David Swerdlick (42) is a journalist, assistant editor at The Washington Post, and frequent political commentator on CNN. He is of mixed ethnic background: Jewish father and African American mother. Swerdlick identifies as a Jew and considers Judaism to be his religion. In a perceptive and thought-provoking opinion piece in The Washington Post, which is linked below, Swerdlick asks why many people — including some Jews themselves — view the simple term “Jew” as being derogatory.
Quote: “At the time, I thought her misinterpretation of the word was a one-time aberration. But unfortunately, in the 24 years since, I’ve heard the word ‘Jew’ — the simple noun that describes a person of my faith — used as a term of disparagement again and again. It’s hurtful for such a negative slant to be attached to a word with so much positive meaning for me.”
Sources: Wikipedia, washingtonpost.com
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Photo: Toronto Star
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