When Isaac Hayes died this month, it made me think about his run on the hit cartoon South Park. I don't much care for the show, but I do know, that no one group, religion, race, sex, orientation, etc. was spared.

When Hayes left the show, it was because of his offense to the jabs at scientology the cartoon made. This made me wonder. How could he be a key character in probably the world's most crude television program and make fun of people of all walks of life and then leave when it was his turn (so to speak).

It truly baffles me. I'm black, and I have so much tolerance for all types of jokes. I was watching Lisa Lampanelli do stand up the other night with my dad and older brother. For those who don't know, Lampanelli is famous for being the "Queen of Mean." Her stand up is based on making fun of all stereotypes.

Anyway, my dad and brother were laughing their asses off at the jokes about Jews, Hispanics, Asians, Whites, Homosexuals, Handicapped, and the Elderly. But when she made a black joke, they were offended. I didn't understand.

Here's my point. If we live in a world where we can laugh and joke about everyone else, what makes us so special, so different, that we can't stop and laugh at ourselves.

Thoughts?

I think it really comes down to us not knowing what it is like in most groups. For example with your family, you guys are black and obviously know what being black is, and so when your dad and brother hear black jokes, they know that that stuff doesnt relate to them and feel it offensive because that isnt how they are.
For instance, I could laugh at a mexican joke, because the typical sterotype I deal with is them not speaking english here in the US, hopping the border, and taking everyones job, and usally living in the getto, and those are the things I see, but I cant relate to it as I am not Mexican. So the jokes I hear are about the typical things others notice about Mexicans. But they would get offended as they know what being a Mexican persay is really like, and know that all the dumb jokes are not what they are all like.
Like for me, I am a mormon, and know what being one is and know more about the religion one hundred times more then the people that make the jokes about Mormons, so obviously I know its not true and would get offended. But yet this is for most people and this is not me, and I dont get offended by mormon jokes. Heck, I watched the South Park episode about Mormons and LMAO, and I dont have to get offended by it, because I know what is true and what is not, and they are just joking around, and whether they really feel serious about it or not, then that is their own problem and I dont care what they think.

I do see what you're saying. And it all really does come from point of view.

But the way I see it is that when people are offended by jokes toward they're own background and culture, but can laugh to tears when equivalent jokes are being said about another religion, it just seems narrow-minded to me.

I do know what you mean when you say it's about what we know. But we laugh so freely at the things we have no clue about. And that doesn't sit right with me. It's almost like we subconsciously place our own views on a pedestal above the views of everyone else. Everyone has a point of view we're passionate about. And taking offense to attacks at our own views and finding humor in the attacks of other views seems selfish.

And I think what you're saying is that it's as if the unknown if funny only because it's unknown.
Perhaps ignorance truly is bliss.

Personally, I agree with both points of view. I mean sure some people are narrow-minded and use stereotypes in joking around and it can come across pretty offensive, but then again why laugh at jokes directed at others when you can't laugh at ones aimed at yourself? I've learnt to laugh at short jokes, fat jokes, Christian jokes (though the gay priest thing is really old and should be dropped imo), sexist jokes... heck some of them I really love XD

I guess it also comes down to how offensive people find things. I guess I'm not a sensitive person in that respect and I should proably care a bit more; other people are way too sensitive.

That being said, when I hear stereotypes against the English or White people as I whole I still laugh my arse off, false or otherwise.

There are jokes and there are those that take things too far. While I can laugh at the jokes which is even directed at my own race, if the person keeps making jokes just about a single topic, you know they have crossed that line.

I figure its about tolerance: how much you can and should tolerate. So this brings the question of how much you should tolerate before you tell the person to stfu?

If you're just joking around having a good time, making fun of each other in a friendly way, I could care less what people say about each other.