OT-Taking offense

I specifically didn't bring up the content of that post, but since someone else already did, the thing you took offense to is NOT an ethnicity, whatever you may think. I will NEVER post another joke on this board. And if I were not committed to some projects and people on the board, I would probably just give up trying to censor myself and leave the board. I would never purposely insult anyone here, and that is absolutely the last I will say on the subject.

Note from Joy: I don't think it's necessary for you to promise to never tell another joke or consider leaving the board. That seems like an extreme measure. However, it could be a workable choice for you to decide to just apologize and not do something again, when it happens to inadvertently hurt someone else's toes--just as we would all do if we were to happen to accidently step on their physical toes.

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ December 06, 2005 07:50 PM: Message edited by: djsnjones ]</font>

Oh, I think that your talking baout the You might be a Redneck if.. post? I didn't read that... My aren't we all going through some discomfort.
I agree with Miss Nellie O'Mally. In KY you can buy You might be a Redneck joke shirts at Walmart, and alot of people around here listen to Jeff Foxworthy like he's a god. Besides, what about the Country song "Redneck Yacht Club" should that be banned from the radio? Admittedly I am not a Country Bumpkin (or is that term offensive?)or grew up in the South...
I think that it would behoove us all to relax a little. If this board turns us all paranoid of speaking without risk of offensive and hurt, then what is the point?

Note from Joy: We don't need to exist in a paranoid frame of mind, and we don't need to embrace "freedom of speech" with a devil-may-care attitude either. Those are not our only two choices. Another, probably more workable choice, is to write with an effort towards being prudent, and then if someone is hurt inadvertently to apologize and move on--without condemning the person who says "ouch". We don't condemn someone who says "ouch" when we accidently step on their physical toes. Nor do we then walk in a paranoid frame of mind, just because we accidently stepped on someone's toes once. We say "Oh. Excuse me. I'm sorry, I didn't see you there" and we move on.

What is the point? The point is not to be able to unload our minds and mouths in any way we want to whenever we want to. The point is to share fun and a common hobby in ways that are considerate of everyone around us.
Joy

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ December 06, 2005 07:57 PM: Message edited by: djsnjones ]</font>

Quote:

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Originally posted by mayergirl:
I will NEVER post another joke on this board. And if I were not committed to some projects and people on the board, I would probably just give up trying to censor myself and leave the board.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I do not blame you Mayergirl at all.

I'm with Pumpkin.

Mayergirl, I didn't get to read it before you deleted it, can you PM it to me? Pretty please? [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]

Southern born and bred, Midwestern stuck. [img]frown.gif[/img]

One of my favorite bumper stickers:

Maybe the Hokey-Pokey is what it's all about.

Quote:

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If people quit making fun of themselves then other people will realize it's not okay to make fun of them either.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">What?! Im sorry, but thats just no fun! I live for making jokes about my nasaly Michigan accent, my family's catholic and blue collar roots, the weather that changes faster than the mood of a girl with pms and all the backwoods lovin' hunters-including my dad, brother everyone of my uncles and cousins-who pop out every fall to shoot 'da buck'. And Im proud of my background. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being able to poke fun at your heritage. The fact that you have a sense of humor about it shows your are content with it.
To me, people who get uptight about it and get offended when people tease about, lets say, our nasaly voices, probably feel they have something to prove. The stuff that comes from where I live is not really cultural and its certainly not linked to my ethinic background. It is regional. And Im with maygirl on a few things here. That word does not represent an ethnicity. I live way north of the mason-dixon line and I can tell you there are plenty of them running around here. My family included-some of them more than others [img]wink.gif[/img]

The N-word is not even on the same page as the use of Jeff Foxworthy's go-to joke. First its not an ethnicity and second it doesnt carry with it the history and brutality that that other awful, awful word does. Im not quite sure how they can even be compared. People are not shouting the R-word to people and spitting in their face and telling them they have to sit at the back of the bus. Its not the same thing at all. Even though I do agree with you that it is an entirely negative word for those reasons and should not be made into something positive, even if it is only used as such between AAs.

Anyway, I agree with maygirl that if you do take offense to something, then be mature and responsible about it, PM the person! And if you cant, really stop and think about what is said before you jump to conclusions.

And finally, yeah I know I have nothing to do with initial joke, but I had to throw my two cents in...sorry [img]wink.gif[/img]

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ December 06, 2005 07:53 PM: Message edited by: *shortie* ]</font>

Quote:

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Originally posted by Molly-Felicity:
One of my favorite bumper stickers:

Maybe the Hokey-Pokey is what it's all about.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">ROFL...I love that quote!! Ive been wanting that bumper sticker for a long time.

I don't think it's necessary for you to promise to never tell another joke or to consider leaving the board. That seems like an extreme measure. However, it could be a workable choice for you to decide to just apologize and not do something again, when it happens to inadvertently hurt someone else's toes--just as we would all do if we were to happen to accidently step on their physical toes.

We don't need to say, "Either take me with all that comes out of my mouth, or I'll never post a joke again, or I may even leave". And we don't need to feel muzzled. Those are not our only choices.

We don't need to exist in a paranoid frame of mind, and we don't need to embrace "freedom of speech" with a devil-may-care attitude either. Those are not our only two choices.

Another, probably more workable choice, is to write with an effort towards being prudent, and sometimes with some impulse control, and then if someone is hurt inadvertently, to apologize and move on--without condemning the person who says "ouch".

We don't condemn someone who says "ouch" when we accidently step on their physical toes. Nor do we then walk around in a paranoid frame of mind, just because we accidently stepped on someone's toes once. We say "Oh. Excuse me. I'm sorry, I didn't see you there" and we move on.

"What is the point?" The point is not to be able to unload our minds and mouths in any way we want to whenever we want to. The point is to share fun and a common hobby in ways that are considerate of everyone around us.
Joy

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ December 06, 2005 08:12 PM: Message edited by: djsnjones ]</font>

Wow...I missed the joke, but if contains the "R" word, that is definetly the first time I've EVER heard someone take offense over it. *shrug* To each her own, I guess.