Re: Kinky Jewish Music

[Klezcorner <Klezcorner...>]

In a message dated 1/30/99 9:30:10 AM, you wrote:

<<
I have to join those who disagree with Simon on this issue. Just as
there are contexts in which African-Americans will refer to one another
as "niggers,">>

Richard Pryor was the first major comic to use the word Niger in his act for
mixed audiences. When he first started using it, most people were shocked or
offended. Many years later, Eddie Murphy called him because Bill Cosby had
asked Eddie to stop using that word because it was still a very sore point
with many people.  Richard told Eddie to keep doing it and "The Hell with
him".

Years later, after Richard had his accident, he changed his feelings about
that word and regrets that he ever used it and made it acceptable. 
It's amazing how people who haven't suffered firsthand are the ones who tell
you 
how others should accept words that were used segregate, and denigrate others.
The theory is that if you use it often enough it take the sting out of the
word. To those who suffered and had their families murdered it only makes it
worse.

The titles to songs that uses "Jewboy" or any other negative word is all that
matters. Those are used to create controversy (as is happening on this list
now)., then they will tell you "but you didn't listen to the words, they're
very positive"".
the titles are meant to creater (commercial) controversy
Ari, you know your  music, do you really think that Bullmoose Jackson's record
title of "My Baby Loves My Big 10 Inch" . Unless you heard the record, you
wouldn't know that he's talking about his 10 inch record, but the title is
what gets people to snicker.
I'm not surprised how many people have posted opinions, on the list, that
disagree with me, however, there are many more who agree with me that have E-
mailed me privately. I guess they didn't want to be "corrected" on the list.

I will venture to say that I would bet that most of the people who disagree
with me were probably were born in the US. If that is so, then believe me,
except for books and films, most of you have never experienced what REAL anti-
Semitism is or how "harmless" words are used for propaganda. I  have heard
American Jews tell me about how they experienced anti-Semitism when they were
not allowed to stay in certain hotels or join country clubs. Foolish me, I
though Auschwitz was bad. 
Not long ago, on a TV documentary about WWII, an older gentleman was talking
about how bad things were in the US during the war; they actually rationed
sugar and had meatless Thursday. If my family, that was in the Warsaw Ghetto
(can you guess what happened to them?) had known how bad things were in the
US, they might have started a telethon.

This will be my last posting on this subject since I do believe that nothing
here will change anybody's mind either way on this  issue.

Simon

Simon

---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+