The interpretation of Zionist as Penisist is an old Yeshiva joke that I first heard in 1980. I doubt that pun would even occur to a native Arabic speaker like Joseph Massad, for whom the word for Zionist is Sihyawni.
Nevertheless, given his interests, I can believe that Massad has on occasion discussed the issue of Zionism and Jewish masculinity because the subject was of tremendous importance to primary Zionist thinkers like Herzl and Nordau, who believed that Zionism could restore Jewish honor by disproving the common assumption in Fin de Siecle Central and Eastern Europe that Jewish men were highly effeminate.
Joachim Martillo is a virulent anti-Israel activist who has written words to the effect that the only thing wrong with a Palestinian suicide bomber is the death of a heroic Palestinian partisan.
He has stated that supporters of Israel should be carted off to Guatanamo Bay and interrogated to determine the extent of their treason.
He has written that Ashkenazi Jews aren't really Jewish, and then dares people to call him a self-hating Jew, because he himself is an Ashkenazi. By his own definition
Isn't it peculiar that Martillo claims knowledge of Yeshiva jokes circa 1980? Which yeshiva did this non-Jewish hater study at? Maybe this yeshiva bocher could explain how the joke works -- Nappy doesn't get it. Then again, Nappy wasn't in a yeshiva.
The closest Nappy can come to understanding what must be a pun is that Hebrew dictionaries indicate the gender of a noun with the letter nun, the initial letter of n'keivah, for feminine and the letter zayin, from zakhar, for masculine. The joke must somehow connect that with the phonetic similarity of zayin to the English word Zion.
Masculinity is generally expressed by males, and males have penises. However, it's still such a stretch from the Hebrew equivalent of masc. to penis that even Beavis and Butthead wouldn't titter at it. ("She said 'penis.' Henh, henh, henh." "Yeah. She said 'titter.' Henh, henh, henh.")
Beavis and Butthead were big-time losers and dumber than dirt. Their redeeming virtue was their sharp critique of music videos. Next to Martillo, Beavis and Butthead loook good. They come acrfoss as suave and sophisticated, and they have something intelligent to say, something worth listening to. On the one hand Beavis and Butthead, on the other Martillo, a guy with his head up his butt.
Whan responding to Martillo, it is necessary not to be annoyed by his Jew-baiting insults. His purpose in coming here is to inflame. That's why he repeats, for the umpteenth time, his idiotic theses and embarrasses even Nadia el-Haj with his enthusiastic support. I ask you, who, except maybe Ahmadinejad, would want someone like that on their side? Do you think Massad would be grateful for Martillo's advocacy? The man is uninsultable and any attempt to match his debased logic is bound to be reagrded as an achievement by him.
Whan responding to Martillo, it is necessary not to be annoyed by his Jew-baiting insults. ... The man is uninsultable and any attempt to match his debased logic is bound to be reagrded as an achievement by him.
Nappy is duly rebuked and licking wounds but confesses less to being annoyed or insulted than puzzled by Massad's absurd claim backed up by Martillo, who attributes it to yeshiva culture. Nappy likes bad puns -- even real groaners -- but just doesn't get that one.
As to matching debased Martillo's logic, Nappy has yet to find any logic whatsoever in Martillo's screeds. Nappy strained to find some kind of linguistic link that might have given rise to Massad and Martillo's fascination with the male member. Nappy's mistake was giving them the benefit of the doubt in assuming there may have been a basis for what Massad says.
Nadia Abu el-Haj is embarrassed by Martillo? Assad doesn't appreciate Mr. & Mrs. Martillo's moonbat activism? WTF? Nappy finds it hard to believe that the loving couple's tireless devotion to their cause isn't welcome. When has al-Haj or Massad distanced themsef from the self-haters who are committed to their cause? And why should they? Have Walt and Mearsheimer disavowed David Duke's endorsement?
Nappy's content if anyone was amused at the notion that Martillo makes Beavis and Butthead look good.
I prefer to give el-Haj and Masasd some credit as to good sense, if not to good intentions. Who can possibly want to be even remotely associated with such raving antisemitomaniacs?
Mearsheimer and Walt have indeed distanced themselves from David Duke.
"Mr. Walt said last night, "I have always found Mr. Duke's views reprehensible, and I am sorry he sees this article as consistent with his view of the world." http://www.nysun.com/article/29380
Anyway, Martillo and the missus make David look almost rational!
"When responding to Martillo, it is necessary not to be annoyed by his Jew-baiting insults."
I think it's necessary to avoid responding to Martillo altogether.
I don't mean that we should freeze out people who criticize Israel in good faith, but Martillo isn't just someone with a different point of view who deserves to be heard. He's a provocateur.
This blog has hosted enough of his comments and it has shown him plenty of patience. Everyone here has probably seen all that Martillo has had to say about Israel, and his views and methods of argument are not going to change. Now it's time to say, "enough." Just ignore him. Then he'll grow exasperated and go away.
Olesker's comment at the end is a perfect title for this post... Guilty of a phallusy.
Oceanguy, LOL!!!
Do you know how a University becomes a laughing stock? One professor at a time.
Trying to offset the embarassment of
PHALLUStine?
The interpretation of Zionist as Penisist is an old Yeshiva joke that I first heard in 1980. I doubt that pun would even occur to a native Arabic speaker like Joseph Massad, for whom the word for Zionist is Sihyawni.
Nevertheless, given his interests, I can believe that Massad has on occasion discussed the issue of Zionism and Jewish masculinity because the subject was of tremendous importance to primary Zionist thinkers like Herzl and Nordau, who believed that Zionism could restore Jewish honor by disproving the common assumption in Fin de Siecle Central and Eastern Europe that Jewish men were highly effeminate.
Joachim Martillo is a virulent anti-Israel activist who has written words to the effect that the only thing wrong with a Palestinian suicide bomber is the death of a heroic Palestinian partisan.
He has stated that supporters of Israel should be carted off to Guatanamo Bay and interrogated to determine the extent of their treason.
He has written that Ashkenazi Jews aren't really Jewish, and then dares people to call him a self-hating Jew, because he himself is an Ashkenazi. By his own definition
He is insane.
Happy Thanksgiving.
The statement beginning with "By his own definition..." should read:
"By his own definition, he is not a Jew. Therefore, he is not a self-hater, merely a hater."
Isn't it peculiar that Martillo claims knowledge of Yeshiva jokes circa 1980? Which yeshiva did this non-Jewish hater study at? Maybe this yeshiva bocher could explain how the joke works -- Nappy doesn't get it. Then again, Nappy wasn't in a yeshiva.
The closest Nappy can come to understanding what must be a pun is that Hebrew dictionaries indicate the gender of a noun with the letter nun, the initial letter of n'keivah, for feminine and the letter zayin, from zakhar, for masculine. The joke must somehow connect that with the phonetic similarity of zayin to the English word Zion.
Masculinity is generally expressed by males, and males have penises. However, it's still such a stretch from the Hebrew equivalent of masc. to penis that even Beavis and Butthead wouldn't titter at it. ("She said 'penis.' Henh, henh, henh." "Yeah. She said 'titter.' Henh, henh, henh.")
Beavis and Butthead were big-time losers and dumber than dirt. Their redeeming virtue was their sharp critique of music videos. Next to Martillo, Beavis and Butthead loook good. They come acrfoss as suave and sophisticated, and they have something intelligent to say, something worth listening to. On the one hand Beavis and Butthead, on the other Martillo, a guy with his head up his butt.
Whan responding to Martillo, it is necessary not to be annoyed by his Jew-baiting insults. His purpose in coming here is to inflame. That's why he repeats, for the umpteenth time, his idiotic theses and embarrasses even Nadia el-Haj with his enthusiastic support. I ask you, who, except maybe Ahmadinejad, would want someone like that on their side? Do you think Massad would be grateful for Martillo's advocacy? The man is uninsultable and any attempt to match his debased logic is bound to be reagrded as an achievement by him.
It must be a real nakah to Joachim Martillo and his fellow Islamofascists that "effeminate" Israelis defeated "manly" Arab armies, 3 times.
All those chest thumping, goose stepping Islamofascist rallys and speeches don't mean a thing on the battle field.
#9 Noga:
Nappy is duly rebuked and licking wounds but confesses less to being annoyed or insulted than puzzled by Massad's absurd claim backed up by Martillo, who attributes it to yeshiva culture. Nappy likes bad puns -- even real groaners -- but just doesn't get that one.
As to matching debased Martillo's logic, Nappy has yet to find any logic whatsoever in Martillo's screeds. Nappy strained to find some kind of linguistic link that might have given rise to Massad and Martillo's fascination with the male member. Nappy's mistake was giving them the benefit of the doubt in assuming there may have been a basis for what Massad says.
Nadia Abu el-Haj is embarrassed by Martillo? Assad doesn't appreciate Mr. & Mrs. Martillo's moonbat activism? WTF? Nappy finds it hard to believe that the loving couple's tireless devotion to their cause isn't welcome. When has al-Haj or Massad distanced themsef from the self-haters who are committed to their cause? And why should they? Have Walt and Mearsheimer disavowed David Duke's endorsement?
Nappy's content if anyone was amused at the notion that Martillo makes Beavis and Butthead look good.
I prefer to give el-Haj and Masasd some credit as to good sense, if not to good intentions. Who can possibly want to be even remotely associated with such raving antisemitomaniacs?
Mearsheimer and Walt have indeed distanced themselves from David Duke.
"Mr. Walt said last night, "I have always found Mr. Duke's views reprehensible, and I am sorry he sees this article as consistent with his view of the world." http://www.nysun.com/article/29380
Anyway, Martillo and the missus make David look almost rational!
"When responding to Martillo, it is necessary not to be annoyed by his Jew-baiting insults."
I think it's necessary to avoid responding to Martillo altogether.
I don't mean that we should freeze out people who criticize Israel in good faith, but Martillo isn't just someone with a different point of view who deserves to be heard. He's a provocateur.
This blog has hosted enough of his comments and it has shown him plenty of patience. Everyone here has probably seen all that Martillo has had to say about Israel, and his views and methods of argument are not going to change. Now it's time to say, "enough." Just ignore him. Then he'll grow exasperated and go away.
Joanne is right.