All Jokes are Offensive - The Anatomy of Humor
That's right - no matter how you phrase it, no matter the context, no matter how innocent, someone will be offended by a joke. President Obama's recent attempt at humor, while meant to be self-deprecating, wound up offending others (1). We have now reached a point in Western society where even the most powerful man on Earth cannot make fun of himself without putting some group's panties in a twist.
A few thousand years ago, the local citizenry of Rome were able to let off steam by scratching some offensive graffito on a coliseum wall. Roman graffiti today offends almost no one except those who work for the city's department of sanitation.
In the UK the following joke will trigger a police investigation (2) of a possible violation of the "Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act of 2001":
A man goes into a library and asks for a book on suicide.
The librarian recommends the Qur'an.
If you google 'Muslim Jokes' the first reference you get will most likely be one of my articles in that category. It's not because I was the first blogger to assemble Muslim jokes, there are many Muslim sites preceding mine with so-called "Muslim Humor" - but because mine are truly offensive and hence, funnier, and therefore are linked to from hundreds of forums and websites.
As to that Qur'an joke above, let me say that Islam is a religion of peace and that the majority of Muslims have nothing but love and respect for their fellow man. There is no one more tolerant of other religions than a Muslim. I say this from the bottom of my heart and have not been induced to make this statement due to hundreds of death threats against me in emails and comments.
Now back to the anatomy of humor.
90 years ago, Charlie Chaplin made the world laugh by poking fun at everyone including the homeless. Today of course, some homeless advocacy group would be offended by his brand of humor. Chaplin was vile, vulgar, violent, and vindictive; he was also the most influential film-maker and comedian in history. If Chaplin were alive today and commissioned by President Obama to make a humorous sketch of Barack's bowling skills, I have no doubt he would have laid out a scene involving the Special Olympics that would have been hilarious to the audience of 1915; but today? Oh no, we are much too sensitive.
Even Henny Youngman's classic one-liners offended some group; for example, "Take my wife - please." Obviously this is a vicious attack against married women.
Try to leave me a joke in the comments section that absolutely offends no one. If it offends no one, if it doesn't have some basis in truth, I'll tell you right now - it ain't gonna be funny.
Of all the life on this planet, only humans have a sense of humor; we can laugh. If we keep up this idiotic striving to be politically correct, to be culturally sensitive to others, to be inoffensive, then one day we will lose the one distinction that separates us from the rest of the animals. And that will certainly be a sad, sad day.
ENDNOTES
(1):
CNN, Obama apologizes for Special Olympics comment
The comment came midway through Obama's appearance on the late night comedy show, when host Jay Leno quipped about the president's lack of bowling skills: "I imagine the bowling alley [in the White House] has just been just burned and closed down," Leno said.
"No, no. I have been practicing," Obama said. "I bowled a 129. It's like — it was like Special Olympics, or something."
(2):
Chortle UK, Reid faces racism probe
Mike Reid could face prosecution over anti-Muslim jokes he reportedly cracked on stage
Police are investigating complaints that the comic and ex-EastEnders star broke new religious hatred laws drafted after September 11.
...
The complaint comes from 23-year-old politics graduate Helen Kirrane, from Greater Manchester, who saw Reid in Chatham, Kent.
She said he made jokes about Muslims being told to bungee jump without elastic, and working as strippers.
She said: "It was like listening to the ranting of a racist dinosaur. Anti-Muslim jokes are disgusting, as are all racist jokes.
