"Pound of flesh" is ugly and anti-semitic

[Bonobo]

especially when talking about Sanders. People here need to learn what dog-whistles are ---but I suspect that at least some of them doing it are doing it with full knowledge already.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512287148
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512286686
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512285830#post69
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028043836#post16
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512286261#post16
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028044289#post2
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141529280#post33

[Chiquitita]

1. I had to look it

Up. From merchant of Venice--Shylock's unreasonable demand. I think you are right.

[MosheFeingold]

12. Shylock shows up in a number of modern shows

The Ferengi in Star Trek being the one that irks me the most.

For such a normally wonderful show, they stick in the least thinly-veiled antisemitic caricatures I've ever seen.

Star Wars had one, too, with Watto runs a pawn store in Mos Espa was a Shylock derivative (and happens to have a giant hooked nose, beard, kippah, and a vaguely Yiddish accent).

Of course, they also had the Neimoidians --- the greedy, treacherous, race who ran the Trade Federation -- who were Japanese down to having trouble with "r"s.

And whatever Jar-Jar Binks was.

[Chiquitita]

13. I noticed the Star Wars caricature

So cheap and uninspired. Great post.

[Skinner]

2. This is the first time I have heard this.

I had to google it to find out that you were talking about. Apparently it's a phrase from "The Merchant of Venice," which is anti-Semitic.

The phrase is so widely used, and without any reference to its origin, that I suspect most people are not aware of the phrase's origin. I know I wasn't until now.

[Bonobo]

3. Jews know it mostly.

I am surprised you did not, as a well-read person.

It is offensive. Like saying "I jewed him down", etc.

[Skinner]

4. I've never read or seen the Merchant of Venice.

I was totally unaware.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. It's very common knowledge really. I thought that OP was being very nasty

considering part of the controversy involves emails about Sanders faith. I was taught that play in High School, not even university.

[Bonobo]

6. Same here. We read it in AP English in HS. nt

[Bluenorthwest]

7. It's also part of an ongoing theme on DU that seems to be invisible to most people

that has bothered me intensely for some time.

[RandySF]

8. And I suspect 99% of the public would not know what you're talking about

This is the first time I heard of that.

[Bonobo]

9. I'm glad that you have learned something here and

I can only hope that you care enough to let others know after you remove your own postings if you have any.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. That's a sad state of miseducation if it is the case. To be unaware of classic works while

still affecting to quote them is a hell of a thing. In reality, The Merchant of Venice is among the top ten Shakespeare works taught in High Schools....it's #8

Romeo and Juliet.
Hamlet.
Julius Caesar.
Macbeth
A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Othello.
Taming of the Shrew.
The Merchant of Venice.

After Hamlet it is the most produced of his plays. In 2004 there was a filmed version starring Al Pacino.....

[Chiquitita]

14. I wonder if we should quit requiring

'Classics' like MoV?

[Behind the Aegis]

10. Tis often the role of the minority to teach the majority.

Though, there are often those who know exactly what it is and use it for a specific reason. The other day, another poster made a comment about a Jew "getting his two shekels worth." And who can forget the classic, Biblically classic even, "he gets his 30 pieces of Ag (silver)."