Bush to Chavez: 'I know you are, but what am I?'

Speaking as a (admittedly non-practicing) Jew, I found this article condescending and wonder why Salon would even consider running it. Are Jews ripe for ridicule or damnation by faint praise? Are we so stereotyped that it's inconceivable that we might excel in something other than medicine or law? Are we supposed to be so meek that athletics are anathema to us? Remember the 8 Day War? Remember Murder Incorporated? Yeah, we can be tough guys too. There have been MANY great Jewish athletes in all sports, including, if you happened to catch some recent US Open Tennis (Justin Gimblestob, who, just the other day, showed more class in defeat in his final career match than John Mcenroe ever did). There was a light heavyweight boxer in the late 70s, early 80s named Dana Rosenblatt, who was champion for at least a couple years, and with his nickname, The Jewish Destroyer, was one of the most powerful knockout artists in his sport. And why does having a Greek heritage somehow overshadow the fact that one might be Jewish? Much of our culture comes from Greece. Antioch (now part of Turkey, during the Bronze Age was a Greek city-state) was the area where the Maccabi's hid in their caves and kept their oil going for 8 days. You know, the historical basis for Channukah. This is an example of lazy journalism, a writer looking for a cheap shot and quick paycheck. This article was cheap stereotyping and race baiting and it's a 'shanda.' I'm surprised, as a longtime Salon subscriber, that you would consider running it. It is beneath your usual high standards. I, for one, was insulted. 'Bashin' boychicks' indeed; how cute of you.

Yes, but they were funny!

jjpmd: First of all, thank you for a very cogent argument. I agree completely that a lot of these posts reveal an anti semitic bent, which is no surprise to this Jew. Antisemitisim is probably one of the most concealed ethnic biases in America today--perhaps the greatest it's been since the McCarthy era (thank you Twig and your cohorts). The thing that most angered me about this article was the nonchalant attitude of the author, that it was somehow 'quaint' that Jews could be athletes, and it was a point of humor. As others have remarked, what about the 18 best WASP athletes, or the best dwarf tossers (my favorite analogy, but, which, yes, insults the vertically challenged, but jeez, it was funny. Oh shit, I just insulted Christians by saying 'jeez.' Oh GOD, I just SAID 'SHIT!' OH SHIT! I JUST SAID GOD... Okay, my bad. I'm an evil person too). But the point is, when you marginalize a group of people, you do so at your own peril as it makes you appear petty, small, and afraid and all those posters who ranted about 'why the Jews should get so much attention,' (to sum up their argument), only reveal their own petty biases and lack of self respect. I guess we scare a lot of 'you goyim,' huh, 'boychick'? Like why does a guy drive a Hummer except to make up for his own 'shortcomings'?

Oh, and just thinking... why is it called 'a Hummer' in the first place? Is THAT what the drivers of them REALLY want (not that there's anything wrong with that)? And if so, why are they all so down on Clinton? Envy? MY big complaint about Clinton was that he had such lousy taste in women. I mean he coulda had Goldie Hawn and Barbra Streisand (I mean, he probably did) but he settled for Monica. (Okay, so now I've insulted the horizontally challenged... yes, yes, wide girls need love too, as do wide men, and guys who wear their pants around their tits; gotta cover the bases these days... and we're back to the article). I tell ya', you just can't win.

'I'm trying to think how to say this in a gentlemanly fashion'? Okay DICK, you just implied that Congress are 'girly-men' who dance to Speaker Pelosi's tune, who, you said 'Drives that train.' Yeah,we know what THAT means. Very gentlemanly of you, nudge-nudge, wink-wink. So, if you can't engage in intelligent debate, attack the sexuality of your opponent, suggest that the United States Speaker of the House of Representatives, a DEMOCRATICALLY elected Congressperson, is a gangbanging slut, yes, how gentlemanly of you. How sad for the rest of us. The rest of us, you know, the citizens of the USA who have people like you, degenerate, mandacious, truly evil beings holding us hostage to the the scorn and ridicule of the rest of the world. Drive that train, Mr. Vice President? Drive that train? I can suggest where your place on that train should be. And you don't even deserve a napkin.

Rob Reiner has certainly bottomed out after Spinal Tap. If even the trailers can't make you quasi interested, it must be crap. Seems like an empty, vapid pretentious exercise. It's greatest achievement is exposing Nicholson and Freeman as the whores they are--dancing pigs, give 'em a check and there's not stopping how low they'll stoop, witness 'As Good as it Gets' f'rinstance. It is very depressing to see such talent (see 'The Departed' or 'Chinatown') wasted in such pap (I have yet to understand why Freeman is considered a 'great actor'; even in his best role, in 'The Unforgiven,' he was merely adequate).