For me, when Spurs fans chant "Yid Army!" it is akin standing up against the racist taunts that we have had to put up with for decades. It's like a rival (racist) fan demanding that "all the Jews stand up and identify yourselves so that we can ridicule you," and all Spurs, Jews and non-Jews, standing up and saying, "we're the Yid Army! Ridicule us all for being Spurs fans, not for which religion we follow." The fact that it is Spurs fans that have been arrested, charged and brought to trial is an absolute disgrace and yet another abject failing on the part of our so-called "justice" system. It's also craven cowardice on the part of the police who, as someone else has already pointed out, have far worse culprits to arrest, if stamping out racism is actually their real agenda.
Well said; this is exactly the issue. Spurs fans are diffusing the situation. Spurs is perceived to be a Jewish club and therefore a potential target for racial/religious abuse by that mere association. The police/CPS fail to understand how self deprecation can have the effect of spiking the racists' guns. Woody Allen (a Jew) has made a career out of it. Ditto Julian Clary- is he homophobic? Was Jo Brand also homophobic when she said she looked like "Julian Clary on steroids" when playing Aladdin? I don't think so - most people saw the joke without being offended.
It would be absolutely absurd if these people are found guilty. Should charges be brought every time that a musician uses the n-word? Jesus Christ - even David Cameron realises that context is crucial here. Speaking as someone who can actually see some tangible benefits to political correctness I totally believe that this prosecution is absolutely absurd and does nothing to help anyone in this country or any other. This is not a civilising step (as application of political correctness can be) but is just the opposite. And now people who really do need to be kept in check with what they say and where/how they say it have a totally justified example for how "all this political correctness has gone mad" and can equate their desire to scream "***" or "coon" at people as being the same as Spurs supporters proudly chanting that they are yids.
Is that antisemitic or anti-Christian? Either way you should be prosecuted - someone somewhere must be able to pretend to be offended. As Emo Philips once said: "Racism and homophobia and any kind of prejudice is wrong - there are so many good reasons to hate people". And on that note I would like to say that David Baddiel is a total arsehole.
I was about to say, "Well said," then saw LDL beat me to it. It reminds me that I'm only a Jew with two groups of people: the Jewish side of my family and anti-Semites.
I doubt anyone here would know. I would say easily more gentiles than jews. That was probably always the case though, but we have more jews than other clubs (Arsenal have quite a lot too i believe)
In Baddiel's World we should probably ban fans that "look a bit Jewish" from going to as they're surely going to encourage those racists too. Poor racists, it's not their fault it's all Spurs' fault that they have to throw unacceptable abuse at our fans every game. Perhaps we should do a whip round and get them some sore throat medicine, it can't be easy shouting anti-semitic slurs all game
We didn't ban you, I should add. That was the QPR mods The word I'm happy to be associated, anti-semitism I'm not.
"In Baddiel's World we should probably ban fans that "look a bit Jewish" from going to as they're surely going to encourage those racists too." Yeah, the Chelsky version of the "German blood and honour" laws. And given his apologism/denial of the fundamental facts, perhaps he should change his name to David Irving Baddiel.
I reckon, for the game against £ity, all attending Spurs fans should dress up in long black coats, fake long beards, and flat-top black hats, making themselves look as Jewish a possible. That'd confuse the **** out of the police. Would they dare to arrest anyone they suspect of being Jewish from chanting the word "Yid"? Actually, soon, being "suspected of being Jewish" could well be a crime in itself. You mark my words.
Yes, the dressing as Frumers approach has been suggested before in order to demonstrate the absurdity of the Spurs haters. What are plod going to do : ask all such dressed to drop their pants etc ??
Amazing that the Jewish race has survived.What with the Egyptians,Romans,Nazis and the Muslims amongst others trying to eliminate them. They need to be left in peace.
I know you didn't mean anything by it, but it's "religion" not "race". A rather important distinction!
Only just picked up on this thread. My thoughts on the subject I've posted before and won't repeat myself. What is interesting now is that in Poland the authorities have come out and said fans can sing what they want inside a stadium as it is 'football related' even when the songs are clearly anti-Semitic. Words can be racist by understanding and therefore just singing 'we are not allowed to mention his name' etc. should be taken as racist. Dressing up in Black garb etc is too stereotypical- all we need to do is wear skull caps. You can get them with our spurs logo on and that would be just like wearing a hat.
Anyone remember Hendon Skull Cap from the beeb606, good poster, had some wild stories and a lust for Vanessa Feltz! They made him change his name after having it a couple of years, it was put in the list of offensive words that wouldn't submit like they do here.
