Shorthand Stereotype
As a great and renowned newspaper, The Times quite literally can influence the English language. Because of this extraordinary power, I object to the following synopsis of the film “Goodbye, Columbus,” published recently in Calendar’s TV listings:
“A rich, spoiled Jewish-American princess and a college dropout have an affair.”
The phrase “Jewish-American princess” is a derisive and insulting one. For The Times to use this phrase as a handy shorthand way to describe a character in a movie not only promotes a false and cruel stereotype but gives this phrase a legitimacy that it should not have.
In the future I hope that The Times will continue its tradition of writing fine prose and eschew further use of this phrase.
MICHAEL CREIGHTON
Hidden Hills
Only good movies
Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
