Journal for the Study of Antisemitism

2009] “JEW” AS A SLUR 225
against Jews and a general negative view about Jews in different contexts.
The answer of an interviewee illustrates the confusion, ambiguity, and
eventually the conflation of the two interwoven meanings of “Jew.” Halil
was asked if he can imagine having a Jewish friend and responded,
“Well. . . yes, how can I say, if he’s all right, not such a Jew” (Halil, Berlin
P26: 199).
Another interviewee suggested that he once thought that labeling
someone as Jewish is not a serious insult. But now, he argued, he thinks that
it is an utter disgrace to be Jewish because of the way (some) Jews dress.
Thereby he clearly referred to Jewish people and linked the pejorative use
of the word “Jew” to Jews. The insult “Jew” against anybody is transformed
back into resentments against Jews. Consider his own words:
I have a friend and one day on the train someone said to him, “You’re a
Jew [Juif].” Afterwards he told me, “No, you are crazy, it’s a disgrace to
be Jewish [juif]”. . . And why do they put on caps, the Jews [Juifs]? Hats,
and then they all look the same. . . it’s strange.”
(Hakim, Paris, P34: 639)
Hakim also gave evidence of how closely related he sees the use of “Jew”
as an insult to violence against Jews:
Interviewer: Have you ever heard that somebody insulted Jews as “dirty
Jews” [“sales Juifs”] or “Jews” [“Feujs”]?
Hakim: Yeah, yeah, there are many! Jews [Feujs].
Friend: You hear that everywhere, “dirty Jew” [“sale Feuj”].
Hakim: In my college, a year ago, there was a Black who punched a Jew
[Juive].
(Hakim, Paris, P34: 608-614)
One respondent thinks that the way Jews behave has lead to the use of the
very term “Jew” as an insult and thereby links the pejorative use of “Jew”
to Jews:
They have played so many games and therefore they are a persecuted
nation from then until today. . . . Today, here in Berlin, the word “Jew”
has even become an insult. . . . If you’re in a group for example and
somebody talks bullshit, in the past you said: “Oh, shut up you asshole”
. . . . Today you say, “Man, shut up, you Jew.” . . . To say, “Jew” has
become an insult. . . That must come from somewhere. (Ümit, Berlin,
P27: 187-189)
Another one referred to the way in which a Jewish Holocaust survivor had
entered his classroom, saying, “He comes in like a Jew.” He expressed general
discontent about the fact that the Holocaust survivor had visited his