Cartoon: Why We Say “As A Jew”

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This comic was drawn by Becky Hawkins, who writes:

I wanted to draw this cartoon. I feel like whether and how much I’m seen as Jewish fluctuates depending on where I am and who I’m with, so the conversation about who’s a “real Jew” hits close to home.

I always think that “2 contemporary people arguing” will be quick to draw. Then it seems to take me forever to come up with character designs and poses. (Wouldn’t the pro-Israel character be pointing angrily as in panel 2 the whole time, even if that’s repetitive and boring? I mean, what else would she do with her hands? OH NO, WHAT DO I DO WITH MY HANDS?! It makes me feel like a bad actress.)

Designing the pro-Israel character felt easy. I just visualized “person I would have gone to Hebrew school with” and everything came together. But I needed to look around to find details for the pro-Palestinian student that felt right. I scrolled on Facebook til I saw an ad for a wilderness survival class where someone had those blunt bangs, and the haircut fell into place. I looked up the indie cartoonist Cathy G. Johnson because I remembered Cathy as a snappy dresser in the genre of clothing I had in mind. I didn’t copy any one outfit, but the author photos were helpful. Then I remembered my sister, a crunchy musician and piano technician in Ypsilanti, telling me about buying a shirt from a band she likes… So I texted her:

Me: What was the thing on the band shirt where you were like “IDK if I want to be the person with that band shirt”?

Sister: hahaha an animal skull

Me: Yaythaaanks

Sister: Possum to be specific I believe.

Bingo.

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And Barry writes:

I think the term “AsAJew” was coined by Eli Lake in Commentary magazine.

I don’t have much to say about this cartoon, except to say: The string of insults used in panels two and three are all near-direct quotes that real people have said about “asajews.” I edited it for space and to put things in the second person, but all the parts that might be making you go “no one would really say that” – those bits are real.

For example, in response to the news that Kamala Harris’ campaign was recruiting a “Jewish engagement director,” one person tweeted:

Here’s to hope that all normal, non-conditional, non-“asaJew”, non-Soros/Kapo-affiliated Jews will treat this hire as anything what it will be: a cardboard #tokenizer/Kapo POS. It’s time.

(Just imagine a “sic” after any bit of that that seemed to be word salad).

There’s a really extraordinary level of hatred, in some non-representative members of the Jewish community, for Jews that don’t toe the pro-Israel-no-matter-what line. But it’s important to remember that – contrary to what they might think – they don’t represent all of us.

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Oh, two more things about this cartoon: I like the way it’s structured, with the fourth panel taking place a few moments before panel one. I’ve done a LOT of these cartoons, but I don’t think I’ve done that before.

And I love that gliding squirrel! The squirrel was entirely Becky’s idea; my only contribution was saying “squirrel, cool!”

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I’m sure many of us spent much of the last week searching for news about the destruction of Hurricane Helene. As of this writing, there are still entire towns that are lacking cell tower service, water, and roads, and it’s way too soon for anyone to assess the damage.

I hope that everyone reading this is in a safe place, and that whatever you’ve lost can be restored.

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TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This cartoon has four panels. Each panel shows the same two women having an argument on a grassy area of a college campus (we can see a definitely collegiate brick building in the background). Both of them look like college students.

The student on the left has wavy green hair and is wearing a dark tank top with ripped armholes and collar and a drawing of a possum skull on the front. She has a septum piercing and is wearing leather boots.

The student on the right has wavy brunette hair and is rather nattily dressed in a blue sweater vest over a pink front-button shirt, rectangular glasses, and heeled boots.

Let’s call these two GREENIE and GLASSES.

PANEL 1

Greenie talks to Glasses with an earnest expression; Glasses has turned away from Greenie with her arms crossed, and looks annoyed.

GREENIE: I am Jewish, and as a Jew, I think what Israel’s doing is horr-

GLASSES: “As a Jew.” Hah! You know why anti-Israel Jews always say they’re speaking “as a Jew”?

PANEL 2

Greenie spreads her arm in an “explainy” sort of way, but it cut off by Glasses, who turns to face her, with an angry expression and pointing a finger accusingly at Greenie.

GREENIE: Because-

GLASSES: You say it because you want to tokenize yourself! You use being Jewish as a way to slander your people.

PANEL 3

A shot from Greenie’s POV, showing Glasses leaning forward, a furious expression on her face, pointing straight at the viewer like Uncle Sam in the “wants you” poster.

GLASSES: You “AsAJew” types are cosplay Jews! You’re modern day kapos giving comfort to the enemy! You’re the Jew who turns in other Jews to the Nazis because you hope you’ll be spared! And that’s why you said “as a Jew!”

PANEL 4

A large caption at the top of the panel says “A MINUTE EARLIER.”

Greenie is looking annoyed, arms akimbo, as she listens to Glasses, who is declaiming with one pointer finger held high in the air.

GLASSES: You wouldn’t say that if you were Jewish!

CHICKEN FAT WATCH

In panel one, on a tree in the background, a squirrel with a tiny blue backpack is crouched on a branch. In panel two, the squirrel has launched itself into the air, and the backpack has unfurled a blue parachute. In panel four – which takes place before panel one – we see the squirrel back in the tree, poking its head out of a hole.

There’s a newspaper lying on the ground near Glasses’ feet. The name of the newspaper is “Background Daily.” In panel one, the front page says “This repeats three times in this comic. No need to read the other ones!” In panel two, it says “seriously you can stop reading this.” And in panel four, it says “This headline takes place before panel one.”

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