Landlords" and saying that the storm was meant to smite them would be considered funny or acceptable. Sorry to be so humorless about this. There was in fact a time in recent history when Jews WERE smited. I hope you can understand my sensitivity about the issue. I find it hard to accept that someone's train of thought would go in that direction in the first place and that then they would be willing to write and send something like that, no matter what the context. People need to think about the things they say, realize their words have an impact, and take responsibility for them. And, by the way, I included such a lengthy paragraph from the email so that people could see exactly what the context was. Aside from information about the upcoming performance, the email included another jokey paragraph about the New Year and that was it.
I will do my best to let the person who wrote this know that a conversation about it is underway in case he would like to respond.
Herb
Mon, 01/03/2011 - 9:17pm
#6
-
I will do my best to let the person who wrote this know that a conversation about it is underway in case he would like to respond.
I did that 24 hours ago.
Tue, 01/04/2011 - 12:15am
#7
Sorry Herb.
Didn't mean to sound like I was defending this type of langue or to infer that you didn't have a right to be offended. I was just thinking about comedians like Mel Brooks or Woody Allen who are famous for making jokes about Jewish stereotypes etc....
Tue, 01/04/2011 - 7:06am
#8
Reply
Yeah, and I don't always like those jokes.
I've liked some Woody Allen stuff, but I have also found him pathetic and propogating falseness at times (like his whining about deers having diseases and liking the city etc.)
I have done it, for sure, but honestly there is room for zero stereotyping.
It's lazy and it's just innacurate.
We told "Pollack" jokes in my family when I was young and I am glad I woke to the absurdity and violence of that.
I am still waking up.
Fuck every comedian that falls back on that lame tactic to get a few chuckles (and a few dollars) from other predjudice people that'll laugh at it.
Wed, 01/05/2011 - 8:26pm
#9
to be continued?
There's lots more that can be said about all this, including the topic of racial humor, but I think we reached the point where actual face-to-face conversation would be necessary to get more into the complexities of the issues. If anyone's interested in doing so, I'm always willing to discuss this stuff. Anyway, I'm glad to have had a place to raise some of these issues. Thanks for following along.
Wed, 01/12/2011 - 3:19pm
#10
Late to the conversation
I think the "landlords" comment is funny if you live in the area in Brooklyn where I live.
I am a Jew.
I've had 3 landlords in the time I've been at this apartment, and it went from Hasid to Hasid to non-Hasidic Jew.
I don't think this person was saying that all Hasids are landlords, but I think, in the same way that you mostly know Hasids as photographers, a lot of folks know Hasids as... well...
Wed, 01/12/2011 - 3:24pm
#11
Smiting, however
That bit's not funny.
Actually, if God was trying to smite the Jews the storm would have fallen on a Saturday. God waited a day to make it easier on the chosen people.
Antisemitic comments and a failure to grasp even the most basic elements of the Jewish faith are a common coupling.