Israel Silverman wrote:
As for the claims that "joo" can mean "you",
I would like someone to explain why anyone
would choose the letter "j" when the sound
for "y" is intended. I can see "joo" for "zoo",
because the sound matches, but it simply
doesn't fit to use a "j" where "yue" is the
intended sound. Are teenagers *that* dumb?

I have heard "joo" used in oral conversation years ago to mean "you."

I still think it's unlikely in this context.

I remember growing up in Northern Jersey the local accent would frequently
prounce "you" as "joo" most noticible after "did" such as "Did you wash the
car?" would sound like "Didjoo wash the car?" I recall one of the nuns at
school correcting us and adding, "leave the jews alone, they aren't hurting
anyone."

Curiously enough as I was typing this a movie ad came on where a guy
comments on Mexican Judo, explaining it as, "Judo-n't know who you're
messing with."

To check to see if there was some chat-speak definition I was unaware off, I
did a search on "joo definition" and the only relevant responses where
similar to the one below:

Joo
1. [n] Last name, frequency rank in the U.S. is 22933.


Though some elaborated slightly, adding phrases such as "very rare" or
giving examples of people named Joo.

I suppose it is possible that it is an attempt simulate an accent in
writing, but I personally would agree that it is unlikely in this context.
I've been wrong before -- frequently.


Best,
Bill

Israel Silverman wrote:
wrote:
Israel Silverman wrote:
A day ago, I played a game with a fellow who, I astonishingly
realized after the game began, had a user name of "killzjoo."
Obviously, this is a not so sneaky way of saying "Kill the Jew."

Why don't you go out and find some *real* jew haters? Lord
knows that there are enough of those slimeballs around without
you having to manufacture new ones without evidence.

I would hardly characterize this as "without evidence." Certainly,
some doubt has been introduced, but that hardly turns the whole
thing into "without evidence"

No, really, it's without evidence. It's been pointed out repeatedly
that `killzjoo' is online gamer slang for `kills you' and is
pronounced `kills you', not `kill zee jew'. What's more, you came
across this on an online gaming site.

I'm sorry you took offence. It was an understandable mistake to
make. But I really don't see any evidence at all of anti-semitism in
this particular incident.


Dave.

--
David Richerby Happy Apple (TM): it's like a tasty
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ fruit that makes your troubles melt
away!

"David Kane" wrote in message
. ..

"Israel Silverman" wrote in message
...

"David Richerby" wrote in message
...
Israel Silverman wrote:
A day ago, I played a game with a fellow who, I astonishingly
realized after the game began, had a user name of "killzjoo."
Obviously, this is a not so sneaky way of saying "Kill the Jew."

That seems the most likely, though it could be "kills you".

Upon further thought, I agree that there is a significant probability
that it could be "kills you."

I hope this means you will be offering a sincere apology to those
at FICS.

No, I will not. As I said, I still think there is a strong possibility that
it means exactly what I originally thought it did,
And I believe the FICS response was deficient.

For example, if someone had created a name such as "Killzniger," just
because there is a river called the Niger does not mean that everything
becomes peachy ok, and that the burden of demonstrating badness falls on the
reader.

There are several parts to this:

1) What was the actual intention of the creater of the name?

2) What is the reasonable interpretation of the name by a reader?

3) What is the obligation of FICS, given its rather broad self-promotion as
a "family friendly" site?

For 1) we don't know.

For 2), a reasonable interpretation (kill the Jew) is as many here have
agreed with me (while many have suggested one other reasonable
interpretation - "kills you" and one has suggested an actual name "killzjoo"
of a player in England, which is not a reasonable interpretation by a FICS
user)

For 3) FICS should have done more than just checking to see if the user had
finger notes that were also anti-semitic/racist, which he did not have.
Certainly, FICS should not be transferring the responsibility to another
user to "go ask" that player what he intended. Finally, even if a user's
actual intentions as as pure as freshly fallen Vermont snow, if a reasonable
interpretation of a handle is bad, FICS should not permit it.

Israel Silverman wrote:
Finally, even if a user's actual intentions as as pure as freshly
fallen Vermont snow, if a reasonable interpretation of a handle is
bad, FICS should not permit it.

So, to quote again my earlier example, you believe that anybody whose
name is `Dickman' should not be allowed to use their own name as a
handle on FICS. Presumably, anyone who lives in Penistone can't use
their home town, either.


Dave.

--
David Richerby Addictive Cat (TM): it's like a cat
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ but you can never put it down!

Since we are now dealing in absolutes, you should be aware that in many
aspects of life, people are not free to use their own names as they see fit.
Let's just go to the absolute, then.

If my name is Joseph Firestone, no, I cannot market tires under my own name
of Firestone. And if my name is Steven ****you, then no, I do not believe
that a reasonable online server that caters to families and children should
permit me to have a username matching that last name.

Similarly, if one is sensitive to racism and anti-semitism, then we will not
be seeing usernames such as HangaNiger or KillzJoo even if the author of the
first name has actually traveled the Niger river and hung a left at some
point, or the author of the second is a world-renowned afficionado of
obscure chess communications.

If a server permits such despite a lengthy self-promotion as a
family-friendly place to spend time, then perhaps its sensitivity is not as
great as one might hope.

"David Richerby" wrote in message
...
Israel Silverman wrote:
Finally, even if a user's actual intentions as as pure as freshly
fallen Vermont snow, if a reasonable interpretation of a handle is
bad, FICS should not permit it.

So, to quote again my earlier example, you believe that anybody whose
name is `Dickman' should not be allowed to use their own name as a
handle on FICS. Presumably, anyone who lives in Penistone can't use
their home town, either.


Dave.

--
David Richerby Addictive Cat (TM): it's like a
cat
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ but you can never put it down!

Get a life, Silverman. Quit being so sensitive and defensive, and
quit being so rabidly ethnocentric. You remind me of the caveman in
the TV commercials, but you are much worse. Are you an adult? Have
you ever heard "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will
never hurt me?"

The issue isn't whether this guy is an anti-semite or not, and it
isn't whether this guy's name means "kill the jew" or something else.
The issue is *YOU*. Who cares what his name means? If it bothers
you, go see a psychiatrist, and grow up. Don't you have better things
to do with your time than look for ways to be offended? Besides, ever
heard of free speech?

On Mar 19, 2:15 pm, wrote:

The issue isn't whether this guy is an anti-semite or not, and it
isn't whether this guy's name means "kill the jew" or something else.
The issue is *YOU*. Who cares what his name means? If it bothers
you, go see a psychiatrist, and grow up. Don't you have better things
to do with your time than look for ways to be offended? Besides, ever
heard of free speech?

No, that's not true. There were REAL PEOPLE out there who actually DID
*kill* Jews.

So we have to make sure that this will NEVER AGAIN happen. If there
are people out there who hate Jews, they must be found, and locked up,
so that they can never hurt anyone.

Whether it's in a concentration camp - or in downtown New York office
towers.

John Savard

Quadibloc wrote:


On Mar 19, 2:15 pm, wrote:

The issue isn't whether this guy is an anti-semite or not, and it
isn't whether this guy's name means "kill the jew" or something else.
The issue is *YOU*. Who cares what his name means? If it bothers
you, go see a psychiatrist, and grow up. Don't you have better things
to do with your time than look for ways to be offended? Besides, ever
heard of free speech?

No, that's not true. There were REAL PEOPLE out there who actually DID
*kill* Jews.

So we have to make sure that this will NEVER AGAIN happen. If there
are people out there who hate Jews, they must be found, and locked up,
so that they can never hurt anyone.

Whether it's in a concentration camp - or in downtown New York office
towers.

John Savard

Sorry, John, but FICS is in the USA, where thoughtcrime
is not against the law -- nor should it be. In a free
society, one is allowed to hate Jews, Whites, Blacks,
or even one-legged Lithuanian organ grinders without
fear of arrest. One is even allowed to publicly express
such hate. Yes, everyone will know that they are a moron,
but they won't be arrested and put into a concentration
camp. If a free society is unacceptable to you, I believe
that Iran and China still have laws against thoughtcrime...

On Mar 22, 10:14 am, wrote:
If a free society is unacceptable to you, I believe
that Iran and China still have laws against thoughtcrime...

You forgot Europe. Among other things, they have laws against "denial
of the holocaust." If you question the holocaust in any way, whether
it is in verbal speech, a written book or letter, etc. you go to
prison. So if this guy is in Europe, he can be happy staying right
where he is.

wrote:

wrote:

If a free society is unacceptable to you, I believe
that Iran and China still have laws against thoughtcrime...

You forgot Europe.

What part of "FICS is in the USA, where thoughtcrime is
not against the law" are you having trouble understanding?