Chas posts a well-written, light hearted piece of funny political humor; lots of people read way more into it than was there, things get nasty and personal, and we have a valued contributor so upset he's going to quit posting.

WHY?

Here's what is going to happen:

1. Guys like Chas just won't bother to post thought provoking or controversial materials of any kind, and may disappear. That would SERIOUSLY hurt the quality of the discourse here.

2. The Taike's of the world will just go away. Again, that would negatively affect the quality and variety of input here; BIG Time!

Again,


WHY?

Russ Lay

P.S. I really enjoyed BOTH postings relating to the different parties. IT'S JUST POLITICAL HUMOR, DAMNIT!

Isn't it sad that people can't take a joke?

I just don't get how people can be so ultra sensitive about some things, but others are fair game. Some very unfriendly things can be said with a smile. Somehow, if we can "infer" that red state folks are fat, uneducated, uncultured, bible-thumpin nut jobs, there should be no backlash of any kind. It's only humor. But someone can tell a fat joke, or a race joke, gay joke, or a blind joke, or use the word retarded instead of cognitively challenged, and suddenly he's called out as prejudiced, sexist, or worse.

Rory, I thought both pieces were exaggerations with a little truth in each.

But, you're right...many can dish it out but can't take an equal level of kidding.

I just think that this one went way too far, and unnecessarily hurt some feelings.

and that's a real shame!


Russ

uh, yeah. Are you saying that race jokes, gay jokes, and blind jokes are ok???? These are not CHOICES people have made; being fat (in most cases), uneducated, uncultured, and a religious extremist, IS. There's a difference.

chas

So how you look is more sacred than what you think? Stereotypes are stereotypes, regardless. If someone tells a race joke, the joke usually isn't about a skin pigment, it's about a stereotype associated with that race. Just as that political humor piece was exaggerated stereotypes of what conservative republicans are. Do blonds choose to be bblond? Well, they can artificially change, but not really. So are blond jokes the same as race jokes? Most people don't think so. If you could artificially change your skin color, would race jokes then become the blond jokes of today?If the criteria of what's funny and what isn't is based on physical traits that can or cannot be helped, then blond jokes should be equally as offensive. However, if humor is based on stereotypes associated with rednecks, Christians, Mexicans, then it stands to reason that whether it is a chosen or genetic trait isn't a factor.

[This message has been edited by FAEbGBD (edited 11-23-2010).]

If they're based on the stereotype that equates blondness with dumbness, then yes, they're the same. Although they may not be equal in their emotional impact, they fall into the same category. But I agree with you in that we shouldn't judge people based on where they live. Some of the nicest people I've ever met were from right here in the great (super red) state of Georgia. I've learned that a southern 'twang' doesn't always translate into a malevolent heart. Of course, your best shot at finding these people would be at a meeting of your local (very small) Democratic Party .

chas

If it's a joke that blatantly promotes hatred (emotional or physical) toward a group of people, it's totally unacceptable in my book, but that said, no matter what your race, color, religion, culture, sexual preference, or any other group, republican, democrat, etc, jokes about another group have been going on since the beginning of time and I doubt that this will ever change: it's human nature. In fact, look back to our ancestors, the apes, and they were doing the same thing long before we evolved from them. As a racial minority, I've had to early on learn to roll with the punches, keep a sense of humor and take extra steps to not over sensitize anything I might have (mistakenly) perceived as an intentionally racist remark. Peace and love. - Scott

Well said, Scott! It's still a shame when the line is crossed, and it is every day!


R.