"Senator Macacawitz" -- Offensive or Not?

When I first saw "Senator Macacwitz" used to refer to Sen. Allen, I sort of winced, but I felt that it was applicable because he was such a racist, and so ashamed of his Jewish heritage. I just heard on Stephanie Miller that some Democratic campaign staffer was forced to resign over referring to Allen with this little nickname. Allen's campaign says this is proof of the Democratic Party's "anti-Semitism". I know that's a bunch of hooey, but still... is the nickname "Senator Macacawitz" offensive or not?

TC

I'm not Jewish or Black, so I wouldn't want to take the risk of offending someone by using that name. YMMV.

and I think it's hysterical

...it's because you may not be black or most likely didn't know the meaning of the word. If it is the equivolent of the N-word, then wouldn't it be as offensive???? If it was wrong for Allen to say it, why isn't it wrong for us to say it. You, as a Jewish person are not offended by the "witz"....do you speak for all Jews???

The problem here as that Jim Webb is a truly honorable man and owns the moral high ground in this campaign. But his supporters are dragging the campaign down to Allen's level. Using this word hurts us, it doesn't help us.

A staff worker for a democrat running for Congress in Virginia had to resign for using Macacawitz in an email to supporters. This isn't good!!!!

As a woman with a Jewish-Portuguese mom and a black dad, allow me to share that there is no offense whatsoever in that screamingly hysterically funny pushme-pullyou of a name.

There.

www.yourmorningleibowitz.blogspot.com
The Daily Show comic strip

I appreciate it!

TC

BTW Sen.Macacawitz is freakin' hilarious

don't make it right I feel he opened the door to this and deserves everything that's coming to him - perhaps he would understand the offensiveness of being called a name if it's done to him....Personally, I find it hilarious.

Still, having both African American in-laws and Jewish relatives, I feel I sort of have to walk a fine line with this one. Maybe I'll ask them what THEY think!

TC

Look, he caused the whole thing in the first place. We on the intelligent side of the aisle can communicate on this matter without using the term. That said, as a term it works perfectly. The made up word 'Macacwitz' is a perfect blending of the two issues - racism and running from his Jewish heritage - and its is absolutely hilarious.

This is the part of the whole larger 'political correctness' issue that brings out faux outrage from the right and the left's Sanctimony Storm Troopers. Yes, words can be hateful. There are words ever my foul mouth will never utter. But when the object of the word pretty much deserves it as a way to completely bring them down and make them appear distasteful, I'd never hesitate to use a word that will do that - within my own hard word limits.

I'm thinking here of the recent use of the term 'fat' to describe HasTurds and all the left wing hand wringing about that. Just calling the guy 'fat' without context is wrong and mean. Using the term in a string of other words that describe what he's done (corrupt, homophobe, enabler, etc., etc.) just propels the notion that he's a distasteful turd of a man and causes fence sitters to react they way we want them to react. The use of words matters. And it makes a point, but isn't 'PC', and that's okay with me. Others, I'm certain, (maybe even you, I don't know) are not comfortable with that view. But just keep in mind. Its targeted and it is intentionally used to serve a purpose. For example, I would never call Jerry Nadler 'fat'. He is, to be sure. But there's simply no reason to use the word in his case. The same kindness does not accrue to HasTurds. Or Macacwitz.

So yeah, its okay (in my personal view) to use such terms in the proper context. I know that just cheapens the debate and causes the words to stay in common usage. Well, my answer to that is, whether i use the term or not, it will still stay in common usage.

(My hard limit 'no-use' words? Things like 'nigger', 'dot head' 'sand nigger' 'kike' 'hebe' 'wop' 'guinea' etc., etc. ...... words that go to the real focus of deep seated hatred and bigotry.)

edit for horrible spelling errors due to fat handedness

"Wop" or a "Guinea" when I was a kid, I'd be independently wealthy now. I do find racial epithets offensive, but as you said.... he caused this whole thing with his expressions of hatred and bigotry in the first place. I'm in a quandry about this. It is really funny, but it still makes me wince (sort of like "Curb Your Enthusiasm"... LOL!)

TC

"Welcome to the real world of Virginia. Welcome to America" spoken outloud, in public by a public official to his own native borne constituent.

It strikes me as anti-semitic at a gut level.

then we should not perpetuate it via silly name-calling.

If he had said "nigger" I don't think we would be referring to "Senator Niggerwitz".

Thanks for that!!! You were on the debating team in high school, weren't you?

TC

Seriously, it's simply asking for trouble. The Webb campaign has gotten a lot of mileage on those two Allen errors. Snarky uses of it diminishes their power.

My African-American inlaws think it is "fair turn-around" to use against him, and thought it was funny. My Jewish relatives found it offensive.

TC

and caring than they are. :silly:

TC

So I voted "other"

I wouldn;t advise that Jim Webb start using it....But it's still a good guilty laugh

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I'm on the fence about the Sen Macacawitz stuff. I personally find it funny, but I can certainly see how it is offensive. Your comment: Not funny, and definitely offensive. What possessed you?

besides that's the term his white-supremacist buddies use for jewish folk.

This is the same senator that (allegedy) stuffed a dead animal's severed head in a black family's mailbox. Guess what he calls black folks? If it turns out he has 'a touch of the tar brush' I'll drop the 'Jew-' and just call him George 'Boy' Allen.

He is an unabashed racist that becomes combative when someone asks him about his Mom being a Sephardic Jew. Calling him an abusive name that has common usage in extreme RW circles is still letting him off lightly.

And when you call him "jew boy" you're denigrating all jews. I don't give a shit what sort of flimsy excuses you give, it's still disgusting.

I don't accept that I am denigrating all jews with my comment. The context alters my meaning. If I were to call anyone a derogatory name purely on the basis of their ethnicity or appearance that would be indefensible, to use a derogatory racist term against a person who habitually uses racist epithets is much less than they deserve.

Mr. Allen keeps strange company and I would be very surprised if he hasn't heard the full lexicon of racist abuse from his cronies. Peer pressure can be very hard to resist.

But I've also been accused of being self-hating cuz I roll my eyes over all that old Patriarchal Old Testes sons of Abraham drek in the Bible.

I think it's the perfect thing to needle Allen with because he's obviously ashamed of his heritage. But you're gonna get different viewpoints from my people on this...the ones who disapprove are the same ones who want Sasha Baron Cohen to tone down his anti-semitic "Borat" character because they're afraid that gentiles will not see the sarcasm in it.

Silly, really. Jews have survived a lot of bad shit because they understand humour. Jon Stewart has no problem poking fun at his Askenazi roots and neither do i.

I would have never said that before the 1990s. Never. But the Republics have taught me to despise them with every inch of my being. I am very ashamed as I applaud. What goes around comes around and Dems need to muster the stomach to fight back on the same gutter level, maybe not quite this low but thanks for the laugh anyway.

but if it's a slur that Allen used we shouldn't start using it either. Just tell it like it is and call him a self-hating bigot.

"MACACAWITZ":

Anti-Semitic? No. Racist? No. I think it's funny. What I found NOT funny was Allen's joke about his mother cooking pork chops. :grr: If that wasn't playing to the goyim nothing was. Absolutely disgusting. The Jewish version of an Uncle Tom. There: I said it.

Check my profile on my site to see proof I'm biracial.

L'shana tovah,


www.yourmorningleibowitz.blogspot.com
The Daily Show comic strip
where Jon still proudly wears his Jewish name

I'm learning a lot from this thread!

TC

General Nathan Forrest - slave owner, Confederate general responsible for atrocities against black Union troops, and a founder and Grand Wizard of the KKK.

George Allen spraypainted graffiti along the lines of "Eat shit and die honky" on the walls of the high school we both attended, trying to make it look like the work of black students from a rival school just before a basketball play-off game.

Another student who attended our school says George Allen kept a baseball bat with the words "N____r knocker" in his car. That he had a bat in his car used for purposes of vandalism was corroborated by his own sister in her 2000 book "Fifth Quarter."

Yet another high school classmate who also attended college in Virginia with Allen recalls a casual comment he made to a bunch of students before class one day. The topic was a football game and an important touchdown opportunity lost when a black player failed to catch a pass in the end zone. Allen's comment: "If it was a watermelon, he'd have caught it."

The noose, Confederate flag as living room decor, "macaca" insult - all well documented. Allegations of repeated use of a vile racial epithet and a deer's head in a mailbox.

Am I offended by "Macacawitz" - not particularly. Looking at in strictly in the context of his racism and running from his own roots,I get it - though it's not something I'd repeat. I am, however, very offended by George Allen, his sorry past, and his unwillingness to own up to it and take responsibility for it. He's a liar of Bush/Cheney proportions and his mere presence in the Senate demeans that body. I sincerely hope Virginians do the right thing and toss his racist, lying ass out.

Let's stop being so damn PC about this stuff.