Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Bad Jew




A 'Bad Jew' sticker.  At first, we wondered if this was offensive, and it still might be to some, but John Wellington Ennis submitted the sticker and added the explanation that the reference suggests that this sticker is not an insult at Jews from an outsider, but from a Jew teasing fellow Jews.

There is also a graffiti writer who tags 'Jew' in the neighborhood, but this sticker does not seem to have anything to do in relation to the graffiti writer.

Here is John's full explanation down below:


I don't think it's offensive, I've never heard an Anti-Semite use the term, it's what Jews call each other, especially around the high holidays right now.  September is the jackpot of Jewish holidays.  Rosh Hashannah is new year, Yom Kippur is fasting and atonement, and now you're supposed to sit in your backyard in a tent (Houkah) for a couple weeks reflecting.   I know many Jewish friends, ranging from conservative rabbi to atheist Jews, I tend to think of most of my friends as Yom Jews -- they don't care much all year, but that Yom Kippur is an important one, and they come correct!  Fasting, apologizing.  And the Melrose Fairfax neighborhood must literally be one of the most Jewish neighborhoods in America.  

I think the Bad Jew sticker is hilarious, because it's either calling someone a Bad Jew (and only they would know if they are, because they haven't fasted or whatever, but it doesn't matter, because you will feel Jewish guilt regardless) or, the sticker is subversively boasting that the creator is a Bad Jew, eating pork on Yom, etc., putting up stickers bragging on it.

"Bad Jew" is something Jews call each other to give shit for not being as observant.  The idea of Iran's president Ahmedejad using the term "Bad Jew" with all his anti-Semitic rants would be pretty funny actually.  "Not only are you people evil, you're not kosher enough!"  It's like a Jewish inside joke, for which there is a serious cottage industry--no religion has such an expansive empire of humor about one's own culture, which is one of the reasons Jews rule.

It was up near the Hollywood sign dog park.

2 comments:

  1. Its an attitude. It means fukjew fuk being a jew. fuk all conditioned traditions of inanity.

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  2. I am the creator. I give out hundreds of the stickers to people. I am a badjew. . I was barmitzvahed with a bowie knife in my jacket pocket. Religion fractures. Religion fears. Religion hates. Religion wars. Jews think they are superior and speak ill of others behind others backs.

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