Article: Coming Clean

imasoftov

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 8:19 am

This article, from The Voice of Chicago magazine, was posted (just like this) in the Facebook group Orthodox Jews Against Discrimination and Racism. I'm posting it here because domestic help is a frequently discussed topic here, too.

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 8:46 am

amother wrote:

I can relate
Cleaning help does force one to learn assertiveness

Yes, any time you hire someone you have to set standards.

But the racism!!!! Maybe it's just a really ill-advised Purim column? Or are there people who speak to and about their cleaning help like this?

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 8:52 am

amother wrote:

So explain this to me - which part of the article was racist? Point out the sentences please.

BTW, I don't agree with the author. Sometimes you have to put up with subpar work because... that's just life.

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:00 am

amother wrote:

She regrets not being able to stand up for herself "even to two Hispanic cleaning ladies." Um, Hispanic women are somehow less deserving of respect than other people? Standing up to them should be easier?

And the pidgin English throughout is deeply offensive.

Imagine an article by someone who's frustrated with his shyster Jewish accountant: So Yankel/Chaim/Shmuel pulls at his unkempt beard and says, "Nu, you really vant I should tell the government how much money you're making? In cesh?"

I'd find that anti-Semitic, wouldn't you?

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:04 am

amother wrote:

Well, they SPEAK pidgin English, she was just transcribing it accurately.

And I think she meant "I can't stand up to CLEANING LADIES?" The Hispanic part is just a descriptive. Cleaning ladies are considered lower on the totem pole in anyone's social ladder.

Well, naturally non-Jews have negative descriptives towards other races, you actually thought otherwise?

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:07 am

amother wrote:

The Hispanic part is an unnecessary descriptive. That's why it's racist. And of course there are non-jewish racists out there. So what?

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:11 am

amother wrote:

The Hispanic part is an unnecessary descriptive. That's why it's racist. And of course there are non-jewish racists out there. So what?

Why is it unnecessary descriptive? They were obviously Hispanic. She was just using a descriptive term. When you write, you can say " I picked up a plate", or you can say "I picked up a patterned blue and white plate with gilt edgings". Which sentence is better writing?

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:15 am

amother wrote:

People aren't plates.
"My mechanic overcharged me" isn't the same as 'My Jewish mechanic overcharged me," is it?

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:20 am

amother wrote:

People aren't plates.
"My mechanic overcharged me" isn't the same as 'My Jewish mechanic overcharged me," is it?

My Jewish mechanic worked on my car. What's the big deal?

She wasn't negative towards all Hispanics, she was just being descriptive as to the story how it happened.

"The big burly blond haired mechanic worked in my car". Is that a stereotype that all mechanics are big, burly, and blond?

I didn't see that she was being negative about Hispanics, just relating her experiences. Which actually happened. How is that a stereotype?

PinkFridge

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:21 am

amother wrote:

I haven't read the article, so I don't know the give and take, but what does she mean by can't stand up to cleaning ladies? Is she saying that she's so meek that she can't even stand up to her help?
I hope that however she stands up to them, she does so treating them with the dignity that everyone deserves. I don't get regular cleaning help but when I do, I treat them as partners in helping me pull of running my home.

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:23 am

amother wrote:

Imagine an article by someone who's frustrated with his shyster Jewish accountant: So Yankel/Chaim/Shmuel pulls at his unkempt beard and says, "Nu, you really vant I should tell the government how much money you're making? In cesh?"

I'd find that anti-Semitic, wouldn't you?

Yes, because it's obviously a made up story. I find made up stories that put certain races in a negative light offensive. Real stories that actually happened... are just real stories. Actual facts. No stereotypes in real, actual stories.

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:25 am

PinkFridge wrote:

She was actually treating them with way too much dignity, which was the point of the story.

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Feb 17 2019, 9:27 am

amother wrote:

If you can't see why this article is whiny, offensive, and heavily racist, then you really need to check your privilege.

No, you have to explain it clearly to the unenlightened, such as myself.

Think of what a big mitzvah you're doing! Imagine if you can actually get us to change how we think and speak, imagine how amazing that would be!