Chip Morton wrote:
At 08:44 AM 2/22/2003, you wrote:
If anybody was offended by this but of off-key humor, I wholeheartedly
apologize.
First off, I applaud you for your apology on this issue, Stacy. It
takes tremendous character and understanding to consider others'
perspectives, even when your own perspective tells you that you've
done nothing wrong.
Thanks Chip. Like I said.. I was only trying to bring a little
off-key humor to the list. I didn't realize that it would spark
this kind of discussion.
To all others who responded in favor of the humor or in defense of the
individual's right to free speech, I believe you've missed the point
entirely. The jive filter isn't based on a dialect; it's based on a
centuries old stereotype of African-American speech. The content of
the message wasn't funny at all. But even the mind-numbingly dull GPL
is funny when you make yourself up in blackface with big white lips
and add a little shuffle, isn't it?
Hmm... True.. It is based on a stereotype that has been perpetuated by
just about everyone. There is another message in this thread (after this
one)
that asks if anyone has seen Airplane (and it gives a link to the site with
the quote in question). Anyone remember the two black guys on the plane
who were talking "jive"? Then the little old lady stepped in to help (the
stuardess, or is it flight attendant ? ) and translated between english
and the "jive" talkers.
The simple fact is that I think most of you are too far removed from
the group you're making fun of to understand why they wouldn't find
the joke nearly as funny. Despite being incredibly enlightened with
regard to technology, most of you are painfully ignorant with respect
to understanding anybody that's not as white-bread as you are.
Perhaps when somebody writes the homo filter or the habib filter or
the lo-wang filter or some other filter that strikes uncomfortably
close to home for you, then you'll understand.
I do know that people within their own groups often times use
what are considered racial remarks and stereotypical ways of talking/
acting jokingly. For example, how many people have heard the what I
will refer to as the "N" word used between people of the same
ethnicity in a way that was totally non-derogatory?
Is it right to stereotype? No. However, taking what could be considered
to be a stereotypical portrayal of a a group and turning it into something
that is totally non-derogatory can be a good laugh by everyone.
How many people out there laugh at Jeff Foxworthy AND are from
the South?
How many people laughed at Rudy Ray Moore's (a.k.a Dolomite) comedy?
(Here's an interesting link: http://www.blaxploitation.com/)
-Stacy
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