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From: clyde@reed.UUCP (Clyde Bryja)
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d,net.women
Subject: Re: Re: Offensive humor
Message-ID: <2453@reed.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Feb-86 13:56:49 EST
Article-I.D.: reed.2453
Posted: Wed Feb  5 13:56:49 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Feb-86 20:39:48 EST
References: <428@mmm.UUCP> <9096@amdcad.UUCP>
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Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
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Xref: watmath net.jokes.d:1412 net.women:8741

> In article <428@mmm.UUCP> mrgofor@mmm.UUCP (Michael Ross) writes:
> >	The question: Are ALL jokes offensive in SOME way to SOMEone?
> >Can anyone supply a joke that is completely inoffensive to anybody
> >(yet still funny to someone)? 
> 
> Yes, there are plenty of jokes which are inoffensive. Here's three
> (possibly old ones)
> 
> 1) A woman dreamt she was talking to God when He sneezed.
> She didn't know what to say to that. (I didn't get it until
> I thought of the usual response to a sneeze: God bless you?)

Of the three examples, I believe that this one is the least likely
by far to offend anyone.  Nevertheless, those who believe in either
zero or two+ gods could find the very expression "God bless you" to
be offensive (I don't see why they'd have any reason to, but I can
easily imagine a few people being disturbed by this).  I also personally
know people who really object to the use of a capital 'G' in the spelling
of the Judeo-Christian god (but, of course, this objection disappears
when the joke is told orally).

> 2) Two crazy people are talking to each other. One asks "Are you
> a Giant fan?" The other replies "No, I'm an airconditioner".

I'm afraid that this could easily (perhaps rightly) be regarded as
perpetuating the stereotype that all mentally ill people think that
they are something/someone else.  Also, for those who are affected
by the problem of mental illness, this joke may be seen to show gross
insensitivity toward mentally ill people.  The problems of the mentally
ill are serious, and not funny.  Some (nay, MANY) people find the idea
of drawing any kind of humour out of a sad/serious set of circumstances
to be very offensive and repugnant.

> 3) It's been discovered that you can get a disease from kissing birds
> called Chirpes. But don't worry, it's tweetable.

The parallel to herpes here is just too much.  Those who have been
affected in some way by that very unfunny disease may be very offended
by this joke.  The reason is the same as before.

It seems to be very hard not to make a joke that offends some people.
I suspect that only those that are very distanced from human events/
experience are able to fit the bill.  With that theory in mind, I throw
the following example to the wind.  Can anyone find a reason why this
simple joke would offend anyone?

	Q:  What did one rock say to the other rock?
	A:  Nothing.  Rocks can't speak.


-- 
+++++++++++
"For Easter Day is Christmas time,		Clyde Bryja
 And far away is near,				Box 21, Reed College
 And two and two is more than four,		Portland, OR	97202
 And over there is here."