JAP.
We’ve all heard it. We’ve all used it. Now it is due time for us to talk about it.
Urban Dictionary, the no-holds-barred website that defines everyday slang explains "Jewish American Princess" as “a female of Jewish decent who tends to be described by society as being highly spoiled, whiny, ungrateful, high maintenance, and nag constantly.” Okay, so a JAP is basically just a wealthy, unappreciative female. By tagging Jewishness in this definition, people continue to perpetuate the stereotype that Jewish people are greedy and money-hungry. This stereotype only exists because in the Middle Ages Christians believed it immoral to commit usury and only allowed Jewish people to become money lenders. As a result, Jewish people have relatively substantial power in the banking industry today and are unfairly discriminated against for it.
Why is this expression considered ok to use? As a generation who seems to be increasingly aware of their words, why are we still so willing to take a crack at Jewish women? You would never refer to a spoiled Christian woman as a CAP; a spoiled Christian woman is just a spoiled woman. Why don’t we call the term JAP exactly what it is? An Anti-Semitic slur. And like all Anti-Semitism, hostility to or prejudice against Jewish people, it is cruel, unrelenting, and mostly invisible to the world. Many people act like the Holocaust was the beginning and ending of Anti-Semitism. However, Anti-Semitic sentiments existed long before the Holocaust and its reverberations linger today. It only took me a few minutes to find countless examples of recent Anti-Semitic vandalism and hate inspired assaults. Another quick search will show you conspiracy theories about Jewish people as well as holocaust denials. Yet none of these stories grasp national attention or a movement, leaving people to genuinely believe that Anti-Semitism is no longer a problem. Anti-Semitism is very real, it is very damaging, and it is happening right now.
Although we may have little power to eradicate Anti-Semitism completely, we can work to inform and reduce stereotypes. So if you want to call someone out for being a spoiled brat, be my guest. Hell, call me out for being spoiled and ungrateful. Just keep my Jewishness out of it.
