50 Cent & Jewish Lawyers

By now, many people are aware of 50 Cent's recent comments on the radio (on Hot 97 [here in New York]) where he mentions Jewish lawyers:

50 Cent: When it comes to civil, you don't gotta worry about the G-Unit, worry about the Je-Je-Je-Jew-Unit. They're the real goon squad. And when the lawyers come out, you gon' see what it is. I don't pay nobody but the lawyers.
Miss Jones: And I need a real good, aggressive one because these little ?pinny-anny? lawyers I've been biggin' up and dealin' wit' - all they wanna do is walk in the courtroom with $2500 suits to overcompensate for their swagger they do not have.

While this has only been discussed in the J-Blogosphere (to the best of my knowledge) on Jewschool and by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, most of the blogosphere discussion of this is on celebrity, hip-hop, and music blogs (no, I'm not going to bother linking to the dozens of various sites where this is discussed, but you can click here for a search). Most blogs discussing this issue touch upon it only surficially, claiming 50 Cent to be somehow anti-semitic. I'm going to wholeheartedly agree with Reb Shmuley on this where he states, "I think Jews will perhaps take offense to the comment, but I take no offense to it whatsoever." He goes on to state

It’s an acknowledgment of the Jewish Community’s emphasis on learning and knowledge, and of the law. The term ‘Jew Unit’ has the connotation of respectable legal experts…and I welcome it. In general, we have to minimize the whole ‘culture of offense’ here in America, where people sit around, waiting to be offended. There is real racism and real anti-semitism in America but we cheapen both terms by finding such examples where they don’t exist.

It's beautiful.
Firstly, I agree that 50 was not trying to be anti-semitic, but, if anything, trying to praise his legal counsel. Moreover, this quote is not the first of rappers rapping about Jewish lawyers (albeit in a positive way) (I would be interested in reading an article one of these days as to how Jews are represented and/or referenced in hip-hop - an interesting nexus of cultures.), so it's not such a surprise.
In a related vein, when I went to pick up the engagement ring (both to pick it out and to pick it up), I was pleasantly surprised at the numbers of Jews involved in the industry. There was some sense of pride of Jews being highly represented in such a lucrative field that occurred to me. I figure, similarly, too, here with Jewish lawyers - it's little surprise or secret that there are a lot of Jews in the legal field, as well as in the entertainment business.

Back in NYC and thoughts about being home

Being back in my hometown of Gahanna (as well as Columbus), the amounts of changes that were going on in Gahanna especially, though also at Easton, were quite numerous. Growing up for most of my life in Gahanna, I got used to the way things were. I suppose that many of the changes that occurred while I was there did not seem so jolting simply because they were gradual.
Nevertheless, even when I was still living there, I noticed the decreasing amount of trees, especially the latter years (and increased development). This time, (especially with the development near Stoneridge Plaza east of Hamilton Road,) I notice a lot less trees growing. Not only in the more commercial areas, but also here and there in residential areas, as well.
Oh well, I suppose it saddens me each time I return, but I have little say in this matter.

Setting Out for Ohio & Lost My Cell Phone

Rachel and I are now departing from her family's house in Rochester, NY, where we were for the beginning of Passover and are headed toward's my family's house in Gahanna, OH.
One very sad note: I lost my cell phone at her family's house. I do not have people's cell phone numbers written down or otherwise recorded (even though I had been thinking about pursuing such a course of action in the past months). Feel free to e-mail me (drewkaplanis@yahoo.com) your phone numbers. Moed tov.

Knee Update: Off of Crutches, but Hobbling

Since my initial inability to walk (or reinjury of my lateral meniscus) two and a half weeks ago, I was on crutches for the first week week following that. Although I briefly hobbled, not using my crutches for the first time that week, during my engagement (video) on the Thursday of that week, it wasn't until the following day through the rest of that weekend (23-25 March) that I was utilizing just one crutch.
For the last week and a half, I have been able to get around crutchlessly, though for the first several days, it was more hobbling, per se, than walking. However, since then, I have been now walking with a limp.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' רופֵא כָל בָּשָׂר וּמַפְלִיא לַעֲשׂות