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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!we13!ihnp4!afinitc!wuphys!wucs!eric
From: eric@wucs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d
Subject: Re: "Gay Blade" joke
Message-ID: <228@wucs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-May-84 18:50:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: wucs.228
Posted: Tue May  8 18:50:34 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 9-May-84 03:32:17 EDT
References: <19484@wivax.UUCP>
Organization: Wash. Univ. in St. Louis, CS Dept.
Lines: 40

[Good Show, Steve...]

I would like to raise a new issue.  I believe the point Steve was trying to
make is quite relevant:  a joke, regardless of humor, should be told
with respect given to other people's sensitivities.

I love tasteless humor, ethnic jokes, and dead baby jokes, and the
whole raft of sublte humor that we see and hear every day.  I personally
think it is a shame not to tell ethnic jokes, because they are often
hillarious.  However...

I think that it is not wise to use the net as a vehicle for delivery
of such jokes without enclosing them in the proper wrapper;  header
warnings, rotations, etc.  Bookstores sell books that have reams (sp!)
of pages containing ethnic slurs right next to bibles and diet-plans.
The net has categories, also.  Walking the net is like walking through
a bookstore.  In USA, we have a right to freedom of speech which,
unfortunately, is not adequately checked by adjoining responsibilities.
So it is up to prevailing social and moral attitudes to determine what
will sell in a bookstore, and how to present "products" in a way that
optimizes sales (and the distribution of info).  Apply this to the
net...

I don't like being offended, and I like offending people even less.
So I vote that we don't ban such jokes from the people that can accept
them in the spirit intended, but we provide suitable information and
insulation so as not to offend the more sensitive folks.  Most
responsible people do that already, even on the net.

I never knew before that people had been kicked off the net for expousing
their opinions, no matter how "bad" they were.  Sounds like interesting
grounds for more discussion:  ignorance vs. inability vs. predjudice
vs. stupidity.

eric
-- 
..!ihnp4!afinitc!wucs!eric

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