The Policy Blender

I was sent a joke by SMS - a good idea, as it limits any anecdote to 160 characters. It said:

Those lads that killed that black kid with an axe have been let off on a technicality. They thought the label read 'Ideal for splitting wogs'

I didn't reply. I'm going to take it up with the sender when I next see him. Many would claim that we should be able to make jokes like that if we like, for two reasons.

1) It's only sucessful if you think it's funny. If you don't, don't laugh, and people won't make the joke again. Humour is very democratic that way.

2) Black people do it all the time. African-American comedy doesn't have any jokes that don't poke fun at white people, and it's huge. Why shouldn't we poke back? (To which I'd reply, ok you can poke back, but you have to let them hang your children and burn the bodies).

The nice thing about that cartoon is that it's actually poking fun at racists - people don't have a choice about their skin colour, but they do have a choice about whether they are ignorant and insensitive.

Erm, why does the slavery and persecution put upon black people in history allow them to poke fun at white people exactly?

So the following is also acceptable?

- Jews poking fun at Germans.
- Japaneese poking fun at Americans.
- Vietnameese poking fun at Americains.
- Me to poke fun at Muslims.

(Sorry, I'm not very good at examples like this; my history is pretty rubbish)

All the above that are 'allowed' to poke fun have had the other party attack their race, religion or way of life. Ok, me pokingh fun at Muslims is a bit tenuous but the Jews one definately stands.

As far as I'm concerned what is in the past is in the past. If we learnt from it then we can move forward. Saying that a race, culture or religion is allowed to be rude to another because of history is rubbish. By saying such things you're basically enforcing positive discrimination and descrimination of any sort is wrong. I'm afraid if black people are allowed to pake the piss out of me, my culture and the colour of my skin then I'm 'allowed' to do the same to them (not that I'm saying I would but the point stands).

No, muslims poking fun at you after the Crusades.

The point is, you're not allowed to poke fun at them. They're also not allowed to poke fun at you, but the response to them poking fun at you is 'Please stop' not some retaliation joke at their expense.

And being a muslim is a religious thing, not a racial thing. Arabs, perhaps, but then it wasn't extreme arabs who planted the bombs. Jews also, though some might claim they're a racial group too.

Either way, everyone is allowed to poke fun at racists, cause there's no reason to be ashamed of your racial background, but every reason to be ashamed of not realising that there's no reason to be ashamed of your racial background.

And I don't approve of most African-American comedy, but, for example, Richard Pryor was raised in a brothel and had it pretty rough, so it's understandable if not excusable.

Well, I think it's a reasonable reflection of my position that it's understandable but not excusable. I have a terrible habit of being glib halfway through making a good point... Point taken and conceded. Less throwaway remarks in future.

Fair enough, I'll let you off. Feel free to keep the throw away remarks coming they do amuse.