So this is what discrimination feels like...

[everythingsxen]

A little set up.

Where I work, I take my breaks and hang out with some of the other employees. For the last four months I have sat and talked to a nice, kindly, but high strung, older lady. She has told me all the woes of her life and we have talked a lot. She knows my fiance is Jewish. She herself is a Catholic, though it has never been a big thing. I have talked a lot of politics, but she has always been more or less indifferent.

Well the other night I had to work a double, and so I called my fiance and she was worried because on the Daily Show they were talking about Justice Sunday and she thought John Stewart sounded a bit scared by it. So that worried me a bit, so I decided to tell this nice lady about.

I explained what Justice Sunday was and how my girl was worried about it. Her reply was "She's a Jew.". It didn't sink in right away so I just said "So" and continued on. She stopped me again by saying "She's being hysterical. She's a Jew. Why is it any of her business what Christians are doing?"

I was stunned. She stormed off saying she had to go back to work. She refused to speak to me at all and has continued to ignore me for the last few days. I talked to the guy who works the shift after me and he pretty much confirmed it. That I was untrustworthy and dangerous because I was with a hysterical Jew.

:wtf:

It is a weird feeling to be on the receiving end of racism. Even when I was caught up in a race war in high school, it seemed less hateful than this.

[Djinn]

1. don't know if that'd count as discimation as such

if she got you sacked or denied promotion or whatever then it would be - as it is she's just a fuckwit, there's a lot of them about

[everythingsxen]

3. Fair enough, I meant discrimination in a broader sense..

[Cleita]

17. That's the problem. It's the fuckwits cruising under the radar

that will eventually get you sacked or denied a promotion when the opportunity presents itself.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Sorry to hear it

Hate for Jews has never gone out of "vogue." Now, we get it from both sides. It is never pleasant to be on the receiving end of someone's ignorance and hate. I hope things look up for you!

[everythingsxen]

4. It doesn't bother me that much..

I just hope all these jackasses get raptured up before they kill everyone else who can work and play with others.

[Behind the Aegis]

5. LOL!

That is pretty funny. When I hear shit like that it really bothers me, because those people spread their vile poison to others. Sometimes, you just have to walk away, but other times, it is good to give the person a "lesson." If these people actually felt just an ounce of the prejudice they project, the world would be a VERY different place.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

12. I don't think that's quite true.

Since the holocaust, I'd say that in Europe and America there have been few if any groups discrimated against less than Jews. Thankfully, episodes like the one described are very rare, at least here in the UK, and I think (although I have no first-hand evidence) in the US too.

Certainly I've never encountered anything even remotely resembling hostility when I mention that I'm Jewish.

Similar instances where the partner is black, or indian, or gay, or an immigrant, or a gypsy, on the other hand...

It's depressingly cynical, but I suspect the only thing that would stop blacks being discriminated against in the first world would be some lunatic trying to commit genocide against them, and *at the same time inflicting suffering on the first world*. People just don't seem to extrapolate from "Anti-jewish racism is wrong" to "Anti-black racism is wrong". And, of course, the cure is far, far worse than the malady.

Out of curiosity, what is Justice Sunday?

[prodigal_green]

13. I would disagree with that

I've traveled extensively and lived for a time in the UK and while there is no formal discrimination and perhaps a higher level of protection in post WWII Europe, there is still a great deal of underlying bigotry at worst and weird misinformation at best regarding Jews. I have a Jewish last name, but my mother was Catholic, so under both Jewish and Catholic dogma I was raised Catholic. I have a fairly generic Mediterranian look and depending upon an individual's prejudice, I can be mistaken for Italian, Spanish, North African, Middle-Eastern or Central Asian. When I leave NYC (where I live) people respond in the strangest ways to my name.

Justice Sunday and talk of oppression of Christians scares the hell out of me too. The Nazi's mobilized a great deal of propaganda to convince the majority Christian population of Germany that they were being oppressed by Jews. The use of the term Judeo-Christian by the religious right in the country is a sick mask for their exclusively Christian fundamentalist, theocratic and anti-semetic agenda.

[entanglement]

22. The term "Judeo Christian"

The change in terminology from Christian to Judeo-Christian by the right is simply an acknowledgment of the fact that far from being a powerless class Jews are important players in the right wing movement and cannot be ignored. 'Judeo-Christian' is certainly not a mask for anti-semitism. If anything, the Christian Right is extremely philo-semitic.

At the heart of the matter is how Jews perceive their status is America. Reality suggests they are 'White' and one of the club, but for some reason they chose to identify as one of the oppressed.

[Behind the Aegis]

32. Have to disagree.

The Christian right has included "Judeo" as an attempt to 'entice' Jews to their side. The fact is the right-wing "Christians" are not "philo-semitic." They only want the Jews for money, political influence, and to fulfill their "rapture" fantasies, which mean Jerusalem must remain in the hands of the Jews. Many of the right-wing wish to convert the Jews. Hell, in the Schivo case, when it was discovered she was born a Jew, one right-winger, who had been very 'pro-tube,' said "let her die!"

You are right that the heart of the matter is how we perceive our status in America. However, to suggest we are members of "the club" is not very accurate. After African-Americans (admittedly, by a large number), Jews are the most antagonized. This is according to stats from the FBI based on hate and bias crime stats. So, we are not "choosing" to identify as one of the oppressed, we ARE one of the oppressed!

[Behind the Aegis]

19. C'ninah hora!

I hope that your 'luck' continues. However, in the US and Europe, there as been a marked increase in anti-Semitism. In the US, only African-Americans (by a huge margin) are a more discriminated against group. I know that the FBI stats reflect this for our country. I have seen information released from the EU, but I am not sure what body gathered that information (one out of Belgium, I think). So, whereas you may have escaped this on a personal level, on a group, level, Jews still make a great target.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

31. On the subject of racial abuse of Jews...

While walking back from the station after celebrating Passover tonight, a couple of passing yobs yelled at me "Hey, look, it's Bin Laden"...

Racial discrimination is a many-splendered thing...

[Journeyman]

6. She'd have a point, of course, if the Christians were talking religion...

but then, your fiance and Jon Stewart would probably not have been bothered by what they were doing in that church. But when a Church or Synagogue or any place of worship intrudes into the business of politics, everyone has the right to comment about it and criticize them for it -- whether warranted or not, since the house of worship is imposing itself on the public discourse.

Yet another reason for the Church to remain separate from the State -- so as to protect itself from unwarranted, unwanted outside influences. Funny how that works. Guess Jefferson et al truly knew what they were about . . .

[YusefHawkins]

7. You had to open your mouth...

to experience this unpleasantry. Imagine that changing your last name won't make a difference. Imagine what will slip out when your fiance takes your name, giving her (I assume) a more Christian surname. She'll know then exactly who does and does not like Jews. Imagine when you wear it on your face, hair, and skin. Then you don't even have to say a word to experience it. When every minute of your life is subject to it. Not just a moment in passing during a conversation.

[REP]

9. See My Post Below

I don't "look" Jewish (I actually look Welsh) and I do have a Celtic last name, nor am I a practioner of any of the Big Three religions.

[Journeyman]

10. Wow. People can actually look "Welsh"? . . .

I didn't know that. Oh, my, but I'd make a terrible bigot.

[REP]

11. Northern Welsh, To Be Specific

Northerners are shorter, with fair skin and black hair and usually, blue eyes (mine are hazel, alas). There is also a fairly common nose, which I have. Southerners are taller, fair skinned and red/blond haired.

[SmokingJacket]

20. Actually, there is a very particular shade of hazel that is considered

distinctly Welsh.

Just saying! You may look more Welsh than you know!

Iechyd da!

[ContraBass Black]

27. I'm not good at telling the differences either.

I sometimes mistake darker Hispanics for blacks.

I'm also a poor judge of age.

Visual guessing games are my bane.

[BeFree]

16. I can imagine, and it makes me sick....

In my case I don't have to imagine what it is like to have different colored hair. The flaming red hair of my youth brought much un-pleasantry. Minor, compared to someone who, say, had black skin, but nonetheless a similar disparagement.

I don't cotton to bigots and highly prejudicial people, you can imagine why.

[AlienGirl]

21. I'm not going to take his name

It's a long story, but I'm keeping my current last name.

What I find interesting is not long ago Xen and I were discussing prejudice and discrimination, and he was telling me that he'd never really seen it in action in the workplace, and that he didn't think it was that big a factor anymore.

Tucker

[REP]

8. I'm Merely Yid-ish and was Told I Have Tainted Blood

Under Jewish law, I am a mamzer though I only have on Jewish parent, hence the Yid-ish. Apparently, for some, any Jewish ancestry is too much: Not too long ago, someone overheard my name, which is a common Hebrew name used by Jews and Gentiles alike (think "Friends") and proceeded to rail at me about the evil of the Jews and my 'tainted' blood. He claimed he was a Christian minister, but when he tried to 'lay hands' on me to save me or something I suspected he was trying to cop a feel, so I called the police. Apparently, he is a minister and I pressed charges.

[MontageOfFreedom]

14. Looks like amazing historic fascism is back....

The Jews now= Liberals, except the fascist are now too pathetic to use rationality. All that has gone out the window, and they are too dumb to be scary or mean. So its time to just watch the cards fall.

Fascism and anti-semitism needs to be wiped out this time.

[BattyDem]

15. I wonder if she knows ...

that the Justice Sunday wingnuts do not consider Catholics to be the "right" kind of Christian, and therefore, their takeover of the government will effect her negatively as well.

[MontageOfFreedom]

29. She'll probably wake up to it with a slap in the face. n/t

[Cleita]

18. Write her off as a friend and be glad you found out.

Also, I would actively try to find out how pervasive this attitude is in your workplace and take steps to eliminate it. There are programs out there especially for the workplace to identify bigotry and put it to rest.

[FreedomAngel82]

23. I would be worried too

and I'm Christian. These people are freaking mad (as in insane) and you better be worried. The evangelicals aren't very fond of Catholics either I don't think.

[mitchum]

24. But your coworker worships the magic skygod of the Jews

[bush_is_wacko]

25. Yep, finding the same sort of thing here. Don't ask don't tell is

now official policy with regard to religion and politics. You might open your mouth to the wrong person you know? I have had to learn to speak only to people I already know have the same beliefs. If I want to spread the word I print up flyer's or place deception dollars in inconspicuous places. They really ARE at war with society as a whole you know? The crusades are running full force right now. They just aren't riding horses and burning villages the way they used to!

[libertypirate]

26. This is why religion is so dangerous

because religious hatred is too personal, it's to hard to control. I think that has to do with the delusion that it's for a good cause.

[loudsue]

28. A fish stinks from the head, down.

I have noticed that, under republican administrations, (Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II), that ALL types of prejudice are far more "in vogue". Whether it's your race or the color of your skin, your religion, your (female) gender, your sexual preference, your politics...whatever! The republicans HAVE to have the "us versus them" mentality, just to get up in the morning and feel good about themselves.

They seem to have to have SOMEONE that is NOT "equal" to them, someone who they can consider inferior, or they have no idea who they are....or they just CAN'T be happy.

It's a DISEASE: A nasty disease that is trying to kill off any chance of peace in the world.

:kick::kick::kick:

[Shell Beau]

30. Some older people

still remain ignorant. Some of the things that come out of my grandmother's mouth shocks me. I am glad her ignorance wasn't carried over to me seeing how I believe racism and discrimination are learned.

[Skittles]

33. I would have had a field day with that piece of shit

I'd be in her f***ing face