By Toma Lynn Smith
While in D.C. last month, I purchased the magazine “Lilith,” a Jewish feminist magazine. As my friend flipped through it she said, “This magazine is really high quality,” and I said, “Those Jews, they always have everything high quality.” After I said it, I was like “Whoa!”
Many times we just stick our feet in our mouths with the stereotypes we express. Of course, I know I was generalizing, but would I have said that around someone who is Jewish? Probably not.
What we say about other races, and in some cases, our own race, is often harmful or humorous, like I was trying to be with that comment. My friend just smirked and we started discussing Halle Berry’s appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Last month Berry showed a caricature photo of herself which enlarged her nose; she said that she looked like her Jewish cousin. Our discussion was more about her being able to speak freely in America and not about what she said.
Berry made a public apology. Then I read in the Nov. 1, 2007 Associated Press newswire that Dog the Bounty Hunter, who is so easy to make fun of (thanks to “South Park”), apologized publicly for referring to his son’s girlfriend as a “nigger.” Now that hurts.
My response is selfish. What if I was famous and my friend decided to record what I said, in this day of recorder happy gadgets such as cell phones and the World Wide Web. Celebrities, however, are held to a different standard. As Yahoo Entertainment stated, “Halle Berry is the latest celebrity to join the Foot-in-Mouth Club.”
What I have come to realize is that the same amendment that allows me to write this column is the same one that allows author and correspondent Ann Coulter to degrade Jews.
Jews and Blacks are not the only targets of questionable comments; anyone can be victims of verbal attacks. As long as we are not famous, we can say what we want without much repercussion. Just remember putting your foot in your mouth is never tasty.
