# tomndebb, please explain why I was noted for saying Jew-bros. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 31, 2015, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248 "2015-10-31T08:26:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/1 "2015-10-31T08:26:01Z")
In what way is referring to a Jewish fraternity as Jew-bros [worthy of a mod note](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18819062&postcount=80)? They’re Jews, and they’re bros. It’s a nifty portmanteau. Or is all use of ‘Jew’ off the table? Would it have been acceptable to call them “Jewishbros”? It doesn’t scan as well. That this gets a mod note and the conversation around thug just goes on as it did is bad moderating. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/2 "2015-10-31T08:31:04Z")
Also, I’m now glad I didn’t go with Heb-bros. The difference between the levels of moderating on particular ethnicities (by which I mean Black&Brown issues vs Jewish issues) on this board is starting to become a bit obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/3 "2015-10-31T08:34:09Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > In what way is referring to a Jewish fraternity as Jew-bros [worthy of a mod note](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18819062&postcount=80)? > > They’re Jews, and they’re bros. It’s a nifty portmanteau. Or is all use of ‘Jew’ off the table? Would it have been acceptable to call them “Jewishbros”? It doesn’t scan as well. > > That this gets a mod note and the conversation around thug just goes on as it did is bad moderating. Was it an official warning or just a note? Your comments don’t seem anti-sememtic to me. Well, in the USA even mentioning jew anything is questionable, in terms of social decorum. But I do not think you had ill intent. You were, after all, criticizing the actions of the hip hop party. I’d say, and I hope **Tom** is reading this, sometimes Tom and I disagree, lots of times he gives me lectures or is (mildly) sarcastic, but as a moderator I think he does a very good job. And he usually gives an unofficial warning before he gives an official warning. So, I do not fault either you or him, just try not to use the word “jew” in the future… ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/4 "2015-10-31T08:40:01Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > Was it an official warning or just a note? Just a note, that’s no reason to let it go uncommented. > [@](#): > > Your comments don’t seem anti-sememtic to me. Well, in the USA even mentioning jew anything is questionable, in terms of social decorum. I’m aware of the pejorative use of “Jew” as an adjective, like “Jew lawyer” vs “Jewish lawyer”. I was unaware this had been deemed to now extend to portmanteaus. “Jewfro” is used here with impunity, after all. And it _precisely_ that usage that inspired my invention. It even rhymes. > [@](#): > > So, I do not fault either you or him, just try not to use the word “jew” in the future… Heh. But calling black people thugs is a-Ok… ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/5 "2015-10-31T08:44:35Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Just a note, that’s no reason to let it go uncommented.I’m aware of the pejorative use of “Jew” as an adjective, like “Jew lawyer” vs “Jewish lawyer”. I was unaware this had been deemed to now extend to portmanteaus. “Jewfro” is used here with impunity, after all. And it _precisely_ that usage that inspired my invention. It even rhymes. > Heh. But calling black people thugs is a-Ok… If you knew it had the chance to be pejorative, why did you use it… I was more or less on your side until you said that. I thought maybe from being outside the USA you were unaware. It’s not even worth you and I debating, is it? I mean… why stir up the issue? Just take a “note” and move on… that is my advice. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/6 "2015-10-31T08:45:34Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > as a moderator I think he does a very good job. Lately, I strongly disagree, from his “I don’t mod hate speech” to his refusal to mod the racism that is “scientific” to this latest one. I used to think as you did, not any more. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/7 "2015-10-31T08:49:25Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > If you knew it had the chance to be pejorative, why did you use it. I _didn’t_ think it was pejorative at all - like I said, I saw it in a similar vein to “jewfro”. Wait, let me be more precise - I _did_ intend it to be mildly pejorative, **but the pejorative there is the “bros”** , not the “Jew” > [@](#): > > It’s not even worth you and I debating, is it? I mean… why stir up the issue? Just take a “note” and move on… that is my advice. This isn’t intended to be a debate, I’m asking a specific person to explain themselves in the only public channel open to me (I don’t like using PMs for this sort of thing). You’re not a mod, so I’ll wait, thanks all the same. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/8 "2015-10-31T08:54:42Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Lately, I strongly disagree, from his “I don’t mod hate speech” to his refusal to mod the racism that is “scientific” to this latest one. I used to think as you did, not any more. Well, I once got an official warning from a moderator. (I’ve had more than one but less than 10 in the past 2 years). What did I do: Poster XYZ said you stupid liberals don’t know the difference between a widget and a wedge. A widget is 2 inches wide and a wedge is 3 inches wide… (whatever fact he quoted he got wrong) I responded by saying: Poster XYZ is stupid because actually a Widget is 3 inches and the wedge is 2 inches. The Warning? I changed the quote of XYZ inside the quote box when requoting him, and, I used his name, individual name, whereas he said “stupid liberals”. general terminology. I thought a warning was a bit bizarre under that circumstance… but… you learn and move on. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/9 "2015-10-31T08:57:31Z")
This is in no way analogous, and doesn’t particularly have anything to do with this thread, I’m not sure what your purpose here actually is. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/10 "2015-10-31T09:06:20Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > This is in no way analogous, and doesn’t particularly have anything to do with this thread, I’m not sure what your purpose here actually is. I was not trying to turn this into a competition. I do not think you had ill intent but I do think you somehow misspoke. I do not think a note was out of line from a moderator. Obviously, you disagree. I will leave my comments here and hope to talk to you another day under more favorable a topic. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/11 "2015-10-31T09:16:24Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > I do not think you had ill intent but I do think you somehow misspoke. No, I chose my words precisely. I even created a new one (which, the internet shows me, is not _actually_ that new. Seems mostly to be used by people of the said ethnicity not pejoratively) > [@](#): > > I do not think a note was out of line from a moderator. I do. hence this thread. > [@](#): > > Obviously, you disagree. I will leave my comments here and hope to talk to you another day under more favorable a topic. You do that. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/12 "2015-10-31T10:17:22Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Seems mostly to be used by people of the said ethnicity not pejoratively Huh. I wonder if there’s any term that another ethnicity or race of people uses with impunity within their own group, which–if used by someone outside that group–would get completely justified scorn heaped upon him? Not that I think **tomndebb** ’s moderation is, generally speaking, anything to praise. He is really getting worse and worse at this “unbiased” thing, considering how often he switches from participant in a contentious thread to moderating that same thread (usually focusing on those who are on the opposite side of him). _Mods should not moderate threads in which they are participants, end of story._ It is unfathomable to me that this behavior is considered an appropriate method of moderating a forum. **tomndebb** is by far the worst abuser of this, seemingly unable to see just how easily power is mishandled when it’s used to stifle and intimidate one’s debate opponents. And I say this as someone who often agrees with his views. If a mod-_cum_-participant in a thread sees something that might need moderating, report it like anyone else and send it to the mod loop. Let someone else judge. The fact that this hasn’t been established as procedure years ago is absolutely mind-boggling. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/13 "2015-10-31T11:35:06Z")
Didn’t you hear about the Holocaust? If not, someone will be along real soon. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/14 "2015-10-31T12:05:33Z")
As much as it pains me, I agree with **MrDibble** , here. I don’t see anything wrong with referring to the frat guys as Jew-bros. Or Heb-bros for that matter. IN fact, I like it better as it’s a more obvious play on “Hebrews”. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/15 "2015-10-31T12:23:24Z")
> [@choie](#): > > Huh. I wonder if there’s any term that another ethnicity or race of people uses with impunity within their own group, which–if used by someone outside that group–would get completely justified scorn heaped upon him? Are you saying only Jews get to call it a jewfro, too? And it’s not just jews using jewbro non-pejoratively, there are also people who just have bros who are Jewish. That’s going by sites like twitter, tumblr etc, so not exactly an authoritative sample, as potential offensive goes. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/16 "2015-10-31T12:26:18Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > As much as it pains me, I agree with **MrDibble** , here. First time for everything > [@](#): > > I don’t see anything wrong with referring to the frat guys as Jew-bros. Or Heb-bros for that matter. Problem is, “hebe” is an unambiguous ethnic slur AFAICT, “jew” could go either way, it seems. Or so I thought. > [@](#): > > IN fact, I like it better as it’s a more obvious play on “Hebrews”. That was why I thought of it. Then I thought about “hebe”. Then I remembered “jewfro”. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2015, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/17 "2015-10-31T12:30:01Z")
> [@choie](#): > > _Mods should not moderate threads in which they are participants, end of story._ It is unfathomable to me that this behavior is considered an appropriate method of moderating a forum. **tomndebb** is by far the worst abuser of this, seemingly unable to see just how easily power is mishandled when it’s used to stifle and intimidate one’s debate opponents. And I say this as someone who often agrees with his views. I didn’t see **tom** participating in the thread before that mod note. **Jonathon Chance** did, but he wasn’t the one to note me. It’s possible he reported me, I wouldn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/18 "2015-10-31T12:38:50Z")
I didn’t see the original post in context. But if you are interested in the reaction of a Jew to the word, I would have startled at “Jew-bro”, and found it somewhat disturbing. “Jew”, when used as an adjective, is almost always a pejorative. “Jewfro” is different, because it is an established word and it describes a thing, not a person. I would have smiled at “heb-bro”, though, since it sounds so much like Hebrew. Just my reaction. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/19 "2015-10-31T12:40:04Z")
It’s a term of affection, like negbros or lezbros or homobros. Nothing anyone could possibly take offense at. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248/20 "2015-10-31T12:53:38Z")
I was pretty surprised to see that post, as Mr. Dibble is usually with the more hard-core anti-racism folks. (Yeah, Jewish is not race, so get over it. You know what is meant.) The term “Jew-boy” is the original pejorative, I believe, and a riff on that has the taint of that pejorative. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tomndebb-please-explain-why-i-was-noted-for-saying-jew-bros/736248.md?page=2)