This site makes extensive use of JavaScript.
Please
enable JavaScript
in your browser.
Live
PTR
Beta
Classic
Can of Worms: Does telling a racist joke make you racist?
Post Reply
Return to board index
Post by
Skreeran
This is interesting. In any case, as with most things, I don't really think there is a hard and fast line. It seems like it's a gradient just like lots of other potentially offensive things. My brother is overweight, and I would never call him "fatty" (though I get that you're using it ironically). Perhaps I could say it to someone else in a different context, though.
When I myself make offensive jokes (again, in the right context), I typically don't use offensive names (n*gger, retard, f*ggot, etc.), but rather poke fun at the stereotypes. Somehow that seems less inappropriate to me. I remember back when I was Messianic Jewish and we were at a Patrol Leader's Meeting at Boy Scouts, we were going to get pizza and everyone was chipping in to buy it. All I had was a $20, so I gave that (in return for some change, naturally); one of my buddies said "Here's your money, you rich jew," with a big smile on his face. I thought it was hilarious. I think context is king when it comes to racist jokes. Calling a friend a rich jew, or offering your black friend some fried chicken seems a whole lot less spiteful than calling them a kike or a n*gger.
Post by
Squishalot
I never understood the uproar over black people and fried chicken, but I've heard about it being iffy before. Can somebody clarify that for me?(##RESPBREAK##)8##DELIM##Squishalot##DELIM##
Post by
Skreeran
I never understood the uproar over black people and fried chicken, but I've heard about it being iffy before. Can somebody clarify that for me?I'm not sure about the origins (and I'm too lazy to google it), but I believe it's related to Kentucky Fried Chicken, the fast food restaurant. I would guess that poor black families often had to eat there, and so they grew to have a taste for it as adults. Thus, the teasing about it would be calling them low-class, with them eating fast food fried chicken rather than higher class food (not that McDonalds and hot dogs are so much higher class... :P)
Alternatively, it could be that the Southern United States (which seems to have a "blacker" heritage) generally eats more fried food, and the stereotype came from regional customs, rather than class-based ones.
Maybe I'll google it later.
Post by
Squishalot
There was a cricket ad during a match between Australia and Sri Lanka, showing a depiction of Colonel Sanders passing a bucket of KFC (being sponsors of the Aussie cricket team) to members of the Sri Lankan crowd. Apparently this was racist, so I'd believe your first theory.
And dammit, there's nothing wrong with the taste of KFC :P
Post by
ElhonnaDS
Front page of CNN.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/26/valedictorian-sues-school-was-she-snubbed-because-of-race/?hpt=hp_c2
Just throwing this out there for people who are complaining that there isn't really racism in the US any more.
Post by
xaratherus
There was a cricket ad during a match between Australia and Sri Lanka, showing a depiction of Colonel Sanders passing a bucket of KFC (being sponsors of the Aussie cricket team) to members of the Sri Lankan crowd. Apparently this was racist, so I'd believe your first theory.
And dammit, there's nothing wrong with the taste of KFC :P
Looks like
no one is exactly sure why this is a stereotype. The thoughts in this article make sense, though.
In regards to the whole KFC thing? I'm fairly sure that the negative racial stereotype regarding African Americans and fried chicken predates KFC.
Post by
Tartonga
This is interesting. In any case, as with most things, I don't really think there is a hard and fast line. It seems like it's a gradient just like lots of other potentially offensive things. My brother is overweight, and I would never call him "fatty" (though I get that you're using it ironically). Perhaps I could say it to someone else in a different context, though.
Exactly. It's like I would never call a person I don't know fatty in the face for no particular reason. But here within close friends, it's like a mark of affection (not sure if those are the right words). It's like a proof to show there is enough confidence between him and me. You could say that here certain insults (between friends) fulfill the same job as nicknames (between friends), but with the difference that insults are not static, they change. Not everyone goes by this though, but most teenagers from my generation do. And to make this easier to compare: What's the purpose of nicknames between friends there? That varies a lot, I guess.
Post by
LoveStorm
It might sound I odd, but I actually really love racist jokes towards Australians.
(Being Australian myself)
Post by
Trick83
One of my friends told me "Redheads are just blondes with attitude", so should I be offended by a good blonde joke?
Some of the best jokes I've ever heard were told to me by the targeted population! I think it's the intent during the telling vs the actual joke. If they are trying to be racist, it will come off that way, if not, it's just another joke.
Post by
xaratherus
It might sound I odd, but I actually really love racist jokes towards Australians.
(Being Australian myself)
I don't think it sounds odd at all. There are scads of jokes out there about Caucasians and geeks and homosexuals and gamers and many other characteristics that define who I am, that I find absolutely hilarious. *shrug*
Post by
203406
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
xaratherus
No, it doesn't make you racist. It's just a by product. Everyone is already racist, regardless of their jocular habits. Everyone.
So sayeth Avenue Q - and I agree.
Post by
gnomerdon
I think if you make a racist joke towards someone who is that race you were making fun of, yes.
But, if a white person makes a joke about a _______ ____ to his white friend, that probably won't make them a racist.
It depends on the channel of where the joke is going to.
Post by
LoveStorm
I can't remember the guys name, but he said something along the lines of "Racist jokes recognize that we're all different, but sometimes the context can be put completely out of place, you just gotta be careful who you say it to"
Not his exact words but something like that.
Post by
Onimushua
Nope.
Post by
OverZealous
Nope.
Well, at least you're not uncertain ^^
Post by
952951
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
ElhonnaDS
I believe you have just become an example of being insulting when trying (and failing) to be funny, and actually being whatever that censored word was.
Post by
557473
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Sas148
I don't feel that making racist jokes makes you racist. A person is racist if they're racist.
Quite frankly, it depends on their actions... and each of us knows if we're racist (usually).
I know I'm not racist. I dislike people who make stupid decisions, who treat people badly etc. Sometimes that does seem to most often be a person of a particular race though I've noticed. But, I don't believe personally that's the reason I dislike them, I just dislike their behavior.
I don't like people who act, smell and look like "white trash" but I don't dislike all white people.
I don't much care for rappers, their clothing or mannerisms and more often than not rappers are black, but that doesn't mean I dislike all black people.
And of course there are other ethnics I could mention but I think I've made my point.
Am I racist? No. I'll like or dislike you based on your actions and behavior. Period.
:) Good poll though!
Post Reply
You are not logged in. Please
log in
to post a reply or
register
if you don't already have an account.
© 2021 Fanbyte
