Racist Joke brings swift response from Duncan Smith...would you have laughed?

[TrailblazingScot]

What gets you kicked out of the shadow cabinet...at least she will get 15 minutes of fame now


THE JOKE:

The joke was about an Englishman, a Cuban, a Japanese man and a Pakistani on a train.

She said: "The Cuban threw a fine cigar out of the window. When he was asked why, he replied: 'They are 10 a penny in my country.'

"The Japanese man threw a Nikon camera out of the carriage, and said: 'They are 10 a penny in my country.'

"The Englishman then picked up the Pakistani and threw him out of the train window. When the other travellers asked him to account for his actions he said: 'They are 10 a penny in my country'."




So long Ms Winterton

Link to article:
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=292305


Question: when you read the joke did you laugh?

Do you think Ian Duncan Smith over-reacted in sacking her from the shadow cabinent or was he merely pandering to the media.


I will admitt the joke brought a smile to my face as it fits the mind-set of so many people in Britain.

But Duncan Smith thinks Tory supporters aren't the sort of people to appreciate this type of humour Good for my friend Tony

 

[Lt.Col. Kilgore]

I think its funny. It physically hurt no one so I believe one is immature if one is offended. I always think its funny as hell when black comedians make fun of whites. I'm not offended by this because I'm not so naive to think that a 'stereotype' or 'offensive' word or joke has any bearing on anything serious. This is why it is a joke. Plus if it 'offends' some silly/egocentric people, all the better.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

Got a kick-ass picture of the main "players" in this little saga:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1965000/images/_1969812_winterton_300.gif

 

[History_Buff]

I think its amusing as hell.

 

[Immortal]

Oddly enough, I didn't laugh, partly because I don't get it, but mostly because it just isn't laugh-out-loud funny.

 

[Lt.Col. Kilgore]

Originally posted by History_Buff
I think its amusing as hell.

You call yourself a voice of sanity? Your assessment is correct. Congrats on not being a slimy, weaseling, 'liberal', PC loving overly-dramatic...

 

[Greadius]

I didn't find it funny. Not because it was offensive, but because it was a stupid joke.

As far as sacking her from the 'cabinet', if that is the most constructive thing she can do to help their movement I see why he thought the space could be filled by someone that helps the cause.

 

[andyo]

i give it a two chuckle rating - though i could see how someone could find it offensive - it is not as offensive as "know why stevie wonder and ray charles can't read? because they are black", and not as offensive as some of the iraqi / afgani jokes that have been going around since sept. 11 - unfortnately, in all though i think you have to err on the side of not being offensive when you are in the spotlight - and i believe racism should have no pace in our society

 

[ApocalypseKurtz]

I think he only got rid of her because he feared the media backlash if he didn't dump her. He himself probably didn't give 2 sh*ts about the joke being offensive. Anyway I think those jokes are fine among friends informally, but public servants should be held to higher standards of decency when working, and as the joke certainly could be found offensive to some people, she should not have said it; he was right to can her.

Personally I found the joke slightly funny; not laugh at loud funny but not bad.

 

[scorch]

those jokes are better when both sides take it lightly. He could replace it with american/canadain (you guys don't hate each other THAT much do you?), or kiwis/aussies.

 

[Switch625]

Originally posted by scorch
those jokes are better when both sides take it lightly. He could replace it with american/canadain (you guys don't hate each other THAT much do you?), or kiwis/aussies.

An American wouldn't throw the Canadian from the train. I'm not so sure about the other way around...

 

[Simon Darkshade]

It is a minorly funny and inoffensive joke, jumped on by the evil forces of political correctness. The same joke told about whites would not get the same reaction.

 

[allhailIndia]

I know you know why I found it funny, but I wold'nt have minded if it were Indian as well.


Why can't people take a joke as it is meant to be???

 

[Zwelgje]

Jokes like this one have been around for ages, when you hear such a joke for the first time it's funny. People with public functions should know they will get nailed when they tell such a joke so it's stupid to do it.

 

[FearlessLeader2]

It wasn't much of a joke, if you ask me. Then again, I'm not a Londoner up to his armpits in bloody Pakistanis, so I really wouldn't get it, would I?

Anyhow, she should have been sacked for it, someone in a position of authority should have better sense than to say something like that in a public forum. Someone that dumb shouldn't have a position of authority.

 

[polymath]

I didn't find it remotely amusing - not because it's racist, but because it's not funny. The premise was stupid and the punchline was obvious. It is the kind of joke that is sent in to The Sun, by the kind of person that sends in jokes to The Sun.
And in the current political climate she should have known better, she deserves to be sacked not for making racist jokes (some of which can be very funny) but for gross stupidity and embarrassing her party.
Like Stan Boardman's debacle at Leeds United, it's just stupid. Boardman can be very funny, but like the above woman, he was more stupid than funny on this occasion. What on Earth was she thinking of?

 

[MrPresident]

Congrats on not being a slimy, weaseling, 'liberal', PC loving overly-dramatic...

There is nothing wrong with politically-correct humour, I welcome it with open arms. A joke about someone else may be funny to you but it is offensive to them, whether they tell you or not. These types of jokes reinforce sterotypes and the belief that the joke-teller is better than the people being made fun off. A person can only tell such a joke if they believe in it, however small the belief is. It is not a question of if the joke is funny, as this is subjective and entirely depends on who the audience is. Also people often underestimate the power of a joke, some of those people have posted in this thread. You may think I am going over the top but a joke is part of the fabric of society. A joke can tell someone the underlining belief system of certain people. Humour is a very powerful thing and are used by a lot of people to deal with situations that they have no other way of coping with. If you don't believe in the power of sterotypes then let me ask you a question, how many of you thought I was attacking white people telling rascist jokes? Be honest. If you read this post then there is nothing in it to suggest such a thing. I just thought I would leave you with that.

 

[allhailIndia]

Originally posted by MrPresident

There is nothing wrong with politically-correct humour, I welcome it with open arms. A joke about someone else may be funny to you but it is offensive to them, whether they tell you or not. These types of jokes reinforce sterotypes and the belief that the joke-teller is better than the people being made fun off. A person can only tell such a joke if they believe in it, however small the belief is. It is not a question of if the joke is funny, as this is subjective and entirely depends on who the audience is. Also people often underestimate the power of a joke, some of those people have posted in this thread. You may think I am going over the top but a joke is part of the fabric of society. A joke can tell someone the underlining belief system of certain people. Humour is a very powerful thing and are used by a lot of people to deal with situations that they have no other way of coping with. If you don't believe in the power of sterotypes then let me ask you a question, how many of you thought I was attacking white people telling rascist jokes? Be honest. If you read this post then there is nothing in it to suggest such a thing. I just thought I would leave you with that.

I don't mind 'racist' jokes, as long as they do not turn 'dirty'.
Hell, it is a lot better getting rid of something on your chest with a joke, rather than taking 'active measures' about it. It is only people who are not secure about their identity and not really sure of their faith in their nation or religion who take deep offence, etc. Hell, I don't mind any jokes about India, or Indians, but it is not like that with all Indians, (esp the one wearing the Sikh Turban )

 

[Lefty Scaevola]

Ancient joke, I heard versions of it when I was a child.

 

[Akka]

Just another victim of the political hypocr... I mean correctness.