The term 'Shylock' evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous. President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible.
It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our…
Steven L. Taylor is a retired Professor of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
Follow Steven on Twitter and/or BlueSky.
I heard the remark repeated to me using the words beanies or little hats. I’m amazed Trump knew the word “yarmulke.”
Trump is a stupid, bigoted churl, but I don’t think he cares enough about Jews to be anti-Semitic. He cultivates Israel and Netanyahu because he knows the fundamentalists love him for it.
I suspect Melania had a lot more to do with Barron’s choice of NYU than anyone knows. She brings new dimensions to the term “helicopter mom.” AFAIK, she and Barron live in Trump Tower, so she can hover over him while he attends classes.
Trump himself probably would have loved to have been accepted at Harvard so he could brag about it. He had to settle for the University of Pennsylvania, which at the time was far less selective than it is now.
@CSK: it’s a rare person who knows the word “yarmulke” but not that “Shylock” is a slur.
He may just not care. Or have been reaching for “shyster” which is similar, but not antisemitic, apparently. Comes from German for “shitter” and refers to unscrupulous lawyer, politician or accountant. Just sounds like “Shylock”. I would be cautious with the word anyway — as my father always says, “one should always be niggardly with words that evoke slurs.”
I can see an argument being made either way that it was an accident, or an “accident”. And either way it probably doesn’t crack the top 25 terrible things he’s done this week.
It doesn’t really matter — pretty much everyone setting up concentration camps ends up putting any Jews they happen to find into them sooner or later. (America’s Japanese-American Internment Camps are the only counter example I can think of — that might be the American Exceptionalism we hear about so often)
Anyway, I’m sure it was just a Roman something or other. An ephebophile making a Roman salute while quoting Shakespeare, and just casually interested in Hindu symbols.
Trump genuinely believes this is popular with more people than just Q.
Religious fundamentalism paired with the power of the state is always the system of the antichrist, an inversion of all the goodness that could come from religion.
Trump is a stupid, bigoted churl, but I don’t think he cares enough about Jews to be anti-Semitic.
I’m sure he looks down on Jews, just as he looks down on anyone who isn’t a rich white American businessman or a tyrant. He doesn’t dislike them, he simply gets offended when they don’t act properly (for example, by voting for Democrats). It’s the same casual bigotry as I’ve seen so often in Australia from white people who speak affectionately of “the darkies” on their reservations while spluttering with indignation at Aborigines who talk about land rights.
@Gustopher: The characters in The Sopranos use the word a lot, in phrases like “shylock business” or “shylock money.” They even sometimes abbreviate it to shy. I’ve cringed hearing Sopranos fans on YouTube unhesitatingly using these terms when discussing events on the show. I think in those cases it’s more ignorance than being intentionally offensive; it’s similar to how a lot of Americans still unthinkingly use the verb “to gyp”–or, for that matter, “to Jew.”
The Jewish character of Hesh on the show puts up with it and other anti-Semitic comments headed his way by his mafioso “friends,” maybe thinking of it as ball-busting, or maybe that it’s just the cost of doing business. I suspect there’s some truth to that when it comes to Jews in organized crime, historically–some of whom have been involved with Trump for decades. I’ve never had any doubt that Trump has consistently had Jews in his social circle, but it’s his type of Jew–rich, amoral, greedy. Of course none of those traits are in any way unique to the Jews in his circle but they probably help reinforce the stereotypes in his mind. I think I remember at least one pundit (Jonathan Chait, maybe) speculating that Trump doesn’t see these stereotypes as insulting because they’re values he himself holds.
Awww, Trump loves Jews. Didn’t he once say that the only people he wanted counting his money were men wearing little beanies?
I’m slowly coming around to believing that we do see what is right in front of our noses.
We just DGAF.
I would guess that this is not the effect you’re hoping for.
@CSK:
The Trump critic used the slur for the object worn while Trump didn’t.
Message?
@just nutha:
I heard the remark repeated to me using the words beanies or little hats. I’m amazed Trump knew the word “yarmulke.”
Trump is a stupid, bigoted churl, but I don’t think he cares enough about Jews to be anti-Semitic. He cultivates Israel and Netanyahu because he knows the fundamentalists love him for it.
@CSK:
He cares enough about the antisemites in his base to pander to them.
During 2016 he dismissed the bathroom issue and trans women. See how that evolved.
So all the crap about Harvard being anti-Semitic was just crap? I am shocked. I guess it’s true that Baron didn’t get accepted there
@Kathy:
True, but I don’t think Trump is aware enough to make that connection, however obvious it might be to you and me.
@Daryl:
I suspect Melania had a lot more to do with Barron’s choice of NYU than anyone knows. She brings new dimensions to the term “helicopter mom.” AFAIK, she and Barron live in Trump Tower, so she can hover over him while he attends classes.
Trump himself probably would have loved to have been accepted at Harvard so he could brag about it. He had to settle for the University of Pennsylvania, which at the time was far less selective than it is now.
@CSK: it’s a rare person who knows the word “yarmulke” but not that “Shylock” is a slur.
He may just not care. Or have been reaching for “shyster” which is similar, but not antisemitic, apparently. Comes from German for “shitter” and refers to unscrupulous lawyer, politician or accountant. Just sounds like “Shylock”. I would be cautious with the word anyway — as my father always says, “one should always be niggardly with words that evoke slurs.”
I can see an argument being made either way that it was an accident, or an “accident”. And either way it probably doesn’t crack the top 25 terrible things he’s done this week.
It doesn’t really matter — pretty much everyone setting up concentration camps ends up putting any Jews they happen to find into them sooner or later. (America’s Japanese-American Internment Camps are the only counter example I can think of — that might be the American Exceptionalism we hear about so often)
Anyway, I’m sure it was just a Roman something or other. An ephebophile making a Roman salute while quoting Shakespeare, and just casually interested in Hindu symbols.
Lost in this kerfuffle was Trump giving a “hey, there’s my little niggas” shoutout to Byron Donalds and Allen West.
When told later that was offensive, Trump retorted, “yes, let me correct myself – they are my big, bad, beautiful niggas.”
(Sorry for any racial offense)
@The Q:
I assume you’re joking. Not even Trump would say that.
Trump genuinely believes this is popular with more people than just Q.
Religious fundamentalism paired with the power of the state is always the system of the antichrist, an inversion of all the goodness that could come from religion.
@CSK:
I’m sure he looks down on Jews, just as he looks down on anyone who isn’t a rich white American businessman or a tyrant. He doesn’t dislike them, he simply gets offended when they don’t act properly (for example, by voting for Democrats). It’s the same casual bigotry as I’ve seen so often in Australia from white people who speak affectionately of “the darkies” on their reservations while spluttering with indignation at Aborigines who talk about land rights.
@Gavin:
Interesting idea. I should consider how this works as an explanation of the NT idea “spirit of Antichrist.” Thanks.!
@Gustopher: The characters in The Sopranos use the word a lot, in phrases like “shylock business” or “shylock money.” They even sometimes abbreviate it to shy. I’ve cringed hearing Sopranos fans on YouTube unhesitatingly using these terms when discussing events on the show. I think in those cases it’s more ignorance than being intentionally offensive; it’s similar to how a lot of Americans still unthinkingly use the verb “to gyp”–or, for that matter, “to Jew.”
The Jewish character of Hesh on the show puts up with it and other anti-Semitic comments headed his way by his mafioso “friends,” maybe thinking of it as ball-busting, or maybe that it’s just the cost of doing business. I suspect there’s some truth to that when it comes to Jews in organized crime, historically–some of whom have been involved with Trump for decades. I’ve never had any doubt that Trump has consistently had Jews in his social circle, but it’s his type of Jew–rich, amoral, greedy. Of course none of those traits are in any way unique to the Jews in his circle but they probably help reinforce the stereotypes in his mind. I think I remember at least one pundit (Jonathan Chait, maybe) speculating that Trump doesn’t see these stereotypes as insulting because they’re values he himself holds.