Bad Jokes & Ebonics

[Henry M]

A test: When Major Marvy says "Ooga-booga," do you
a. laugh with him
b. laugh at him
c. both of the above
d. none of the above


> Date:          Wed, 19 Feb 1997 08:58:54 -0500 (EST)
> From:          Joe Varo <vjvaro at erie.net>
> To:            Pynchon List <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Subject:       Re: Bad Jokes & Ebonics

> 
> On Tue, 18 Feb 1997 Kyburz at asu.edu wrote in response to an "ebonicized"
> version of The Lord's Prayer:
> 
> > Is there any need to spread this crap any further.  Doesn't anyone 
> > understand that ebonices "jokes" are hate speech?  I mean, yeah, if you 
> > feel a great unbridled net-mediated freedom to be a public racist, then 
> > that's one thing.  But I think that some folks just don't know that this 
> > kind of stuff offends--really.
> 
> You know, I really didn't see this as an instance of racism. I didn't find
> it especially witty, either, but then the subject does include the phrase
> "bad joke".
> 
> It seems to me that just about *all* humor pokes fun at someone or some
> group, whether it be ethnic, cultural, career (e.g. attorney jokes) or
> whatever.
> 
> Hell, some of Richard Pryor's funniest stuff is when he pokes fun at WASP
> speech patterns.  What about "The Simpsons"?  Should that show be branded
> as racist because of the character Apu, the hindu Qwik-e-mart manager, or
> Flanders, the simpleminded christian?
> 
> To claim racism in this way strikes me as at least a bit "knee-jerk-y" and
> may have the unfortunate effect of diluting the problem of racism in
> general.
> 
> But then, perhaps I'm in need of sensitivity training.
> 
> Joe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

AsB4
Keep cool, but care. -- TRP
Moderation in moderation. -- Husky Mariner
m1,ru12? - HDM, d1