This thread was prompted by the discussion in the Don Lemon thread, mostly this post:
I don't think I've mentioned this on here, but I'll mention it here because I think it's relevant to what I'm trying to say: I'm actually on the autism spectrum. I also struggle with depression to varying degrees (sometimes pretty severely). All that to say this: I find humor in virtually anything; call it a coping mechanism. I will readily acknowledge that this is a character flaw and I ought not make light of everything, regardless of my excuse for it. Additionally, I often have trouble seeing why something is offensive to certain people, and vice versa. Sometimes I'll bounce a possible joke (for facebook or whatever) off my wife because, although I find it inoffensive, I sometimes genuinely cannot tell if other people won't. She's prevented me from commenting numerous times this way.
All that to say this: I don't find the "plantation" joke offensive. If this is inappropriate of me (and it may well be), it's an example of my sinful tendency to joke about everything, not a sign that I'm racist. And yet in today's political climate, I fully expect the former explanation to be laughed off and dismissed, without any benefit of the doubt being given. (sometimes the "you should know if something is offensive" will not be applicable to me. Sorry, can't help it) This makes me afraid to speak up at times, because a joke or a question that I have could so easily be construed by someone as horribly offensive, when clueless little me over here didn't intend that at all and frankly can't even understand it.
Originally posted by carpedm9587
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All that to say this: I don't find the "plantation" joke offensive. If this is inappropriate of me (and it may well be), it's an example of my sinful tendency to joke about everything, not a sign that I'm racist. And yet in today's political climate, I fully expect the former explanation to be laughed off and dismissed, without any benefit of the doubt being given. (sometimes the "you should know if something is offensive" will not be applicable to me. Sorry, can't help it) This makes me afraid to speak up at times, because a joke or a question that I have could so easily be construed by someone as horribly offensive, when clueless little me over here didn't intend that at all and frankly can't even understand it.
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