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Oxford Students Throw Party With 'Fit Jews'
November 14, 2008 12:22 PM
By AMMU KANNAMPILLY, ABC News London
Oxford University is in the news this week but for all the wrong reasons.
The controversy? The university’s under-21 rugby team reportedly threw a party with the theme “Bring a Fit Jew.”
Partygoers reportedly caricatured Orthodox Jews -- attaching side locks to their heads and carrying bags of money –- at the event, which was reportedly held Wednesday at a South Asian restaurant.
News of the party plans leaked out before the event took place.
In an interview with ABC News, Aaron Katchen, the university’s Jewish chaplain, said he began working with the Oxford University Student Union to have the party canceled about 10 days before the party.
“OUSU [the Oxford University Student Union] was in touch with the director of Rugby, and we were assured that the party was not going ahead with the original theme,” Katchen said.
“Then, on Wednesday night, we were informed that that was not the case, when I was contacted by people who had witnessed it. But whether the official theme of the party stayed the same, or whether it was just a few students who decided to turn up in costume, it’s unclear.”
Katchen said that a number of “quite upset” students –- Jewish and non-Jewish –- had called him to complain about the party.
After the uproar over the party appeared in the student press, the university opened an investigation into the matter.
In a statement released to ABC News, the university said it was “currently investigating a report about inappropriate behavior by two or three students. We cannot comment on the case as we are yet to establish the facts. However, the university condemns unreservedly racial stereotyping.”
Phil Boon, the captain of the under-21 team, told reporters that he “didn't see what the problem was.” He said that Jewish girls had accepted invites to the party. “I can understand why it might have offended some people, but it would have been an awesome social,” he said.
The apparent absence of any remorse is suggestive of what Katchen describes as the “general insensitivity to the Other in the U.K.”
“Obviously no country is immune to racism, but compared to the U.S. and Canada, I find it to be more overt here,” he said.
There may be some truth to that sentiment: News of this party comes only a month after Britain’s University of Gloucestershire hit the headlines for a Nazi-style student initiation ceremony that was caught on tape.
And, in January 2005, Prince Harry ran into rough weather when the U.K. tabloid The Sun published pictures of him wearing a German uniform and a swastika armband to a fancy dress party.
The prince apologized for his “poor choice of costume.” As this latest flap shows, though, it may be some time before we hear the last of such parties.
Read more blogs from Ammu Kannampilly
November 14, 2008 in Ammu Kannampilly | Permalink | User Comments (93)
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Who cares, jews seem to be the sissiest and the most whiny group of people. What someone cant dress up as a jew without the jews throwing a huge fit? If you dont like it go back to your country you dumb jews! Oh wait, thats right, noone wants you so you really have no country :x
Posted by: Banned from ABC 39 times | Nov 14, 2008 12:45:46 PM
Either UK's best and brightest are truly dumb as they look, or maybe there is something brilliant and winning about racism.
Posted by: Obamasourman | Nov 14, 2008 12:52:57 PM
I went to Oxford and I salute them for doing what they want, not imposing a cost on anyone and exercising some freedom of expression in a world that seems hell bent on arresting that very thing. Is there anyone you can make fun of anymore? You remember what a sense of humor is right? I guess just the white males are politically correct to make fun of. Pathetic.
Posted by: Don | Nov 14, 2008 12:59:18 PM
Jewish people do not have a country because Judaism is a religion and not a nationality, you IDIOT.
Posted by: CaffeineHat | Nov 14, 2008 1:10:05 PM
It's easy to ridicule and make fun of a minority, which is no threat to you. This has been true throughout history.
The Oxford students have nothing better to do with their time, I guess. Why not spend the time dealing with tolerance and human understanding. They need to take sensitivity classes, then go back and have a party making fun of themselves! Now, that would be fairly easy to do, as they can make fun of their own prejudices and discriminatory practices.
Posted by: Joe | Nov 14, 2008 1:10:06 PM
Minority protection laws are necessary and America is the clearest example of why such laws are necessary.
Whites will need such laws in this country soon because in 50 years whites will be a minority too.
So it in the interest of whites that these laws be preserved.
Just ask the Republicans.
Do you remember when they wanted to kill all filibuster rules in the Senate?
It did not take long before they became a minority.
Lucky Republicans, they would be gnashing their teeth now if the rule killers prevailed.
So be careful what you wish for.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | Nov 14, 2008 1:14:24 PM
Perpetuating negative racial stereotypes and promoting narrow-minded thinking as entertainment has been around a long time and it is still wrong. To the jerk who called the protesting students "whiners" and "sissies" - imagine the furor had the party been about African American stereotypes and realize that it's not right ever. Besides that, think before you comment - judaism is a religion, not an ethnic group or nationality.
Posted by: Becca | Nov 14, 2008 1:15:16 PM
OBAMASOURMAN, you're gonna be a sourman all the rest of your life, because no one should be made fun of.....how about making fun of yourself... You're pathetic, and so is Don. you both are! It's just disgusting and i'm glad people are changing from people like you.
Posted by: CAL | Nov 14, 2008 1:15:47 PM
Wow! "Banned from ABC 39 times", your jealousy of a nation's ability to successfully integrate and benefit "your" country is palpable. I'm sure there's an ancient bible somewhere proclaiming the U.S. "Land of the Christians." Actually, that apparently wouldn't be good enough. Your hate filled comment justifies the Jews' need to actively protest even "minor" antisemitism, as if left unchecked, it can quickly degrade into major antisemitism, like yours.
Posted by: bogo | Nov 14, 2008 1:15:49 PM
Not very creative and not politically or morally correct. Hopefully, this will be the last of the attempts to poke fun at the jews who have not hurt anyone and don't deserve to be singled out for such treatment in this age. The least the Oxford University should do is to send the students to Aushwitz to tour the death camps and receive training on Jewish history and the unfairness of being anti-Jew.
Posted by: gjkotw01 | Nov 14, 2008 1:19:12 PM
Banned from ABC: Don't kid yourself, you weren't banned because you're racist. You were banned because you're too dumb to be called human.
To those who claim themselves to be Christians and mouth this type of drivel: you're insulting your own Lord: Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi.
Posted by: miumiu48 | Nov 14, 2008 1:23:08 PM
Actually true Jews consider themselves as a group of people, that happen to follow Judaism. A TRUE jew is someone whos mother is 100% jewish, regardless of where they were born or what the father is. Real jews do not consider converts to be real jews. So, since religion is not passed on through blood i guess that makes y'all retards wrong :D
This was explained to me by multiple "real" jews.
And like I said, who cares if they were making fun of jews. Black, arabs, christians, muslims, buddists, asians, canadians, they ALL GET MADE FUN OF AND HARDLY ANYONE COMPLAINS. But if a jew is made fun of, all the jews cry.
waaa...the holocaust...waaa...6 million of us walked to our deaths without fighting...waaa waaa waaa
Posted by: Banned from ABC 39 times | Nov 14, 2008 1:27:21 PM
Sure, it's funny when you are not the brunt of the "joke". Bunch of neo-Nazi bullies is what these punks are. And Jews are not "dumb" by any means. They are some of the most brilliant scientists, doctors, musicians, writers, professors and thinkers on this planet. Get a grip, you psycho rascists.
Posted by: geecee | Nov 14, 2008 1:28:19 PM
Sure, it's funny when you are not the brunt of the "joke". Bunch of neo-Nazi bullies is what these punks are. And Jews are not "dumb" by any means. They are some of the most brilliant scientists, doctors, musicians, writers, professors and thinkers on this planet. Get a grip, you psycho rascists.
Posted by: geecee | Nov 14, 2008 1:28:20 PM
People shouldn't judge this story based on US standards. Racism and intercultural relationships in Europe are treated completely differently than in the US. People are more open about culture differences and get less offended when people point out those differences. The party certainly does not sound malicious, just like a "Fit Frenchman" party where people dress like stereotypical french people or something would be. Its just supposed to be fun. The only reason people are getting upset about this is because they are interpreting it as meanness and I'm sure the college students are just looking for a creative way to have a good time. People relax, and don't judge what people in foreign countries do according to US social standards because the social environment in Britain is totally different.
Posted by: Frances | Nov 14, 2008 1:28:28 PM
Yea, and guess who killed Jesus? THE JEWS DID!
Posted by: Banned from ABC 39 times | Nov 14, 2008 1:28:54 PM
Say what you want "Banned from ABC 39 times"... We Jews are a strong and proud people that have suffered for millennia. Just remember that every empire and nation that has espoused the same type of backwards, hateful thinking and speech that you posted above has ultimately fallen while we (the Jewish people) have stood the test of time. The Babylonians.. the ancient Egyptians.. the Romans.. the Greeks.. the Philistines.. the Nazis.. and others.. None of those peoples are in existence anymore, because there was no tradition of love, respect, justice, or forward thinking at their cores unlike within Judaism.
Posted by: Eric | Nov 14, 2008 1:29:03 PM
...And geecee and gjkotz01... who said that just because you dress up like a Jew means that you are anti-Jew? That doesn't make any sense. People dressed up like John McCain and Barack Obama for Halloween and that doesn't mean that they hate them. Stop taking everything so seriously. People are so uptight.
Posted by: Frances | Nov 14, 2008 1:31:10 PM
Why are some speaking badly about the Jews? People go nuts if you do anything to upset a black person. Jews have been treated badly for thousands of years. They have had there land taking away, been slaves, & almost taking off the face of the earth. People need to be respectful no matter the color, religion, nation.
Posted by: Cindy | Nov 14, 2008 1:31:15 PM
I think that there is a difference between hate filled speech, crimes against minorities, intolerable actions from Racist views and being a stupid 20 year old kid partying. Yes it is very distasteful, but to jump to the conclusion that is a small act of antisemiticism that can only fuel that on a larger scale is a bit of a reach. It is true that the only people that it's acceptable to laugh at is Caucasions. As one I don't care about nor do I make assumptions that it will lead to the desecration of the white man. Some of you on either side are a little extreme and thin skinned.
Posted by: Honky | Nov 14, 2008 1:32:36 PM
Eric, so the Christians and Muslims in the world haven't withstood the "test of time"? You "jews" are weak. Millions of you stood and walked in a single file line to your possible deaths, with NO RESISTANCE. What? Are you serious? If this happened to any other group of people with a brain, they would've at least died fighting.
Posted by: Banned from ABC 39 times | Nov 14, 2008 1:33:18 PM
I would rather a Bring a " fit dentist" Party in which the British could fix their god awful teeth.
Posted by: Gregg | Nov 14, 2008 1:34:07 PM
Religion is not race. Making fun of someone because he/she is genetically of a particular race is racism. Making fun of a religious belief is NOT racism. Religious belief is not, and should not, be protected from criticism.
Posted by: D.B. | Nov 14, 2008 1:34:17 PM
Although I strongly disagree with most of "Banned by ABC 39 times"'s obnoxious comments, I have to say that in my experience (I'm from NYC), I've observed the following to have some truth:
"Black, arabs, christians, muslims, buddists, asians, canadians, they ALL GET MADE FUN OF AND HARDLY ANYONE COMPLAINS. But if a jew is made fun of, all the jews cry."
Posted by: Frances | Nov 14, 2008 1:35:37 PM
Banned from ABC....Not the Jews & not the Romans...the might have done the deed, but...Every person who ever sinned killed my savior Jesus. Thats why He died for our sins. He is Gods own Son, if He wasn't willing to die, He wouldn't have.
Posted by: Cindy | Nov 14, 2008 1:35:55 PM
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