Humor is a problem? | Teen Ink

Humor is a problem?

April 26, 2009
By Captain-Tightpants GOLD, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Captain-Tightpants GOLD, Lawrenceville, Georgia
18 articles 17 photos 19 comments

"What do you get with a Russian and a bottle of vodka"

"An empty bottle"

People are afraid of laughing at jokes that could be considered racist, this is utterly pointless as humor no matter how offense is still humor. It is only by joking about something that we prove we accept it. A society where a white man can say 'nigger' in a joke and people not get all PC (politically correct for those under a rock) is a truly tolerant society. I however am an Anglo-Saxon male meaning I am the world's punching bag, everyone has some gripe against me yet I am the only one who will get in trouble for making a racially tinged joke.



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This article has 32 comments.


on Sep. 26 2010 at 4:32 pm
Healing_Angel SILVER, Sydney, Other
8 articles 2 photos 509 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live for today, not for tomorrow

Interesting point. I like this.

princess6 GOLD said...
on Jul. 8 2010 at 7:12 pm
princess6 GOLD, Berwyn, Illinois
10 articles 0 photos 42 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You choose your own destiny" :)

I get from where ur coming from but i'm Mexican so if someone said a nasty joke about Mexicans I would be the first to cut hem off because it is offensive to me and my people, but good writing

on May. 28 2010 at 9:48 pm
Ink_Stained_Fingers BRONZE, Coeur D&#39Alene, Idaho
2 articles 2 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
If love isn't a game, how come all I'm seeing are players?

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I'm not.

Micheal, close your mouth! We are not a codfish!
~Mary Popp

exactly! i never meant to say that people can't express anger against what others say - because that would be hypocritical - rather, i meant that everyone has the right to say what they want to, even if it happens to offend someone. and yes, the person who says something 'insulting' should be prepared for how others will respond.

 


on May. 27 2010 at 5:34 pm
PurpleFeather BRONZE, Canton, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 124 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The pen is mightier than the sword." - Edward Bulwer-Lytton

You bring up some great points, and it is true that we have free speech in this country. BUT, with this freedom comes responsibilities. If someone expresses a viewpoint, whether it is an offensive one or not, they should know that they will have to accept whatever consequences come after the statement.

And when someone says something truly offensize, PEOPLE GET ANGRY, and they are going to react. This is also a freedom of speech. So it's okay for someone to spout off whatever they want, but it's not okay for people to call them on it? Your arguement is what is called a double standard.


on May. 25 2010 at 8:58 pm
bluesky0728 SILVER, Phoenix, Arizona
8 articles 0 photos 107 comments
Yeah, I agree. And in the US, there is virtually no history of real tension or torment towards blondes, or at least not nearly as close as there is to African-Americans or Hispanics.

on May. 25 2010 at 8:56 pm
bluesky0728 SILVER, Phoenix, Arizona
8 articles 0 photos 107 comments
I agree. Well put. :)

on May. 25 2010 at 8:55 pm
bluesky0728 SILVER, Phoenix, Arizona
8 articles 0 photos 107 comments
I guess I can see where you're coming from, especially with your personal experience as the butt of the joke, but I still have a problem with the whole race part of the joke... if the joke said "what do you get with a drunk and a bottle of vodka" (ok i know that's not as funny...) then I would be ok with it. But the whole racism thing is a touchy issue, and it's better not to aim criticism or even humor toward people who can't help being the butt of the joke!

on May. 25 2010 at 3:44 pm
Ink_Stained_Fingers BRONZE, Coeur D&#39Alene, Idaho
2 articles 2 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
If love isn't a game, how come all I'm seeing are players?

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I'm not.

Micheal, close your mouth! We are not a codfish!
~Mary Popp

i know it may seem like people are just saying this sort of thing to be racist, but have you ever considered that they are genuinely convinced it is funny?

granted, some jokes about ethnicity (technically, race just means humans as a group, not ethnic divisions) do get offensive, but people take this so far!!

i mean, outlawing 'hate speech' jokes?!?!? the government could forbid practically anything you said!

there is such a thing as free speech. if you are offended, just ignore it or let the offender know you personally don't think that is funny.

loosen up, america.


on Apr. 11 2010 at 2:07 pm
MaliyahP. SILVER, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
9 articles 0 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
There are pirate ships and steam ships but the best ship of all is friendship.

Great writing!!! I feel for you. But as you said i live under a rock and so I'm just courious... what is an Anglo-Saxon?

ToyRe GOLD said...
on Mar. 9 2010 at 10:26 am
ToyRe GOLD, Monterey, California
12 articles 3 photos 59 comments

Favorite Quote:
"This too shall pass." and " When God leads to a cliff, jump, because He'll either catch you or teach you how to fly."

It's cool if you are good friends and really know this person, but if you don't, don't try it. No one wants to be insulted because of who they are. What some might see as a joke others could see as insult. Know the difference.

on Oct. 10 2009 at 4:49 pm
PurpleFeather BRONZE, Canton, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 124 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The pen is mightier than the sword." - Edward Bulwer-Lytton

yes, it is true, i am black and i do make black jokes with other blacks sometimes. even with my white friends.

BUT, if some comedian made a joke about anyone, whether blond, black, asian, hispanic, whatever,

i wouldn't think it was funny. u nvr kno how someone might react to any kind of joke. at my school ppl make racist jokes all the time and they r not doing to be funny, THEY R DOING IT TO BE RACIST.

this has nothing 2 do with humor; when ppl make jokes like that, they r just being mean. they try to appear humourous to cover up the fact that they are being racist. white ppl laugh (i disagree with ur opinion that ppl are afraid to laugh at racist jokes), but the ppl they r making fun of dont find it humorous

on Sep. 10 2009 at 6:18 pm
NorthernWriter, Fargo, North Dakota
0 articles 0 photos 326 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Only dead fish swim with the stream"

The joke you have there is a joke that I would think even Russians would use. Certain societies make fun of people within their societies like Americans do with blondes. But you say "it is only joking about something that we prove we accept it." Some people don't accept it, and some jokes actually DO hurt or hit a spot on the inside. Personally, I feel Blonde jokes aren't as cruel as racist black jokes, because most racist black jokes are meant to vilify blacks. For example: take the blonde out of the blonde joke, replace it with "a ditzy girl" and the joke is still reasonably funny. But take the black out of the black joke and oftentimes you don't HAVE a joke at all. Understand my point? Some societies take this stuff easy and everyone pokes fun with no harm. I've seen African-Americans at my school make black jokes and obviously, they seem to accept it.