"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!"
-Homer J. Simpson

Monday, September 17, 2007

Sask Party Candidate makes odd comment about Jewish People

So buckdog had this great post on Serge LeClerk, the new Sask Party candidate in Saskatoon:


Saskatchewan Party Candidate Takes Heat For Calling Charter of Rights And Freedoms 'A Piece Of Garbage'

A candidate for the Opposition Saskatchewan Party has been challenged to explain comments he has made concerning the Charter of Rights And Freedoms
Well it turns out that Mr. LeCerk has a couple more interesting things to say in his book "Untwisted" available on his website here, (copyright 2007) but I don't know that the Sask Party would want them brought to people's attention.

On Page 11, Mr. LeCerk has this to say:

And then there were the Sheeney Men, Jewish men with long black coats, black hats, and curls, who came down the street with their horse-drawn wagons.
"Sheeny" Men!

For those of you not in the know, I point you to dictionary.com. Sheeny can mean one of two things:

adjective, sheen·i·er, sheen·i·est.
shining; lustrous
or:

n. pl. shee·nies Offensive Slang
Used as a disparaging term for a Jew.
I will give you one choice as to which meaning Mr. LeClerk meant. I guess he could have meant shining Jews, but is that likely?

11 comments:

Citizen Wilson said...

My Zayde used to refer to his oldest and dearest friend as an Alter Koker (literally an old sh*t), would that make him a biggot too?

The term was also used before 1870 by Jews and Gentiles without intent of insult.Yiddish is such an interesting language, about time goyim have taken an interest.

Giant Political Mouse said...

"The term was also used before 1870 by Jews and Gentiles without intent of insult"

Um, do you think the book was written before 1870?

Display Name said...

If there is any truth to this ... Revolting. The Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party insists on immediate dismissal of all SaskParty members who have had anything to do with this book.

Display Name said...

Will Brad Wall do the right thing and dismiss his SaskParty members and Candidates who have made these odd comments?

Citizen Wilson said...

No, I don't think the book was written before 1870, but I can't help but wonder in what context in which the phrase was used?

GPM, you took one line from the book, and hold it out in the context of a racial slur. One could easily do the same with Charles Dickens portrayal of Fagin, and with the Merchant of Venice by Shakespere.

GPM, you profess to know the mind and intent of the author, but I suspect you are simply making a slanderous statement hoping some of it will stick.

As if it's not bad enough that Madonna thinks she can be the unnoffcial embassador of our people, you have to get into the act too.

Giant Political Mouse said...

"One could easily do the same with Charles Dickens portrayal of Fagin, and with the Merchant of Venice by Shakespere. "

Except both of those writers were writing in the context of their times. This book was written in the context of 2007. That's when it was published, so it needs to be judged in that context.

Citizen Wilson said...

I suppose both Bill and Chuck related their artistic intentions to you in a casual conversation too? Or do you 'just know it'?

Giant Political Mouse said...

I would love to know at what point I professed "to know the mind and intent of the author".

I would also love to see you justify the comment "you are simply making a slanderous statement..."

Let me recap for the slow-witted. I posted a QUOTE by the author. I then posted the definition of one of the words in that quote.

Any negative connotations are inferred by you.

Deal with it.

All this hand-waving around dead authors is just a misdirection tactic to ignore the obvious.

Citizen Wilson said...

You imply an accusation of antisemitism with your words 'I guess he could have meant shining Jews, but is that likely?'

You said: 'For those of you not in the know'. Well, I supplied to you how we in the know (you know, the ones who SPEAK Yiddish) interpret the term.

Are you saying that Mr. LeCerk is a bigot, or not?

Giant Political Mouse said...

Fact: The word is a term used to refer to Jewish people in a derogatory manner (after 1870)

Fact: Mr. LeCerk's book was published in 2007.

Fact: The word is used in the book.

Did he intend it to be offensive? I have no idea.

Is it offensive? Not to me, but I am not Jewish.

Is it reasonable to conclude that Jewish person might be offended? Yes.

Would it be reasonable for that Jewish person to ask for an apology or retraction, Yes.

Is it worth bringing this sort of statement to the Jewish communities attention. In my opinion, yes.

If you don't like that, Wilson, feel free to read a different blog.

Citizen Wilson said...

This Jew was not offended by the use of the term, but I don't speak for the entire community.

What I find offensive is your attempt to use my community for political gain.