In Which It Seems That Even When You Write "SATIRE" In Big Letters Some People Won't Get It
Oy.
I posted the Scott Brown editorial diary making sure to tag it as satire because...well...it is. "Satire", while not necessarily meaning "funny" implies the presence of something called "jokes". "Jokes" are meant to produce "laughter" or "amusement".
I've had other run-ins with my fellow liberals along these lines. I posted a video of Billy Bob singing "Killin' Every Arab I See" with the chorus of
Killin' every Arab I can see, see, see
Only way to set the country, free, free, free
To bring 'em peace and give 'em a democracy
Killin' every Arab I can see, see, see
to the Huffington Post Viral Video contest a while back. I stood on a stage, in The Comedy Studio with the logo "The Comedy Studio" in back of me. During the set, people howled with laughter. At the end of the set, I got a huge round of applause. To the objective eye, it was a video of a guy doing stand up comedy, pretending to be a redneck. But not all eyes are objective and so I received the following email which still holds the rank of best...email...ever.
I hope you know they were laughing AT you and not WITH you!!!
Um. No. They were laughing with me. I was laughing at this guy and his inability to detach himself from his obsessions long enough to see that I was on his side.
As a liberal comic, it pains me to see liberals play into the stereotype of having no sense of humor at all. And, no, I don't mean that all liberals walk around dissecting jokes until they lay limp and lifeless on the linoleum but, sweet fucking jesus, folks - lighten up!
In response to wondering if Brown might be Cuban, some charming person wrote
What makes you think you have to be born here to learn "proper" english? Isn't Palin and others like her proof one can master English from birth better than those who are born and raised here?
What makes you think cosmetic surgery is a must? Is there A Cuban LOOK that is unique to Cuba and not like the USA where everyone or their ancestors come from somewhere else? Brown is not your average looking Norwegian (obviously not USA). What does an USA national look like? He's not blonde or so-called white. The man is olive tone as is millions of people across the world and in Latin America.
People must stop thinking language, especially if it's Spanish means you can't have euro heritage.
/facepalms
But it doesn't end there, of course. Although it's not in the editorial, I do bring up the facts that looks can deceive, giving as proof Michael Jackson and Christine Jorgenson, the first successful male to female gender reassignment. It's a good joke, I thought. Fairly obscure and smart. Even though I didn't include it, some smart kossack brought the point up. Which, of course, caused problem
* Grumpy Kossack 1: I don't find this line of joking funny. So what if he was transgendered? There's nothing wrong with that.
* Me: You're right there's nothing wrong with it. So why would he hide it?
* Grumpy Kossack 2: He would not be hiding anything if He declined to share his medical history. He would be protecting his own privacy, and he would be protecting himself from discrimination and violence. Transphobia is absolutely everywhere in American society, and it kills.
Remember Duanna Johnson. Tortured by the Memphis PD for being black and trans. Killed by the Memphis PD for speaking up.
Yes, it's true, of course. But that's not the point. Nor was there any attempt to ridicule transgendereds. But let's not let that get in the way of obscuring the point - the hypocrisy of wingnuts and the lunatic fringe. Because, when you get down to it, even knock, knock jokes can be hurtful.
Knock Knock
Who's there
Boo
Boo who
Don't cry, it's only a knock knock joke!
This hateful and discriminatory knock knock joke might push a manic-depressive to kill themselves by ridiculing the pain of those who suffer from mental illness*. Shame on me for propagating it.
Since no one defended Canadians, though, I can make as many Canada jokes as I want to.
Go figuh.
*Note: Before you flame me for this, yes, I cope with depression, so I'm allowed to make jokes about myself. Right?