On Racial Humor
Perhaps the subject needs more words.
There is a difference between racial humor and racist humor. It’s a difference of intent. There are worlds of differences between the many races and cultures on this planet, and good-natured humor about those differences is something that can actually bridge gaps and bring people closer together. Racist humor, however, is rooted only in hatred and fear of the “other”, and has no interest in bridging, only in dividing and denigrating.
I am a practitioner of racial humor, when context allows, and it’s usually meant to mock or satirize other people’s racism. I never make jokes about “niggers” raping white women, or how lazy Mexicans are, or how Jews are hook-nosed gold hoarders, unless I am mocking those beliefs and attitudes. Many of my jokes are based in roleplaying and characters, and sometimes those characters are racists.
I’m not saying, “These jokes are good, and these jokes are bad,” because it’s not that simple and everybody but the most deluded zealots on either side of the issue knows that.
However, when somebody posts a joke about “niggers” that contains no context, no parentheticals, no clue as to intent, then the only conclusion I can reach is that they are a racist, and racists aren’t people I’m interested in knowing.
You can laugh with either hateful mockery or with love, with closed fists or open arms, and I’m going to stop right now before this turns into a Stevie Wonder song.
