mentsch1,
“I will repeat
If we can be elitist, why can’t they?”
Stop right there, and take me out of that we. You can speak for yourself only.
“I don’t care if they use it pejoratively. I don’t care if I am the boogie man of their stories.”
Well, I do care, and so do many other Jews I know.
“You will hear the same pejoratives in all my misnagdish familiy homes, just in the reverse.”
Not in my home, and not in homes I’ve visited. I think the worst I’ve heard was a story involving a Lubavitcher (non-insulting), where in describing him the guy said, “and he was a real Lubavitcher, with the shmushed hat and everything”.
“If all misnagdim were careful to always treat the differing philosophies of their fellow Jews with the utmost respect, then I can hear calling out a segment who doesn’t act the same.”
Or perhaps you can give tochacha to those who slur or villainize, whether they are Litvish, Chabad, or whoever. Because two wrongs don’t make a right.
“But the whole point of self identifying as a misnagid is showing that you don’t respect the other philosophy.”
I don’t self identify as a misnagid.