Poking fun at ...

[Henry M]

I have always assumed that people that have the intelligence and
cultural understanding to be able to read Pynchon would by necessity
be able to bring those qualities to other discussions.

I therefor find the inability to see the difference between "poking
fun at African-American dialect = BAD (unless the person poking is
also an A-A) and exaggerating a  Norwegian-American's accent (a la
Fargo)" likely to be disingenuous. You'd have to be pretty thin
skinned to feel that Fargo suggests that Norwegian-Americans are
basically inferior, or that they should conform to coastal norms.

When Norwegian-Americans are subjected to slavery, lynchings, 
"drug-wars," medical experiments, arson, torture, genocide, and  a not
uncommon belief that they are genetically inferior and the "spawn of
the devil," -- then I'll say "Don't make so much fun of those people.
Enough people hate'em already." While I haven't heard the particular
Latin wit in question, there's a good chance, based on "Jewish jokes"
I've heard from gentiles, that the humor in question isn't quite
friendly to an already persecuted group. Fargo is friendly to its
protagonist.

<sigh>

> From:          <LBernier at tribune.com>
> Date:          Thu, 20 Feb 1997 08:20:59 -0600
> Subject:       Poking fun at ...
> To:            pynchon-l at waste.org

>      The difference is whether the group whose accent you are
>      ridiculing is perceived as an oppressed minority or has gained
>      a foothold in society.  Thus, poking fun at African-American
>      dialect = BAD (unless the person poking is also an A-A) and
>      exaggerating a Norwegian-American's accent (a la Fargo) is just
>      fine, no matter who's doing the jesting.
>      
>      Now, what does one make of (Latino, oppressed minority) John
>      Leguizamo doing a Rabbi schtick?  What if Lequizamo was black?
>      
>      Course, my family's from the south, and funny as I find
>      Foxworthy to be, I do hate the way it plays into Northerner
>      stereotypes of Southerners as
>      1st-cousin-marrying-truck-driving-moonshine-drinkin'-barefoot&p
>      regnant -possum-eatin' hayseeds.
>      
>      Cause we ain't (oops, aren't)
>      
>      Jean.

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