I was raised in a very Jewish environment. I don’t mean to imply that it was religious, just that my surroundings almost exclusively consisted of Jewish people. In a country where 99 percent of the population is Muslim, I imagine it’s not rare for the minorities to stick together.
I also hated most anyone I grew up with. Almost all of them were snotty, air headed, superficial people. They judged you solely on looks and what brand names you wore. They backstabbed without discrimination and they were cruel.
So as soon as I was old enough, I chose my own friends, most of whom were Muslim. When hanging out with them I used to joke that since I was a Jew myself, it was acceptable for me to belittle other Jews.
There’s a discussion in MetaFilter this week about Mel Brooks’s comment upon accepting one of this Tony awards. The poster complains that he finds it unacceptable that people make light of such a dreadful situation as the Holocaust. One of the counterarguments posed is that since Brooks is Jewish himself, he should be allowed to make fun of it any way he pleases.
My personal opinions on the matter aside, I think saying that since Brooks is Jewish he should be able to treat Jewish subject matters however he chooses, is unacceptable. For the people who said that there are many ways to deal with an issue and this may be how Brooks chooses to do it, that’s fine. I’m just against the idea that any member of a group of people should be allowed to speak on behalf of the group.
Just because Brooks is Jewish doesn’t mean he’s the chosen speaker for all Jews worldwide. It also doesn’t mean he’s not allowed to have his point of view and feelings about the matter. We’re all allowed to have thoughts on anything. Even though I’m not Muslim, I might have an opinion on the misconceptions about Muslim people in Western civilizations. While it’s true that I might not know what being Muslim feels like firsthand, that doesn’t automatically disqualify me from being able to intelligently discuss the subject matter.
In the same token, just because I’m Jewish doesn’t mean my opinion qualifies for all Jews. Some Jews might find power in looking at the humor or irony in the horror of it all, while others might abhor the idea of the word comedy and Holocaust being used in the same sentence. People will always have differing opinions and feelings about similar experiences; that’s what makes the world interesting. And someone’s right will often be someone else’s wrong. And that’s fine.
Sure Brooks can address the Holocaust in a manner he finds appropriate and so can a Swiss or a Muslim or most any other person. And there is a difference between speaking from first hand experience and just reading or interfacing with others, but it still doesn’t mean that all members of a minority see eye to eye on all issues concerning that minority group.
So saying that Brooks could make fun of the Holocaust because he’s Jewish seems like an invalid argument to me.
Not that the show is directly about Jews or the Holocaust anyhow.
Previously? Blissful Ignorance.
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