I was born in 1975 right here Los Angeles County, so growing up I never experienced any real anti-semitism. One time when I was 8 my friend's mother made me go home after I told him there was no Santa Claus. And that's about the extent of it. Still, about once every 4 months I get treated to, "Hitler's mother was Jewish." Or the classic, "He Jewed me on that dime bag." But again, those are just soft, easily corrected guffaws. It was different a generation back. My Mom always tells the story of how her freshman year roommate found out she was a Heeb, said roommate grabbed my mother by her head to check for horns. That's small town Illinois for you, circa 1960. All of which leads us to today's COTD.
This is a long one, so bare with. Matt "The Baby Eater" Hardigree put up a post about some Jewish guy claiming anti-semitism vis-a-vis NASCAR. The more we look at it, the more it looks like a publicity stunt. However, that didn't stop you — our precious commenters — from having a field day. Uncle Bo wondered the following:
I wonder how much of this the kid is imagining. I mean, the name "Jon Denning" is not all that overtly Jewish. I'd have no idea of the kid's heritage unless his faith was always in my face. How does everyone else know?
Sort of a fair question, if not a touch naive. Now, it was none other than Ray Wert who swooped in and almost grabbed COTD glory:
He races the number "18" Manischewitz car.
That's a double funny, cause first you got the kosher wine thing but also 18 is the Hebrew numerological sign for life. However, we checked the Gawker handbook and rule 23, section B, article 17 clearly states, "Pick up Denton's dry cleaning Gawker employees can't win stuff. Deal." But that's OK, because poxpoulus stepped up and saved the COTD:
It's more likely that the ceremonial cup of blood he drank before each race and the custom-made helmet he required to accommodate his horns was the give away.
Before you start with the going crazy, remember what Woody Allen said, "Don't you see? The rest of the country looks upon New York like we're left-wing Communist, Jewish, homosexual, pornographers. I think of us that way, sometimes, and I live here." God bless the USA. Now, go nuts!