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From: dje@5941ux.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: So many JEWS???!!!
Message-ID: <375@5941ux.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Aug-83 10:40:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: 5941ux.375
Posted: Wed Aug 24 10:40:55 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Aug-83 18:00:21 EDT
References: grkermit.609
Lines: 24

grkermit!larry asked why it is that "so many Jews" were using the phrase
"Jesus Christ" as an exclamation.  One respondent immediately expressed an
objection to the Jews being singled out as offenders, an objection which
larry then characterized as "paranoid."  I'd like to respond.

Whether larry realizes it or not (I'll assume not, so as not to slur his
intentions), singling "the Jews" out in public for any kind of aberration is 
not a friendly act.  The objection that was raised to larry's article is 
anything but paranoid.  Jews have no monopoly on the phrase "Jesus Christ," and
any claim that we do is going to be legitimately and predictably interpreted as
an accusation that we are disrespectful towards Christianity.  As we have 
learned from our history, false accusations of this nature serve only to incite
hostile feelings against us, which is something that we have had quite enough 
of, thank you.

I'm not out to get heavy here.  This is net.nlang, after all, a topic for 
people who watch their language.  It's all too easy to say something careless 
or thoughtless, even with the best of intentions.  If somebody says that
our words have offended him, we should apologize and not further malign him
by defending ourselves.

Dave Ellis / Bell Labs, Piscataway NJ
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