The 'N' Word

Picture from my Sunday school class.

Today I went on my Mivtzoim route and had a great chat with my driver, Oleg Bogopolsky. As we usual, he asked some questions regarding the Torah, and then we chatted a little about Chayale's experiences in America.

Then Oleg asked me, "so what do American Jewry think of the fact that the new president is a N...?"

I'd normally be shocked, but now I've gotten used to it. It's a very odd deifference between Russia and America, and the first time I heard it, I gave a sermon-worthy speech to the person who said the 'N' word (comparing it to 'Zhid'...).

Anyway, in America it is unbelievably rude to call someone a 'N'. Instead, the polite way would be to say, 'Obama is a black.'

In Russia, the reverse is true. The 'N' word is polite, but to call someone a 'Chorni' (black) is a horrific insult.

And to think that I encouraged someone to stop using the 'N' word here and start using the word 'Chorni.'

Oyoyoy. They must think their Rabbi is a racist.