I love 'em both and I am probably both but I can laugh and I found out that a small minority can't. That is sad.

My reference to "Jew him down to no avail" was so far from a racial slur that I am at a loss to even comphrehend it. I know I will get called ignorant, insensitive, anti-semite, and a whole host of other things. To me that is sadder yet.

The community I grew up in had a number of Jewish businessmen. Highly successful and respected. Pillars of the community. This is the upper midwest and the phrase was used by them as well as everyone else. There was nothing derogatory about it. Just meant bargaining for the best deal possible. This had nothing to do with the atrocities of the Holocaust.

We all have proud heritages. This is America and believe it or not 99% of us are not true Americans. You want to see atrocities, go to most Indian reservations and see the true Americans. All of our forefathers came from a foreign land looking for a better place. They found it here. Mine came from Norway and Denmark.

Sure, we can laugh and we have fun doing it. Just because History may have dealt some a nasty blow it is no reason to get stirred up when a nationality is mentioned in a very common phrase. It is not meant to hurt or offend. If it can't be accepted as that by some, well, your feelings are respected. You are entitled to your interpretation and perception of that phrase.

So, take a look at what us Norweigians laugh at and hang on to your sides. We can laugh at ourselves and are DAMN PROUD OF IT...

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/2724/pgrated.html

(Hopefully, nobody will be offended because "Tokyo and Pagoda" are in the address)