# Explicitly saying the Jews are vermin earns a note and not a Warning. WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 13, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028 "2014-04-13T18:28:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/61 "2014-04-14T10:37:35Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Matter is under discussion. We’ll get back to you. Sounds vaguely rabbinical . . .😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/62 "2014-04-14T11:14:53Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Matter is under discussion. We’ll get back to you. > [@kayaker](#): > > Sounds vaguely rabbinical . . .😃 One hopes before the Messiah comes. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/63 "2014-04-14T11:15:19Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Again, I’m sorry. It was a tasteless joke. I read the thread title and and thought “man, this is just begging for a throwaway one-liner gag”. I figured that I wasn’t the only one who thought that. I probably should have known better, but this is the kind of throwaway gag my friends here in Munich (my friends who are _not_ racist, anti-Semitic or the like) are liable to throw out there when we’re sitting around shooting the shit. Anti-Semitic humor is actually rather common here in casual settings - not because Germans hate Jews, but because it’s so clear that any _real_ anti-Semitism will lead to society telling you “go fuck yourself, we don’t want your kind” in no uncertain terms that nobody feels particularly bad about it. It’s like joking about gay stereotypes in your local GSA meeting. Which I think is a healthy attitude. There’s nothing wrong with some throwaway racist jokes so long as the actual racism doesn’t rear its ugly head and everyone understands that it’s, well, a throwaway racist joke. > > I apologize for offending some sensibilities, and I realize that the language of that particular joke pushed it a little further into “malicious” territory than is generally welcome on this board. > > (On a side note: this wasn’t me trolling. I was looking for a reaction, but that reaction was “Haha, funny joke” not “OMG YOU RACIST JERK GDIAF”. The latter is trolling; the former is telling a joke.) I get the context - Germans joking about the current state of Germany’s speech laws - but if the actual joke is indistinguishable from genuine anti-semitism, then really, you need to work on it some more. For further study, here’s [Eric Idle, telling an actual funny joke about Germans, Graham Chapman, and the Holocaust.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VH4c0-p-CY) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/64 "2014-04-14T12:49:49Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > … this is the kind of throwaway gag my friends here in Munich (my friends who are _not_ racist, anti-Semitic or the like) are liable to throw out there when we’re sitting around shooting the shit… How can you possibly think that posting something publicly to a group of strangers is like saying something in private to people you know? Sorry, that doesn’t really pass the sniff test. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/65 "2014-04-14T13:04:06Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > How can you possibly think that posting something publicly to a group of strangers is like saying something in private to people you know? Sorry, that doesn’t really pass the sniff test. Seriously: stop making me defend **Budget Player Cadet**. The guy’s explained the context. He’s apologized for the lapse in judgement and laid out his wrong-but-at-least-understandable thought process. This is one of those things that if you had ninety more seconds to think about it, you probably would decide not to press ‘submit.’ But it’s not the product of any evil intent or latent anti-Semitism. It’s simply a sophomoric attempt at humor that fell flat. it happens. It’s not anything beyond a mistake and an attempt to get a laugh that wasn’t analyzed carefully before it was sent. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/66 "2014-04-14T13:19:11Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > How can you possibly think that posting something publicly to a group of strangers is like saying something in private to people you know? Sorry, that doesn’t really pass the sniff test. Huh? Man, I’d make jokes here that I wouldn’t even make in front of anyone but my wife. _Because_ you’re a bunch of strangers. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/67 "2014-04-14T13:42:13Z")
Sure, but your wife has you on **Ignore**. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/68 "2014-04-14T13:46:11Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Huh? Man, I’d make jokes here that I wouldn’t even make in front of anyone but my wife. _Because_ you’re a bunch of strangers. Strangely, though, you don’t. Not to the point of being offensive and receiving warnings anyway. See the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/69 "2014-04-14T13:53:08Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Seriously: stop making me defend **Budget Player Cadet**. > > The guy’s explained the context. He’s apologized for the lapse in judgement and laid out his wrong-but-at-least-understandable thought process. This is one of those things that if you had ninety more seconds to think about it, you probably would decide not to press ‘submit.’ > > But it’s not the product of any evil intent or latent anti-Semitism. It’s simply a sophomoric attempt at humor that fell flat. it happens. It’s not anything beyond a mistake and an attempt to get a laugh that wasn’t analyzed carefully before it was sent. Maybe. Or maybe he making excuses to keep from getting banned. I don’t know what was in his heart nor do you, so stop pretending you do. If this was his first transgression I’d be more inclined to believe him but considering he’s has several warnings and a suspension, this seems like more of the same. As has been pointed out, these types of “jokes” have resulted in warnings in the past for other posters. And finally, since when on these boards has “it was a joke” been an excuse for being a jerk? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/70 "2014-04-14T15:14:22Z")
> [@choie](#): > > No, it is not “pretty far from the former.” As far as vicious, hateful and destructive speech goes, “Jews = Vermin” is right up there with “niggers” if you know anything about history. Equating Jewish people with vermin is precisely the filthy slur used to explain why it was necessary to exterminate them. It’s _still_ used in certain unsavory circles. No, no it isn’t. Nor is denying people the right to marry equivalent to the civil rights struggle. Nor is a host of false equivalences. That doesn’t mean it and other slurs/actions cannot be objectionable, but it’s a full-stop false equivalence to say that calling Jews ‘vermin’ is tantamount to calling black people ‘niggers’. I’m sure they are to you _personally_, but not on a large scale and not worth a warning and implicit calling for a banning. That you went out in the field to describe the difference between BPC and a ‘real’ comedian or something line that and how it my have been acceptable if it were told in the Borcht Belt under a pale moon at the moment of Aquarious’ ascendency brings out the taking-it-way-too-personally in bold relief. If you’re ‘celebrating’ Passover today, you should hope Elija’ll stops by here first; he’ll be much more laid back and fun to hang with after he leaves our annual bash. We’re not so quick to take offence. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/71 "2014-04-14T16:58:06Z")
I’m going to give BPC the benefit of the doubt with regards to his ‘joke’ in the thread based upon his statements in this thread. That there was no racist or derogatory intent behind the ‘joke’. That being said - I would hope that BPC will take this lesson to heart and we don’t see a repeat performance from him in the future. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/72 "2014-04-14T18:21:11Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > He’s made it pretty clear it’s a joke. I don’t think it’s a big deal. I got a Warning from Chance for a obvious joke, and one that isn’t edgy like this one. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/73 "2014-04-14T18:30:16Z")
> [@simster](#): > > I’m going to give BPC the benefit of the doubt with regards to his ‘joke’ in the thread based upon his statements in this thread. That there was no racist or derogatory intent behind the ‘joke’. > > That being said - I would hope that BPC will take this lesson to heart and we don’t see a repeat performance from him in the future. He’ll probably not make another joke based on an anti-semitic crack, but, having read some of the threads of his that have been linked to in his latest [furor](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furor)\*, I’m sure that, considering his history, he’ll certainly manage to outrage us all again. Probably due to his sticking his petzele into yet another age inappropriate female. Unless he’s banned. \*pun not _necessarily_ intended, but on the other hand, IMO, it’s one of those rare times when it could be appropriate. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/74 "2014-04-14T18:59:58Z")
“Age Inappropriate” meaning in this case one who is 2 years younger than me. That is literally as far down as I have ever gone. The confusion over it being 4 years / her being 14/15 came from something her mother said which I misunderstood. Why do I still have to correct people on this? Oh right, it’s because various posters keep dredging up the same misinformation about me. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/75 "2014-04-14T19:09:03Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > Ha HA Ha, that’s a real gasser! In the context of Holocaust humor and exterminating Jews as vermin … maybe this should have an “edgier than …” added in too? Seriously, was that intended or unintentional? A meta comment? I get confused. But if intended that one works! ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/76 "2014-04-14T19:09:07Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > \*pun not _necessarily_ intended, but on the other hand, IMO, it’s one of those rare times when it could be appropriate. 🆒 edgierthanbismuth? ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/77 "2014-04-15T02:59:57Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > My parents and grandparents are Jewish. I was learning for a Bar Mitzvah before my 10-year-old self got impudent and decided I couldn’t be bothered to learn the language. Why not just say you’re Jewish, because unless you’ve converted to another religion it seems that you are? Is there a particular reason you phrased it like that? ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/78 "2014-04-15T03:24:16Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Why not just say you’re Jewish, because unless you’ve converted to another religion it seems that you are? > > Is there a particular reason you phrased it like that? I presume because he’s an atheist. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/79 "2014-04-15T03:51:07Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > “Age Inappropriate” meaning in this case one who is 2 years younger than me. That is literally as far down as I have ever gone. The confusion over it being 4 years / her being 14/15 came from something her mother said which I misunderstood. Why do I still have to correct people on this? Oh right, it’s because various posters keep dredging up the same misinformation about me. Um, many people would consider a sexual relationship between an 18 year old boy and a 48 year old woman as “Age Inappropriate”. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028/80 "2014-04-15T04:12:09Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > I presume because he’s an atheist. So? Not believing in God doesn’t stop one from being a Jew. It it did SDMB’s Jewish population would shrink pretty dramatically. Anyway, if he doesn’t identify as a Jew that’s fine, I’m just wondering why he worded the statement like that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explicitly-saying-the-jews-are-vermin-earns-a-note-and-not-a-warning-wtf/686028.md?page=5)