my connection to Dave and antisemitism

[justluvvanhalen]

[SIZE="5"]Hey, I'm justluvvanhalen from NJ. I love Dave's music with Van Halen. Saw him with Van Halen in Philly when I was a kid/preteen back in 1984. What a showman!! One of the best concerts I've ever been to. Anyway, the other day I got a text from a now former friend who told me to "SHOVE THE JEW THING UP MY ASS". I happened to be listening to some old Van Halen songs in my car at the time and then I remembered that many years ago someone made a famous antisemitic comment about Dave that was something like "Well the band makes the music, but it's the Jew that brings in the money". It was really horrible. So for some reason I remembered that comment as I was listening to some old Van Halen music, so I then cranked up the Van Halen, sang along and felt much better. I wrote about him and my antisemitic text experience on my facebook page. I basically said that in many ways he was a pioneer since he was one of the first Jewish lead singers of a tremendously successful rock band and that I had a lot of respect for him. I know Dave doesn't usually talk much about his Jewish identity, but in many ways he's done a lot for the Jewish community. He's shown everyone that even a nice Jewish guy can lead a rock band and put on good show. Hearing him sing some Van Halen hits actually made me feel much better after being hurt by a former friend and his antisemitic comments. I may be Jewish but I have friends of all races, religions, ethnicities and no one should say hurtful things about any group. Dave would never do that. I'd love to write him and tell him about my experience. I wonder if he'd write me back. Anyway, just wanted to share this. I'd love to see Van Halen on tour if it happens in the near future. I'm proud to be a new member of The Roth Army.

Regards,
justluvvanhalen

[Sarge's Little Helper]

Welcome to The Diamond David Lee Roth Army!

Hi justluvvanhalen Welcome to The Diamond David Lee Roth Army! The ROTH ARMY carries the Van Halen Torch, Diamond David Lee Roth Style! This is where Classic Van Halen is celebrated and Diamond Dave reigns as the Supreme Toastmaster of the Immoral Majority. Welcome aboard and enjoy your stay!

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Welcome......

[ThrillsNSpills]

Ah, the Spectrum.
saw a Diver Down show there.
mind roasting

best $9.95 I ever spent !

[Guitar Shark]

I'd love to write him and tell him about my experience. I wonder if he'd write me back.

Doubtful

[VAiN]

Welcome aboard... But, I don't buy into 'antisemitism' - why do Jewish people get their own word for not being liked? Aren't we all the same? What if I don't like the color of your hair? Am I an antihairitismist? I want a special word so I can be a victim too. But yeah, VH rules.

[FORD]

The Chosen People have had a much larger impact on music than you might think....

http://www.jewcy.com/arts-and-culture/music/the-jews-who-rock-wiki

Warning: Not everything listed on this page would meet my definition of GOOD music, but such is life.

[justluvvanhalen]

Wow, you spent only 9.95? !
Wow. Yeah, I saw them at the Spectrum. Had a great time. I remember that someone had thrown a bra onstage and he picked it up and said "Hey, Ed, is this yours?...Naaaah, it's too big to be Valerie's." It was really funny but I bet he did the same stuff at other shows too.

[justluvvanhalen]

Well, I know that Jews have been involved in the music business but they were usually the managers, record execs and the like. There aren't too many Jewish lead singers of rock bands out there.

[justluvvanhalen]

Welcome aboard... But, I don't buy into 'antisemitism' - why do Jewish people get their own word for not being liked? Aren't we all the same? What if I don't like the color of your hair? Am I an antihairitismist? I want a special word so I can be a victim too. But yeah, VH rules.

VAin, I disagree. There are all kinds of words for people who are not liked. You see, what upset me is that the former "friend" said "Stick the Jew thing up your ass". It would have been just as bad if he had said "Stick the Black/African American thing up your ass" to someone else. Dave and I happen to be of the same religious/cultural background. We're not saying we're better than anyone else, it's just hurtful when you have to say derrogatory things about any group of people. Unfortunately Dave and I have experienced antisemitism and we've most likely dealt with it in different ways. But hey, you and I are both members of the Roth Army because we like Dave and Van Halen, regardless of what backgrounds they come from. So, yeah, I think Dave and Van Halen rule, most definitely!

[Nitro Express]

"Well the band makes the music, but it's the Jew that brings in the money".

It reads like a Don Rickles joke to me who is a Jew that makes funny comments about the Jewish stereotypes. I think we have gotten too uptight about such things in our society and we are in real danger losing free speech by being so uptight. People today actually feel they have the right not to have their feelings hurt.

I didn't know any poor Jews until I moved to New York and and Israel. The Jews out west seemed to have done very well for themselves. All the ones I knew did very well in retail and ran wonderful stores that I wish we still had. One you could just charge things to your store account without a card or any ID. The good old days! There might be some asshole Jews especially in the world's large banking establishments but I can think of some wonderful mom and pop or even bigger businesses ran by Jews that were an absolute pleasure to do business with. If a small group acquire a lot of power and money for whatever reasons (usually by getting educated, working hard, and working together) you have the typical jelousey and suspect. It gets worse in bad economic times when everyone is looking for a scape goat to lay the problems on. I think we just need to chill out.

My favorite saying of Dave's is you are as big as what irritates you. Dave did make the money. The Van Halen's never would have made it without Dave. That's the honest truth there. I anything, I found living around too many orthodox jews ranges on the same misery level as living around too many mormons or jahovah's witnesses.

[Hardrock69]

Dave made the money for Van Halen, but it had nothing to do with him being Jewish. His religious affiliation is irrelevant.

Welcome to the club.

Like you and many others, I despise bigotry.

I am only intolerant of intolerant people.

Stick around, oh and stop shouting.

[binnie]

Welcome.

That's quite a personal investment in the band's music right there.

[Diamondjimi]

[VAiN]

VAin, I disagree. There are all kinds of words for people who are not liked. You see, what upset me is that the former "friend" said "Stick the Jew thing up your ass". It would have been just as bad if he had said "Stick the Black/African American thing up your ass" to someone else. Dave and I happen to be of the same religious/cultural background. We're not saying we're better than anyone else, it's just hurtful when you have to say derrogatory things about any group of people. Unfortunately Dave and I have experienced antisemitism and we've most likely dealt with it in different ways. But hey, you and I are both members of the Roth Army because we like Dave and Van Halen, regardless of what backgrounds they come from. So, yeah, I think Dave and Van Halen rule, most definitely!

I seriously doubt the comment came out of the blue... "Hey, it's Thursday, 3:00, I better tell this guy to shove it" And to be honest, that doesn't seem very derogatory. If that's the worst of your problems, you're in good shape. I hope you and Dave will be alright. If a black dude was hammering me about 'black' problems, I'd probably tell him to shove it up his ass as well. You seem to be playing the victim card here just a little... Get over it.