Sometimes its just nice to have validation. Sometimes you do things and you ‘just don’t care’, and others may be offended, but that’s life. Most of what I do or say will offend someone, I just hope that someone is the person I’m talking to or I’m not doing my job. Because offence is just an extension of disagreement and if everyone agreed all the time the world would be duller than… duller than… another nil-nil draw at Arsenal… duller than Brexit talks… duller than… Harry and Meg’s career move.

And to have something controversial validated by authority is a wonderful thing indeed.

The Oxford English Dictionary, no less, have changed the definition of the word ‘Yid’. It still means an offensive term aimed at Jews, a horrible word, a nasty expression. But now they’ve added ‘a player or fan of Tottenham Hotspur football club’. They’ve also added ‘Yiddo’ into the category as a sort of ‘pet version’ of an abusive phrase. As if you’re fond of the person you’re verbally abusing in a nasty but loving way, perhaps.

So thank you, OED, for the clarification we’ve been seeking for decades, for the validation of our name. And most of all, for the upset this has caused, is causing, and will continue to cause, to David Baddeil and a whole host of other supersensitive supporters of other London clubs, the fans of which stick to the strictly former OED definition and use it abusively, nastily and filled with hate.

Tottenham Hotspur football club have demanded ‘clarification’ from the OED because, basically, they suffer the fallout from their naughty fans and have never and obviously can never endorse the ‘y-word’ in any way shape or form. Even though that costs them probably 27.8 million quid a year in lost sales in the Spurs shop from the very potential of ‘yiddo’ merchandise.

So the OED say that’s not their job. They’re there to reflect language usage, not make judgments or political statements. If words are used other than in their intended origin that’s not their problem, they just tell you about it.

When used by Spurs fans there is absolutely no anti-semitism attached to the term. It is the opposite. Used with pride and is just a ‘je suis Charlie Hebdo’ thing. “I am Spartacus!” It is standing together with the Jews and becoming one, united, indistinguishable group. It is anti-anti-semitism, which is precisely how it began.

It is also one, single, solitary instance of fans getting one over on their club, the League, the lawyers and, of course, over David Baddeil. God bless the OED. Our God, their God, any god will do.

Happy Friday

A proud Yiddo
xxxx