Recently there have been many high profile racist incidents in the world of football. John Terrys' court case and subsequent FA hearing, Suarez with his nine game ban and the disgraceful scenes in Serbia, amongst other things. But to a group of people, known as the Society of Black Lawyers, the greatest of all these is Spurs fans referring to themselves as "Yids" or the "Yid Army". This society, led by a barrister called Peter Herbert, has enflamed many Spurs fans, Jewish or not.
Spurs have always had a large Jewish following, stretching back to the very beginnings of the club. I am not saying Spurs were or ever have been an exclusively Jewish club, that would be ridiculous, but Spurs have always been a multi-national and multi-faith club, that accepts fans of any creed or colour. In the early days, this was held against Spurs who constantly had anti-Semitic remarks thrown in their direction. Since then the term "Yid" has been used as a badge of honour, as ownership of what was once an oppressive phrase. It is chanted regularly at match days by Jewish and non-Jewish fans in a show of support against the disgusting anti-Semitic taunts which predeceeded the chants.
Spurs fans are still subject to anti-Semitism, when certain teams visit there is still the sound of hissing (simulating the sound of a gas chamber) from the away section in White Hart Lane. I have personally received abuse from people I don't know for being Jewish, despite the fact that I am not, for simply answering the question "which team do you support?" with "Tottenham Hotspur". Why should I not be able to turn it around, to use it as a badge of honour? Just because I am not Jewish myself, does not mean I should not align myself with their view point.
For a long while know I have been concerned about the state of anti-Semitism, not only in the UK but in the world at large. It seems to me that it is ok to be anti-Semitic, the world turns a blind, its ok to make Jew jokes and make a fool of the race, my point in evidence would be, could you ever image Channal 4 airing a show called "Muslim Mother of the Year" in which they found the most stereotypical Muslim mothers for the rest of the country to laugh at? No, I didn't think so, and nor could I.
Peter Herbert and his buddies in the SBL are, in my view using Spurs and the Jewish faith as a catalyst to get what they want, to get a Black Players Association and their other nine demands. To me this is the lowest form of anti-Semitism itself, they have no care about the Jewish faith, or the roots or the meaning of the word, if they did they would be working with Spurs to stop the chants from opposition fans, the chants that have the relevant intention to be classed as racist in a court of law, instead they are coming after the good guys, the guys who's only intention is defend a large section of their fans, and to own a term that was once used as an offence.
Not all Spurs fans like being called the "Yids", I think if we are all honest, we would rather have never been forced to use the term in the first place by bigoted opposition fans. And before anyone leaps in to say "that was a hundred years ago" or as Herbert so 'delicately' put it "this is not fifty years ago" (a time when anti-Semitism was rife, very appropriate words for a man who is supposed to be leading a non-racist revolution) the problem is still a very real one today (as discussed above) both in football and every day life. A citing point would be Polish and Ukrainian fans warning Spurs fans not to come to the Euros otherwise they would be attacked for following a Jewish club.
So no Mr Herbert OBE, we will not stop chanting "Yid Army", we will not stop calling ourselves "Yids", we are fighting for the good side, the side of right over wrong, if you and your little movement can stop anti-Semitism in football maybe the term "Yid" will fall away, and we will not feel the need to own it anymore, until that day, why should we be punished for the actions of racists?
PS - The response from Spurs and the Met Police who have both said there is no racist intention has been spot on. I can't see how any "prosecution" can be brought, and maybe more time should be spent stopping real racism, rather than escapades of self-publicity.
Please comment and add to the debate, all views are welcome and respected
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