Thank You Erin

[roxyruby]

Hi Erin,

I just wanted to say Thank you.

A while back I was all worried and depressed about lack of money on this forum and you replied and made suggestions about getting a job.

What you said moved me...maybe it was your kindness and gentleness, and now I am doing a "job" I love, Dog Minding, which improved things financially.

Thank-you. *gives Erin some flowers*

[Erin Pavlina]

Awww, thanks Roxy, I'm glad to hear things are moving in a positive direction for you

[Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi]

You sound like you're moving in a very positive direction, I'm happy for you. Keep up the good work!

[elucidate]

That's awesome.

Hope you get lots of business.

I found it a little slow when I advertised to be a dog walker/minder/washer...but then, I did target the jewish community, and they like to stick to their own for this sort of thing. As rich as they are, they can also be very ...ahem..."frugal", some of them


Good luck with it. It sounds right up your alley.

[relaXman]

what a wondefull news roxy
congratulations ;

[JSB]

Originally Posted by elucidate

...I did target the jewish community, and they like to stick to their own for this sort of thing. As rich as they are, they can also be very ...ahem..."frugal", some of them

Charming post.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by JSB

Charming post.

I take it you found that offensive in some way?

Interesting. We are actually talking about a money making venture, that is also something that is helpful for people who love animals. No point going to suburbs full of poor people struggling to make needs meet...they won't be spending on luxuries like letting someone walk their dog, will they?

I was trying to be light-hearted about my own experience with dog minding, not charming(;, (which was suggested to me by my jewish boyfriend at the time, to hand out flyers in the mainly jewish populated suburbs where I live) and share that with roxy ruby. Is there something wrong with that?

That was actually my experience at the time. Sorry you didn't find it to your taste.

Ya can't please everyone, I learnt that a long time ago!

[JSB]

You do know Erin's Jewish, right?

Did walking the dogs in Black neighborhoods not pan out because they didn't tip well? Perhaps in the Chinese neighborhoods they just ate the dogs?

Originally Posted by elucidate

I take it you found that offensive in some way?

Interesting. We are actually talking about a money making venture, that is also something that is helpful for people who love animals. No point going to suburbs full of poor people struggling to make needs meet...they won't be spending on luxuries like letting someone walk their dog, will they?

I was trying to be light-hearted about my own experience with dog minding, not charming(;, (which was suggested to me by my jewish boyfriend at the time, to hand out flyers in the mainly jewish populated suburbs where I live) and share that with roxy ruby. Is there something wrong with that?

That was actually my experience at the time. Sorry you didn't find it to your taste.

Ya can't please everyone, I learnt that a long time ago!

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by JSB

You do know Erin's Jewish, right?

Did walking the dogs in Black neighborhoods not pan out because they didn't tip well? Perhaps in the Chinese neighborhoods they just ate the dogs?

Actually, I had no idea that Erin was Jewish.

Do you know if my comment offended her?

I actually know an Indonesian family from my home town who ate their dog because they had no money for meat that week.

I also know several Maltese people (me being one of them) who are prone to paranoia.

Stereotypes exist for a reason...because some factions of every group behave in a way that is stereotypical!

Did I say that Erin herself is "jewish" with her money? No! If you'd prefer that I be more well-rounded though, I could say that many very wealthy people, of all different nationalities are very tight with their money...and I've known plenty of them. Others can be extraordinarily generous with their money.

My jewish boyfriend and I used to laugh about it all the time, when I'd call him jewish for not wanting to spend $10 on a cab and would make me go halves in buying gifts for me

Some people have a sense of humor about these things, and other people are more easily offended!

If Erin is offended by what I said, then I am sorry, but I find it amusing that I've been chastised on this forum twice now by NON-jewish people for saying things THEY TOOK to be offensive.

I also use the F word around people with weight issues...and guess what, so far they have all verbally expressed that they appreciated and respected me for using the word 'fat'...and all the skinny people tell me off for it! Go figure?

[JSB]

I haven't the faintest idea if Erin is offended or not. I personally thought it was rude, but I can only speak for myself.

It seems to me that posting "cheap Jew" cracks on the forum is like farting in an elevator. It may just be a harmless "in joke" amongst friends, but other people exposed to it don't know the context, and may not want to be part of the joke even if they did.

I'm all for free speech, and if people want to joke about "cheap Jews" or "drunk Indians" or "dumb Blacks" or whatever, they have the right to, but if they do it in public and I'm exposed to it, I have the right to comment on it.

Originally Posted by elucidate

Actually, I had no idea that Erin was Jewish.

Do you know if my comment offended her?

I actually know an Indonesian family from my home town who ate their dog because they had no money for meat that week.

I also know several Maltese people (me being one of them) who are prone to paranoia.

Stereotypes exist for a reason...because some factions of every group behave in a way that is stereotypical!

Did I say that Erin herself is "jewish" with her money? No! If you'd prefer that I be more well-rounded though, I could say that many very wealthy people, of all different nationalities are very tight with their money...and I've known plenty of them. Others can be extraordinarily generous with their money.

My jewish boyfriend and I used to laugh about it all the time, when I'd call him jewish for not wanting to spend $10 on a cab and would make me go halves in buying gifts for me

Some people have a sense of humor about these things, and other people are more easily offended!

If Erin is offended by what I said, then I am sorry, but I find it amusing that I've been chastised on this forum twice now by NON-jewish people for saying things THEY TOOK to be offensive.

I also use the F word around people with weight issues...and guess what, so far they have all verbally expressed that they appreciated and respected me for using the word 'fat'...and all the skinny people tell me off for it! Go figure?

[gingerbaker]

Originally Posted by JSB

It seems to me that posting "cheap Jew" cracks on the forum is like farting in an elevator. It may just be a harmless "in joke" amongst friends, but other people exposed to it don't know the context, and may not want to be part of the joke even if they did.

I got more the impression from elucidate's original post ("they like to stick to their own for that sort of thing") that her comment was more that they are an insular community versus cheap per se. I don't know the context of her experience, but certainly my own experience within the Hasidic community in Crown Heights is that this can be true. Not that they are against hiring others - simply that if there is a friend's brother's cousin who does that type of work, they will pass it that way instead. :shrugs: Personally, I find nothing wrong with that.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by gingerbaker

I got more the impression from elucidate's original post ("they like to stick to their own for that sort of thing") that her comment was more that they are an insular community versus cheap per se. I don't know the context of her experience, but certainly my own experience within the Hasidic community in Crown Heights is that this can be true. Not that they are against hiring others - simply that if there is a friend's brother's cousin who does that type of work, they will pass it that way instead. :shrugs: Personally, I find nothing wrong with that.

It seems like you got what I was trying to say gingerbaker.

I guess I didn't take into acount that others would not get the context of what I was relaying, and you are certainly free to think whatever you want JSB, that I am rude...whatever...I was just sharing an experience I had with Roxyruby and didn't even consider it a "wise crack" about jews being cheap, in reality, it wasn't, just a shared experience, and it was ONE post, it's not like I go around making fun of jewish people for a hobby

...that was how you took it and it seems like some people here are prone to taking everything as an offensive statement.

Political correctness can be taken too far if you ask me. But hey...you're entitled to your opinion. I don't personally think I was being rude, but I can see how someone who gets offended easily by statements about cultural norms within certain groups, would jump to that conclusion.

[Weena]

Jews can laugh at themselves very well (Larry David), just as Australians laugh at themselves beautifully (Kath & Kim)... I myself decided that after my citizenship ceremony I will do an impersonation of white trash Aussie yummy mummy just for the fun and getting into the spirit of it all. And I think Australian Elucidate won't be offended in the least when she sees me doing that. Oi!

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Weena

Jews can laugh at themselves very well (Larry David), just as Australians laugh at themselves beautifully (Kath & Kim)... I myself decided that after my citizenship ceremony I will do an impersonation of white trash Aussie yummy mummy just for the fun and getting into the spirit of it all. And I think Australian Elucidate won't be offended in the least when she sees me doing that. Oi!

I will definately be laughing along with you for that one my dear.

I might wear a tin foil hat and be the paranoid Maltese person who is insensitive to racial stereotypes

[danas]

Originally Posted by elucidate

If Erin is offended by what I said, then I am sorry, but I find it amusing that I've been chastised on this forum twice now by NON-jewish people for saying things THEY TOOK to be offensive.

Well I am Jewish, and I wasnt really offended but I did roll my eyes at that comment.
I didnt expect that kind of comment from you.
Made me think of you being ignorant, rather then me being offended...
(JSB thanks I would never have commented on this)

Originally Posted by elucidate

Stereotypes exist for a reason...

I know better then to believe stereotypes. Black ppl are dirty- was that once commonly believed stereotype true? French ppl dont wash, Americans are stupid, Germans are nazis, arabs are terrorists...
Nope there is no truth in any of those commonly believed stereotypes.

I had an European friend visiting me in NY. The first days she didnt stop talking about how stupid Americans are Until I told her to shut up already!
Many Europeans that never visited America think that Americans are just plain stupid.

A person can belong to any kind of religion, country or have any color skin, and this will not determine their personality in anyway.

BTW I didnt even know that Jews were considered cheap.
And non of my Jewish friends are rich at all, they are mostly artists struggling to survive working in a few jobs.
I have more rich non Jewish friends then Jewish ones.
Ive experienced Jewish people to be very generous not only with me bc Im Jewish, but in general. but I wouldn't stereotype jewish ppl as generous either though.
They are smart, stupid, rich , poor, honest, criminals just like everyone else.

Its different to observe the Hasidic community in Crown Heights as having certain customs, as gingerbaker did.
But I think that theres a difference between that and generalizing a whole religion.

[elucidate]

Did you notice that I said that THOSE people, that I experienced in that particular community were like that?

I didn't say ALL jewish people are like that, and I also rounded the statement by saying that I've met a lot of people who are rich and miserly and a lot who are generous....so I wasn't generalizing at all.

I don't believe that ALL jewish people are cheap, or that ALL black people are poor or that ALL americans are stupid. I know some highly intelligent americans...some of whom are on this forum. But SOME people do behave in stereotypical ways...and this is what I was trying to say.

Sorry if you took it that way, but that has been my experience.

I am just as capable of the next person of being ignorant though, I don't deny that, I just don't think I was being ignorant in this case, I was saying how it was for me in that particular suburb. I also mentioned my jewish boyfriend who made me pay half for a gift he bought me.

Anyway, I was only saying congrats to Roxy ruby for her breakthrough, and I can't even do that without getting told I'm ignorant and rude! That's life.

[danas]

Originally Posted by elucidate

I also mentioned my jewish boyfriend who made me pay half for a gift he bought me.

you see the problem is that you make a connection between the fact that he made you pay half the gift and the fact that he's Jewish.
There is no connection.
Just like there is no connection between the fact that Steve has blue eyes and that he was a shoplifter.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by danas

you see the problem is that you make a connection between the fact that he made you pay half the gift and the fact that he's Jewish.
There is no connection.
Just like there is no connection between the fact that Steve has blue eyes and that he was a shoplifter.

Yes...and we both LAUGHED about it!

I didn't see him as a "cheap jew"...I saw him as cheap. He behaved like the stereotypical jew that day, which you have said you have never heard about, but I have heard it a LOT in my life.

And for the record, I never even said that jews are cheap to start with. That was JSB's interpretation. I was mainly referring to the people ion that particular suburb being rich and frugal with their money, which they WERE...it had nothing to do with them being jewish, though they all happened to be jewish!

In any case, it's obvious you have both made up your minds, and I am insensitive, rude and ignorant...I can live with that. Thankyou for pointing these aspects out to me. I wonder where you are ignorant and rude?

[James Fletcher]

It's funny I never really think about Jewish communities living in Australia. (Note to PC police: I don't mean funny as in ha ha, Jews are funny.)

In Brisbane there is one synagogue that I know of in the city, but I just googled and found chabadbrisbane.com. Hey, the more you know.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by James Fletcher

It's funny I never really think about Jewish communities living in Australia. (Note to PC police: I don't mean funny as in ha ha, Jews are funny.)

In Brisbane there is one synagogue that I know of in the city, but I just googled and found chabadbrisbane.com. Hey, the more you know.

Yes, I called them up one time to arrange to visit as I had an impulse to see inside a synagogue. It was a huge deal, and they wouldn't let me without an armed escort and a full security search! They take it very seriously...and with good reason.

It didn't help that my last name is maltese, which derives from the Arab empire

[danas]

Originally Posted by elucidate

In any case, it's obvious you have both made up your minds, and I am insensitive, rude and ignorant...I can live with that.

Sorry if I came across harsh. I dont think badly of you, but I think its important to watch your words and thoughts when you generalize like that.

Any kind of stereotype stirs up something in me, and I always stand up against it, bc its always far from the truth to generalize like that.

Its like I would write here dead seriously "I met some blond women, but obviously they didnt get what I meant because, they can also be very ...ahem..."dumb", some of them"
(to quote the ending of your sentence)

And then adding- that there is truth in all stereotypes.

Im sure youre bf laughed with you, Id probably do the same, but Im sure he didnt like it and was even hurt.
Just like Im sure you wouldnt like your bf to say you are a dumb blond if you dont understand something.

People will always continue to use stereotypes. I am not going to change that, but often I will just speak my truth about that, because its these things which give the illusion that we are separate, which at the end of the day doesnt add much love to the world.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by danas

Sorry if I came across harsh. I dont think badly of you, but I think its important to watch your words and thoughts when you generalize like that.

I didn't generalize. If you read over what I did say I'm sure you will see that I was speaking about the people I dealt with in that suburb...as I've said two times already! I'm sick of people not reading what I said. It's literally happening nearly every day that I come here.

And then adding- that there is truth in all stereotypes.

I didn't say that, you put words into my mouth! I said there is a reason stereotypes exist...and that's because SOME people...not all, but SOME (as I said about 4 times) DO act that way, as with the african american overweight cop I saw when I arrived at LAX for the first time scoffing down a jelly doughnut...and for the family of a friend of my brothers who are Indonesian and ate their own dog because they had no money for meat that week.

Im sure youre bf laughed with you, Id probably do the same, but Im sure he didnt like it and was even hurt.

You're sure of that...even though you don't know him at all...wow! From memory HE's the one who said it!

Just like Im sure you wouldnt like your bf to say you are a dumb blond if you dont understand something.

No, I didn't! I didn't laugh along with it though I spoke up and said I didn't like it and can he stop! My boyfriend didn't give any impression at all that he was hurt, and seemed to take it the way it was meant. Maybe he was hurt but not saying anything to me if he was didn't help me to learn that it hurt him...if it did, and you're assuming it did!

People will always continue to use stereotypes. I am not going to change that, but often I will just speak my truth about that, because its these things which give the illusion that we are separate, which at the end of the day doesnt add much love to the world.

You're free to speak your truth of course, just make sure you get the facts straight!

[Federer]

Hello Dear Erin,

Lots of love and peace to you. Because i follow your blog, try to understand concepts which are made simple to understand and it is the job done by you. Whoah! Awesome Person.

*Gratitude*

[JoePike]

Erin comes from a Jewish family...but she and the kids have a Christmas tree up (as can be seen on Facebook). She is highly spiritual of course, but not religious at all.

I too would like to thank Erin for all of her life changing articles over the last couple of years. Erin...you rock!

[Erin Pavlina]

Thanks ya'll.