Progressively Speaking: Should we ever joke about the Holocaust?
Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers reflects on a controversial modern topic with a progressive angle
Context is everything. Making people laugh is a tricky business, and performing stand-up at JW3 in 2016 was possibly the scariest thing I’ve done. Walking through the world as a woman rabbi, you get some pretty funny responses, so I focused on those.
Some are funny, because they are just awful. Sexism and racism aren’t really funny, but we can make a joke out of them, and at them, and Jews have always laughed at themselves. Yet while I can merrily make a joke about my mum, if you did the same I may well take it the wrong way!
Mark Meechan was recently convicted of making a grossly offensive video of his girlfriend’s pug performing a Hitler salute at the command “Sieg Heil” and responding with excited movement when Meechan said “Gas the Jews”.
Listen to the Jewish Views Podcast here:
The comedian David Baddiel defended Meechan, arguing for freedom of speech and saying that a tiny-legged pug saluting looks hilarious. Baddiel also pointed out that Meechan makes clear at the start of the video he wants to turn this adored pet into the “least cute thing I could think of, which is a Nazi”. Read about that here.
In context, it makes some sense to me, so I thought I’d better see it. Meechan contextualises the video as wanting to make the cute pug un-cute, but sitting listening to him repeatedly say through his giggles “Gas the Jews” does get uncomfortable. I was offended by the video, but that isn’t enough reason to ban it – the right to be offended and the right to offend others is the nature of free speech.
Where it became more important to continue the context was in following the trail of Meechan’s videos: rants about oppressed white Britons, transphobic hatred, none of it in the name of comedy.
Freedom of speech is a hugely important principle. I don’t think we can always get it right, but as Jews we must always balance freedom with responsibility, just as the freedom of Pesach is balanced with the responsibility given at Shavuot through Torah.
Challenging jokes might be possible in context, but this one definitely didn’t make me laugh.
- Debbie Young-Somers is community educator at the Movement for Reform Judaism
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
