Jewish chronicle article on Spurs and the Y-Word

[kwitie]

https://www.thejc.com/lifestyle/features/how-tottenham-became-the-jewish-football-team-1.53784
Interesting article, bit sit-on-the-fence but still good, on Spurs Jewish heritage, the use of that word and why Spurs fans are a different breed to the anti-semite oxygen thiefs who also use the word.

 

[SausageVince]

Dear fellow Yids,

I'm interested in your thoughts. At the moment I'm against a Congress of politicians casting judgement while seemingly ignoring context, but I'm open to discourse (unlike the totalitarian approach of those quoted by the BBC today). The matter is too nuanced for a poll, so just batter right in.

BBC News - Tottenham: Jewish organisations ask Spurs to act over use of Y-word by fans
Tottenham: Jewish organisations ask Spurs to act over use of Y-word by fans

 

[bunburyist]

For me it’s somewhat similar to the Hebdo issue, and wearing fancy dress sombreros being culturally insensitive to Mexicans.

It’s sad if Jewish people find it upsetting, am sure they’ll survive though. Personally I’m not especially wedded to the Yid term, but in general don’t agree with people not being able to say what they like.

Next up, France banning Brits from calling them frogs.

 

[Nutter-Naylor]

Been done a thousand times. I call myself a Yid and always will.

 

[pointSPUR]

... that is the question

 

[SchmoodSpur]

I'll never stop using the term.

Don't care who it offends.

What I don't get is why I can't take ownership of the word? I guarantee I, and most of you, have been called Yid in a derogatory manner by oppo more times than most Jews have by someone on the street or online.

They need to understand the word is not theirs alone to claim.

We will use it as long as its thrown against us. When they stop, we'll consider it. Until then, get fucked. The onus is not on us the victims.

 

[Eli]

It’s not being used in a derogatory way it’s a form of tribute! I’d have thought in the world we live in with the negativity surrounding the Jewish community and the ant-Semitic propaganda I’d have thought anything positive would be a good thing? Besides why has taken so long for Jewish leaders to make a voice.

 

[Dr Rocktopus]

I see it as overwhelmingly positive. I know most of our support isn’t actually Jewish, but a section of of our fan base has been historically targeted and we’ve united to defend them.

Personally I don’t even think of it as specifically Jewish. Shouting ‘Yid Army’ or ‘Yiddo Yiddo’ is more about multiculturalism, and our stand against the racist scum.

We’re a club for everybody.

 

[Ahab]

I've had it with the yid term now. If after all this time Jewish people are dumb enough to find this offensive then fuck it. To put it another way. I'm offended that they're offended.

 

[SpiderSpurs]

"There is no grey area," said WJC chief executive Robert Singer.

He said the word "has for years been re-appropriated from its original Yiddish to carry a distinctly pejorative and anti-Semitic message, and its use by fans in the stands, either as a self-designated nickname or as a slogan against rivals must not be tolerated in any way".

He added: "The innocence this word once carried, as a simple translation for Jew, has long disappeared, and we must be extremely conscious of the anti-Semitic connotation it now bears."

This bloke needs to have a word with himself, the twat.

 

[Chelmsfordspurs]

Context.

 

[Legacy Lilywhite]

Done to death.

If anything - words, images, flags - is reclaimed as a positive term from those who seek to use it in a negative way, that’s progress and a good thing. Stupid cunt doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

It’s the thing I love most. COYS.

 

[Jimnyg]

Agree with all the comments here, and as has surely been said a million times in threads before my time on here, it is just the same as the N word, which when thrown in the direction of a black person in hostile context by someone of a different race it is derogatory, rascist and meant to belittle and demean the individual it is aimed at. So black people then adopted it as their word and instantly that diminished the power of the word to the rascist filth, however it does not make it ok for it to continued to be used in the original, aggressive and disgusting way. I guess the Jewish council has to be seen to make comment on our use of the term or risk the backlash of 'why's it ok for them' obviously it would be better if they came out and said what we've all said here about there being two very different connotations out there, the way we use it as a sense of identity, unity and a belonging and the vicious hate filled way it is used against us.

 

[The Yinzer]

It is not an anti-Semitic slur that I have ever heard in the US, so I have a hard time knowing how bad the word in the non-Spurs context is. I'm Jewish and it clearly never bothered me in the slightest. In fact, I'm sure the Jewish association of the club is something that probably drew me to it in the first place. But, I do understand the concerns, and while I've gone back and forth through the years, I choose not to use the term any longer. With that said, I find it outrageous that people could be charged criminally for it---especially in this context.

 

[Jimnyg]

It is not an anti-Semitic slur that I have ever heard in the US, so I have a hard time knowing how bad the word in the non-Spurs context is. I'm Jewish and it clearly never bothered me in the slightest. In fact, I'm sure the Jewish association of the club is something that probably drew me to it in the first place. But, I do understand the concerns, and while I've gone back and forth through the years, I choose not to use the term any longer. With that said, I find it outrageous that people could be charged criminally for it---especially in this context.

If we were to go down that road every rapper in the world would be up on charges!

 

[Mrs Perryman]

I certainly wouldn't use it outside of a football setting and can't understand why anyone would find it upsetting in the way we use it. Having said that, I'm not Jewish so I can't really put myself in a Jewish person's shoes.
As mentioned, context is everything and if anyone actually attended a game when we sung "the thing I like most is", they would see what a great atmosphere it creates.

 

[The Multi]

Agree with all the comments here, and as has surely been said a million times in threads before my time on here, it is just the same as the N word, which when thrown in the direction of a black person in hostile context by someone of a different race it is derogatory, rascist and meant to belittle and demean the individual it is aimed at. So black people then adopted it as their word and instantly that diminished the power of the word to the rascist filth, however it does not make it ok for it to continued to be used in the original, aggressive and disgusting way. I guess the Jewish council has to be seen to make comment on our use of the term or risk the backlash of 'why's it ok for them' obviously it would be better if they came out and said what we've all said here about there being two very different connotations out there, the way we use it as a sense of identity, unity and a belonging and the vicious hate filled way it is used against us.

Has it reduced the power of the N word though? I'm sceptical of this 'reclaiming words' stuff. Do you think racists sit around lamenting the fact that Dr Dre uses the N word, their word, and try to come up with another word? I very much doubt it.
I'm not Jewish, Tottenham is not a particularly Jewish community, the origin of THFC has nothing to do with Judaism. It's all very bizarre. But I must admit when at the ground I have found myself chanting Yid army, but ive done that since I was a child before I even understood what the term meant; it's just habit now and when I use it it totally refers to the club and has nothing to do with me expressing solidarity with a minority community, not that I don't wish to express that solidarity, just that's not what I'm doing with the use of the word.
All very bizarre and I'd prefer us not to use it, but it is what it is and I can't see it changing

 

[5purs]

if a 'white' person says; you know, it's negative.
if a 'black' person says; you know, they're converting a negative into a positive.

if a 'rival fan' says; you know, it's negative.
if a 'spurs fan' says; you know, they're converting a negative into a positive.

 

[Jimnyg]

Has it reduced the power of the N word though? I'm sceptical of this 'reclaiming words' stuff. Do you think racists sit around lamenting the fact that Dr Dre uses the N word, their word, and try to come up with another word? I very much doubt it.
I'm not Jewish, Tottenham is not a particularly Jewish community, the origin of THFC has nothing to do with Judaism. It's all very bizarre. But I must admit when at the ground I have found myself chanting Yid army, but ive done that since I was a child before I even understood what the term meant; it's just habit now and when I use it it totally refers to the club and has nothing to do with me expressing solidarity with a minority community, not that I don't wish to express that solidarity, just that's not what I'm doing with the use of the word.
All very bizarre and I'd prefer us not to use it, but it is what it is and I can't see it changing

I think it does work, it's the bully mentality, if the kid at school who got called fat or gay turned to the bullies and said 'yeah I'm fat/gay, and? The bully loses that power of intimidation and is left with 'oh, he agreed with me, ummm not much point calling him that anymore as he clearly doesn't have the victim mentality on which I've been preying all this time' of course they don't think this exactly because all they can do is hit stuff with rocks and pick on people to mask their own insecurities but in facing up to it and saying yeah this is us and we're proud of it, I think you do diminish the power of the word/abuse.

 

[The Multi]

I think it does work, it's the bully mentality, if the kid at school who got called fat or gay turned to the bullies and said 'yeah I'm fat/gay, and? The bully loses that power of intimidation and is left with 'oh, he agreed with me, ummm not much point calling him that anymore as he clearly doesn't have the victim mentality on which I've been preying all this time' of course they don't think this exactly because all they can do is hit stuff with rocks and pick on people to mask their own insecurities but in facing up to it and saying yeah this is us and we're proud of it, I think you do diminish the power of the word/abuse.

But that's the psychology of the playground. I don't think that works with adults, have you noticed Chelsea and West Ham fans deciding that anti-semitism is a spent force because of our ownership of the Y word?