NationStates Jolt Archive

How come we lost the ability to laugh at ourselves? If we all remember the Katrina beer looter thread, some people got pissed off because the beer looter was a black guy and how DARE they make fun of someone who is black! I mean comon, give me a break. I'm not racist, but even I thought those pictures were funny. Hell by North Carolina law standards, I am handicapped. I hear handicapps jokes all the time. Do I get my panties in a knot and start going "OMG, you can't make fun of me!" NO, I just laugh with them because, most of the time, the joke are actually pretty funny. I think as a society, we need to learn how to laugh at ourselves again. We need to learn that sometimes a joke, is just a joke! We should just stop trying to read too much into stuff and just relax and have a laugh. So the next time someone makes a joke about the Katrina beer looter, a cripple joke, whatever. Do me a favor, and just laugh.

If we all remember the Katrina beer looter thread, some people got pissed off because the beer looter was a black guy and how DARE they make fun of someone who is black! I mean comon, give me a break. I'm not racist, but even I thought those pictures were funny.

The fake "ebonics" is where they crossed the line.

The fake "ebonics" is where they crossed the line.

So? I live in the South, and all over America people protray Southerners as dumb redneck hicks who has the biggest gun, pick up truck, and has the rebel flag somewhere in it's trailer. I don't get pissed off about that, in fact I laugh because I know people who are like that! You can't tell me you don't know people who talk like that. That what makes it funny because well, there are people who do speak with those fake "ebonics"!

So? I live in the South, and all over America people protray Southerners as dumb redneck hicks who has the biggest gun, pick up truck, and has the rebel flag somewhere in it's trailer. I don't get pissed off about that, in fact I laugh because I know people who are like that! You can't tell me you don't know people who talk like that. That what makes it funny because well, there are people who do speak with those fake "ebonics"!

I don't find it humorous, because it's racist. Just because "oh well, people do it, so it's okay! And other people are laughing too, so it's all good!"

People have to rummage around in bins for food too, should we laugh at them because we deem ourselves superior in some fashion?

Don't get me wrong, I have a sense of humour for most things, but there is a line that needs to be drawn sometimes.

I don't find it humorous, because it's racist. Just because "oh well, people do it, so it's okay! And other people are laughing too, so it's all good!"

People have to rummage around in bins for food too, should we laugh at them because we deem ourselves superior in some fashion?

Don't get me wrong, I have a sense of humour for most things, but there is a line that needs to be drawn sometimes.

I agree, but I just don't believe that it was a real racist joke just because the guy spoke "ebonics". Now if you had the guy on a plantation being whipped by a KKK member and he still speaks ebonics, then yea, it's racist. Tell me, if the guy wasn't speaking "ebonics" would you still find it racist?

I agree, but I just don't believe that it was a real racist joke just because the guy spoke "ebonics". Now if you had the guy on a plantation being whipped by a KKK member and he still speaks ebonics, then yea, it's racist. Tell me, if the guy wasn't speaking "ebonics" would you still find it racist?

Not as much. It would depend, I guess. Why no photos of whites looting things receiving the same amount of attention, though?

Not as much. It would depend, I guess. Why no photos of whites looting things receiving the same amount of attention, though?

Because no one saw whites looting beer! Trust me if there was a white guy who looked like he lived in a trailer, and he was looting beer, I would laugh at that too. It's not the fact that its a black guy looting beer. It's funny because the thought that ANYONE would be looting beer during a natural disaster is humerous. I mean of all of the things the guy could've looted, he decided to loot beer!

Because no one saw whites looting beer! Trust me if there was a white guy who looked like he lived in a trailer, and he was looting beer, I would laugh at that too. It's not the fact that its a black guy looting beer. It's funny because the thought that ANYONE would be looting beer during a natural disaster is humerous. I mean of all of the things the guy could've looted, he decided to loot beer!
But put yourself in his shoes - his house is probably half underwater. The streets are awash with sewerage - and perhaps the store had already been cleaned out? Generally a bad idea, considering alcohol is a diuretic, but hey, he's a dumb black fella and probably didn't know that.

But put yourself in his shoes - his house is probably half underwater. The streets are awash with sewerage - and perhaps the store had already been cleaned out? Generally a bad idea, considering alcohol is a diuretic, but hey, he's a dumb black fella and probably didn't know that.

I think there's more than one grocery store in New Orleans. And I may loot a case, but this guy got a recycle bin and fills it up with beer. I'm not saying he's stupid, but I'm also not saying that he's a Yale graduate.

If it's any consilation, I know at least 2 friends of mine who are rednecks who would probably loot Budwisers if in the same situation. If they did that, I would laugh at them!

I think there's more than one grocery store in New Orleans.

Yeah, true, he could have just driven to one. ;)

Yeah, true, he could have just driven to one. ;)

It's just a joke... that's the point of this thread, to make you realize that sometimes a joke is just a joke. The person who created the joke probably didn't mean it to be racist, and he just thought it was funny that a guy would loot beer during a natural disaster.

It's just a joke... that's the point of this thread, to make you realize that sometimes a joke is just a joke. The person who created the joke probably didn't mean it to be racist, and he just thought it was funny that a guy would loot beer during a natural disaster.

But i'm joking around now - who doesn't have the sense of humour, hmm? :p

Welp, I'm going to bed, and I'll pick this back up when I get back from the docs.

Meanwhile, check out Mind of Mencia on Comedy Central.

I think the better question to ask ourselves is when are we crossing lines?

I remember reading an interview done with the actors of Blazing Sadles who stated that Mel Brooks worked closely with the black actor (Having problems checking the Net for his name right now) who played the sheriff in the movie. He stated that Brooks always checked to make sure that the jokes, while funny, never crossed the line into hurting. That might sound silly, but I think it shows a good heart. Yeah, sometimes it IS funny. I made fun of my own disability at times and laugh when others bring it up.

But sometimes it's not funny at all, and being told to lighten up and that it was only a joke by someone is more offencive than the orginal 'joke'.

I know it is about time we laugh at ourselves

1) Well, I just didn't find it funny. I was under the impression that it was not really something you would laugh at without somewhere, consciously or subconsciously, connecting it to racial jokes and stereotypes.

2) I made the mistake of jumping to conclusions regarding ARF. I thought he was one of "those types", that sometimes learn how to use the internet, and move along the lines of Stormfront, just with a US instead of a Nazi flag. He's not, he says, and I believe him.

3) Many jokes are funny. Many aren't. And some jokes just hurt - and sometimes it is exactly the thrill of saying something hurtful that make them funny.