I've stayed away from this thread so far. I felt I said most of what I could on this issue in these threads..
http://www.thefightingcock.co.uk/forum/threads/yid-chanting.1944/
http://www.thefightingcock.co.uk/forum/threads/yid-chanting-part-2-new-poll.1955/page-6#post-66352
I'm Jewish on my mother's side. I consider myself an ethnic Jew rather than a religious one. My maternal grandfather and his parents came to the UK before WWII. Other family left behind ended up the Nazi death camps. Back then Jews were seen by many British gentiles as an undesirable immigrant class, much the same was as many immigrant groups today are unfairly regarded as such in an era where immigration is a hot topic. Yid was a frequently used slur during the 20s to 60s, and, to a lesser degree, thereafter. As such my other was brought up to regard it as a slur, and, subsequently so was I. At 35, perhaps I am the last connection to that generation of Jews as I find that Jews in their mid twenties or younger are predominantly those who do not have a problem with Yid chanting. It's akin to young blacks who use "nigger" as a friendly label. Their use of it may not be with the intent to offend their friend, but should that be a good enough reason for older blacks, who don't like it, to have to tolerate it? The fact is that there are still plenty of Jews, and we are talking thousands, not one or two, and non-Jews alike, who still regard it as a racial slur. By using the word the capacity exists to cause pain and make people uncomfortable.
Hell, I've been going to the Lane for 17 years and there not a match gone by where it doesn't make my feel uncomfortable. It makes my feel uncomfortbale for three reasons. Firstly for the obvious reason of it being a racial slur, secondly because I feel that through my silent toleration of it and continued attendance at WHL further legitimises it, and lastly, conversely, that I am not being included in the full fan experience because of my reluctance to chant the word "yid".
I also agree with the other debate in this thread, namely the club's actual link to Judaism. Historically our Jewish support is no more or less than Woolwich's. Levy and Sugar aside, there hasn't been a huge host of prominant Jews in the club's history, the club wasn't founded by Jews and when the club was founded Tottenham was not an area for immigrant communities, but rather was a suburban village for the afluent. The idea that the club has some sort of grand Jewish heritage is, frankly, nonsense. Little snippets of history, such as the day in 1935 when the Swastika flew over White Hart Lane despite Jews being systematically attacked in Nazi Germany at the time, are conveniently ignored over this fabled Jewish link. But how many fans who robustly tell us that the are showing solidarity with the Jews can actually tell us what the link is, beyond the fact that North London historically had Jewish residents, hence Jews being fans of Spurs and Woolwich? There is no other link.
Ultimately, while a sizeable chunk of Jews (and non-Jews) still find it an offensive racial slur then that is what it remains. People can blab on about not "intending" to be racist, but that doesn't stop those who consider it such being made to feel uncomfortable. The notion that the word has been reclaimed is also total bullshit. Non Jewish fans showing solidarity with us Red Sea pedestrians, eh? How nice. Fact is that if there were no Jews left in the UK tomorrow they likely wouldn't care a shit. Not going to impact their lives in any way.
The ultimate truth of the Yid debate is that many fans are used to singing it. They regard it as being part of what it is to be a Spurs fan in much the same way as the other hallmarks of the club support. It gives them a sense of identity and belonging, and because of that they do not want to entertain the notion of it being offensive it is it, quite literally, an inconvenient truth. Take it away and the sense of belonging is reduced. Far easier to bury one's head in the sand to it and offer stock excuses when challenged.
