Elliott Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 Sure, maybe they can laugh, but, as people with mental disabilities, you are sure they can understand fully and deeply the extent of the joke and how they are involved...???Besides my parents, I used to work helping people with deafness and other disabilities and I know their limitations.... sometimes they can laugh in public with a joke like that, but sometimes, later, they feel the sadly feeling they are "different"... BTW, my parents can laugh, they only can't hear.... they need read the lips at least... ;) I understand that some may feel different. If I was disabled though, I would cope with my difference from other people and live as normal of a life as I could. It just makes more sense to me and laying around being so depressed about myself and my "strangeness". I understand many people with disabilities might not feel the same way as I do, and I respect that. I would never want to insult them in any way if it would infact hurt their feelings in the longrun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHAres Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 I understand many people with disabilities might not feel the same way as I do, and I respect that. I would never want to insult them in any way if it would infact hurt their feelings in the longrun. I know you did your comment in a good mood mate... I'm just "clearing" the point of view... ;) Anyways, I'm not angry or depressed or something like that, I know is a joke, I'm simply pointing is not a "bad" joke, is a "sad" joke... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memNOC Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 this thread rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolvereen Posted June 23, 2003 Author Share Posted June 23, 2003 This honestly saddens me. Let me make one final point before I give up on this thread all together. First, I would liek to honestly apologize if I offended anyone. That really was not the point. The whole entire point was to post a bad joke I heard that made me snicker in spite of the subject matter. I do not want to sound condescending, but make sure you look at yourself long and hard before juding others. What is the difference in a joke like this, or a Helen Keller joke, or a Polak joke, or a blonde joke, or one of countless others that are told on here and by mouth every day. Nearly every comedic movie ever made is based somehow on one characters misfortune. Look at the movie "The Jerk" with Steve Martin. Great movie, but arguabley, the main character isn't most intelligent person. However, it is his misfortune that is making us laugh. The same in Bruce Almighty, you are laughing at how the world seems out to get him. Later you are laughing at his misfortune as his powers get out of hand. The point I was/am tryign to make is that misforutne is all the same, and its all relative. I was NOT making fun of retarded people. The joke was more about throwing a punch line that was unexpected. I CAN honestly see how this would offend some people (which is why I titled the subject the way I did). I CAN NOT see though how making fun of a "retarded person" is any worse than making fun of ANYONE ELSE. I have read TONS of comments on here where members make comments about other people, call them names. Sometimes they are other members, sometimes its the President of the U.S., sometimes its a music star. The fact is that making fun of someone is making fun of someone. How is it different or worse if the person is handicapped/different religion/different race/etc.? There was a news story this week on here about a girl in India that married a dog for religious reasons. Most of the comments on there were making fun of her and her people for doing that. Yet NO ONE (that I read at the time at least) stood up and said "This is her culture, why are you being insinsitive and making fun of something you don't understand". Why was that acceptable and this is not? My last point (if anyone cares by this point) is this. If you believe you have a valid reason and point that you want to make, be civilized. I received a very offensive private message from a memeber of this board that to be honest shocked me. I thought this was a place where peoplw could express their opinions in a civilized manner and respect each other. I don't want to see this site degrade into an AOL style teen chatroom where nameless and faceless people hurl insults at each other. Its all to easy on the internet to make a statement when you don't have to say it in person. We say stuff on here that we would never have the convictions to say in public. If you disagree with something I, or any other member wrote, give them respect. If you feel I have taken the low road, then take the upper road, don't stoop to what you feel is a bad level of humor. I told this person that although I was made at first, I calmed down before I responded. I said that if I offended him that I was sorry, as that was totally not the intent. While I DO RESPECT his opinion, I lose MAJOR respect when all he does is call names and doesn't state a clear thought or purpose. It's a waste of my time and his to throw insults at a nameless/faceless person who is nothing other than a moniker on a board. If you strongly believe in something, make your case and RESPECT the person that you are making it to. I have no problem in admitting I am wrong. If you make an intelligent point and take the high road, you just might waind up changing my view on things. When you call me names, and resort to grade school behavior, you just make me not care one way or the other. So, in summing up... 1) Apology to any this offended 2) I will not post jokes on this board anymore as I don't know what will offend next 3) "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" 4) Lighten up and enjoy life 5) Good night :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indecent Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 sometimes they can laugh in public with a joke like that, but sometimes, later, they feel the sadly feeling they are "different"... That's because they *are* different. Believe it or not, we're *all* different. Perhaps what makes a difference such as a handicap worse than other peoples differences, is being treated like you're handicapped. I would rather die, than have people around me tell me constantly how terrible it must be to be handicapped. The shock of it, if anyone dare make a joke about a handicap because it must be sooooo ****ing awful!!! and how terrible it must be to be in their shoes. How bloody difficult it must be for them, to find any sort of value in their lives, when 9/10 people keep pulling them down by trying to convince them how terrible it must feel. FFS people, have a pity party somewhere else, i'm sure they don't need your sympathy. As to the joke...Lol :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliot B. Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 OMG!!! LIghten up people!! Its just a joke!!Why is it the only people you can make fun of these days are rich white male? If you make fun of the poor, you are insensitive. If you make fun of other nationalities, you're racist. If you make fun of women, you're sexist. THat's the ver reason Matt and Trey from South Park put "Timmy" in the show. They wanted to go out on a limb and poke fun at what the politically correct tell us we can't. (Y) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven P. Administrators Posted June 23, 2003 Administrators Share Posted June 23, 2003 well when the thread starter has to apologize for offending many people for his "joke" and another alleged that Neowin mods are "too strict on this thread" (while we let it get to 4 pages) I think its time to close it and remind everyone that jokes like this might be funny to people with little compassion for others misfortune but for the larger percentage it is not. Yes thats my take as well and my personal opinion. I'm sure many would feel disappointed if I was to make fun of disabled people, because of their circumstance.. its just not right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glowstick Posted June 23, 2003 Share Posted June 23, 2003 I wonder how much of you like Monty Python or their style of humor, but are acting like uptight whiners in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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