Those were definitely rhetorical questions, but you got the point. What most people would view as “positive” stereotypes are, IMO, just as harmful. I can’t say what would be offensive to someone else, or what should be. The continuing of “positive” stereotypes follows the same faulty thinking that continues “negative” stereotypes.
Hey, Sammy Davis is a credit to BOTH Jews and blacks. He’s the “Stereotyper’s Friend”.
I dunno…WB’s post was one of those “Thanks, but…” ones. I don’t think it was intended to be hostile, but it still was kind of unusual.
And if I may draw a simple example from the wonderful book Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz.
While wandering around the south trying to connect with the leftover hard feelings from the Civil War he has dinner with a man. This man tells him that it’s the responsibility of the Anglo-Saxon race to always be on guard against Jews. Reason? Jews are naturally a superior race. Jews are smarter, better at business, more capable of applying themselves. Therefore they were the natural ‘master’ race (what a hell of a thing to apply to Jews) and if he and others weren’t constantly on guard Jews would end up ruling the world. Tony asked him if he’d ever actually met any Jews and the man said, “One”. Tony replied, “Well, now it’s two.”
And that’s the type of thing this sort of ‘compliment’ sets of in me.
I’m a Jew. I may be superior in some ways and inferior in others. But to claim it’s some sort of racial characteristic pisses me off.
Exactly!
First, “Jew” (IMHO) ain’t a race, it’s a belief (or how do you explain my wonderful Sis-in-law, who’s a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, Scottish Jew?. You can’t convert into a race.
Second, either way, it denigrates my hard-fought accomplishments and failures if everything I’ve done and am is because of my “race” and not my efforts.
Fenris
OK, I understand now why even complimentary generalizations can be considered offensive. I saw them as merely stupid, but now I see how they can be seen as backhanded.
What is you folk’s opinion on the widespread belief that Italians are good cooks? I find it hard to find anything backhanded about this (inferring that it implies gluttony, perhaps, but too much of a stretch IMHO).
Right or wrong, can this be seen as offensive? I’m italian, and I don’t feel anything one way or another about this stereotype. Some of the people in my family are good cooks, others aren’t, and the rest I don’t know or care.
Maybe I’m just slow (hey, you in the back, shut up, ok?), but was cuautemhoc’s post sarcastic, or a joke? Because if it wasn’t tongue-in-cheek, I’m a little worried that he thinks he’s not negatively stereotyping Poles!
Hey! Whatareya, a dumb Polack? :ducks and runs:
Yes, it was a joke. And rather well done.
But I’m still confused what the WB has against Jews. Weren’t the Warner Brothers Jewish?
EJ’sGirl with this slower than snot computer, probably 15 people will come in and post that yea, the post about Poles was meant as a joke, but, I’ll do it anyhow. Yea, I read it that way.
ok people listen up, because this is the last time I’m going to explain this.
Judaism is NOT a race. It is a RELIGION
You can convert to Judaism, but you can’t convert to a different race.
Yes, you probably have met Jews before. We stopped wearing those little yellow stars about 60 years ago…THEY WERE GETTING US KILLED! We don’t run around introducing ourselves "Hi, I’m Miss Creant, Jew! Damn glad to meet you!
We don’t run the (insert type of business here).
Judaism is NOT, repeat NOT the only religion in Israel.
Maybe there lines between “church and state” are a little blurred.
Whenever you here a comment like WB makes, remove said ethnic group and insert your own. Then see what you think.
Now go study Torah
Maybe there(should have read their) lines between “church and state” are a little blurred
See, we’re not that smart!;j
Thank to dropzone and wring for the Whoooosh-control.
Revtim, I’m also of Italian extraction. On the surface, the stereotype about being a good cook isn’t too bad, but even something as seemingly innocuous as that can easily get out of hand. If you’re not a cook, have you ever had someone ask your advice about cooking? “Hey Revtim, you’re Italian, right? Lasagna? Pasta e faziole? Aht’sa SPICY Meatahball!!!” If you are a cook, have you ever had someone just automatically expect that you’ll be doing the cooking?
(Neither of these things has ever happened to me, but I might be annoyed if they did).
drop
Nope. They’re puppy-headed things. And Dot’s just cute.
Miss Creant and Fenris, point of order.
Judaism is a religion, yes. But “jewish” refers to both adherents of the religion and those who share the common ethnic heritage based on that religion.
Just as it’s possible to be religiously Jewish regardless of ethnicity (Sammy Davis Jr, for example), it’s also possible to be ethnically Jewish without practicing Judaism. I know several people who fit that description.
:shrug: Perhaps they shouldn’t claim to be Jews if they don’t go to Temple?
These are not mutually exclusive. David Duchovny has shown you can be (half) Jewish and look like a basset hound. And Miss Creant is adorable AND Jewish.
(Why, I oughta… 
)
No, but you’re close. There’s a WORLD of difference between ETHNICITY and RACE. There a Jews in Yemen who have a totally different ethnic backround from myself, Caucasiod, of Eastern European Descent. Many of the Jews in Yemen are Negroid, (don’t start with me I’m using the anthropological terms here)and have never even heard of Pinsk.
WB seems to believe that Jews are a race all their own.
Not Minsk, either?
I always liked that insult to one’s urbanity, “Where are you from, Minska-Pinska?”
Why Drop, I bet you say that to all the Jewish Girls
Actually, I do! It’s this genetic thing in me…
No, I’m not “close.” I’m right. I have said nothing about race.
(The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company.)
If you’re pissed off at Bill, tell him. I’m just pointing out that “Jew” does not solely refer to a religion.
(“I have a friend in Minsk, who has a friend in Pinsk . . .”)
I give up. Wanna see my horns and tail?