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03-01-11, 11:56 AM | ||
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Deb |
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03-01-11, 11:59 AM | |
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I don't think it's limited to cross-racial jokes. It can be blondes, gays, Republicans, Jews, retirees, whatever. If you poke fun at the differences in a group, it's iffy territory and people can feel offended.
People make plenty of fun of Italian and Germans. It's no more funny than any other ethnic humor (from an etiquette standpoint). |
03-01-11, 12:11 PM | ||||
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03-01-11, 12:13 PM | |
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My original point was not just the dumbness and potential offensiveness of the mock-English, but the fact that (as far as I'm aware) the joke didn't start out that way. For years I've seen it and been emailed it in standard English grammar. It just seems odd and, yes, tasteless that someone would think to rewrite the whole thing in 'broken' English, and why? To add to the humor by making fun of Chinese-accented doctors? Nah, I don't get it.
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03-01-11, 12:18 PM | ||
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However, the above statement is not entirely true. There are plenty of truly ugly Polish jokes, and most Polish people are Caucasion. I've heard some really horrifying Jewish "humor", and many Jewish people are white. Don't get me started on some of the "funny" stuff I've heard about homosexuals, who come in all colors. And I've heard offensive jokes and characterizations thrown around by people of many colors, too. It goes around. It tends to be more prevalent in geographic areas where there a few of the target group around and people have developed their ideas about them through media, and, well, bad jokes. I don't want to sound like I have it all figured out myself, but I think you do have to be careful when you are talking about groups of people as stereotypes. Sometimes it can happen without even thinking. For example, I was a full grown adult before I learned that saying you were gypped out of something was a nasty crack at gypsies - so I'm not perfect in my own thinking by any means. Someone had to point it out to me, and it was very embarassing when I realized I was just speaking without thinking. Thanks to the OP for being sensitive to people's concerns and changing the title and removing the dialect.
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03-01-11, 12:21 PM | |
Join Date: Nov 2007
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As a blond (Okay, I'm actually gray but I'm dyed blond), half Polish, part German, part English, part Scottish female in her mid 40s, I think it's best to avoid jokes pertaining to age, appearance, gender & ethnicity.
Humor is not harmless. It's been used for centuries to ridicule, isolate & discriminate against groups of people. Take a common example, the male boss or family member who makes lewd or sexist jokes about women & then says, "What? You can't take a joke??" Okkaaayyy.... Among other ethnic slurs, I despise the word "Polack". Three of my uncles actually changed their surname to hide their Polish descent so they could get jobs during the 30s & 40s. Otherwise, they wouldn't be hired since no one wanted a "dumb Polack" as an employee. I know every ethnicity has faced discrimination--some far, far worse than others--but that only underscores why making fun of others for ethnicity, etc. is really not appropriate. Joan |
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