Racist Jokes
Recently I received a joke from a friend about the strongly Arab colored future of Belgium. And I wondered what to do. Ignore it? React? What difference would it make? Is it worth reacting to?
Ever since I was an early teenager I have been treated in certain ways because of something I cannot change. Because my father had the guts to count on the hospitality of the Belgian people, and then he even had the nerve of making a child. I've had to listen to remarks, undergone useless ID checks by the police, had difficulties finding a job, all because I'm not a Belgian. Not even the color of my skin, or my accent, or my way of dressing, that is all like any other human being living here.
Needless to say I'm a bit sensitive on this subject. And then it hurts a lot to get a joke like that from a friend. Because it represents exactly the kind of views that cause this treatment. And because words sting a lot more than any weapon. There was a remark with it saying that he sent it around, but that this didn't mean he agreed with the views in it.
Well, then don't send it. Because by sending that filth you are propagating the ideas behind it. What is a joke to you is food for someone else's negative attitude. And if you feel that the ideas spread like that are okay as long as they are hidden in a joke, you're dead wrong. You're not only spreading a joke, but you're spreading a way of thinking as well - are you sure you want to do that?
| 26/04/2002 | By: name omitted, but known to me | |
| I guess that the
"friend" you mention is me. I am not proud. Not proud at all. I am
sorry to have hurt you. And unfortunately you are probably not the only one
I hurt by forwarding this kind of message. I presume you know that my first intention was not to hurt anyone. For me it was just a joke. A stupid joke like we receive by dozens each day. But I didn't realise how it could hurt someone that lived, lives and will live all his life with such comments. I don't value correctly my chance to be a Belgian guy corresponding to the ideas other Belgian guys have about the good Belgian guy. I hope it is clear enough to be understood. But I am sure you do. I fully agree with your opinion and will be more cautious while reading these "jokes". Your article opened my eyes. Although it is difficult for me to feel exactly what you feel while reading this stupid message, I will do my best. Once again, all my apologies for this message. |
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| 26/04/2002 | By: Jim | |
| When something goes wrong in
the communication between two people, two people are sharing the
blame. Maybe not in equal parts, but they do share it. I have never said anything like what I wrote on this page, to anyone. That is my mistake, I took it for granted that people know. But how can they? How can anybody imagine what it is to be in someone else's shoes, if that someone else never describes it? That's the reason (one of them at least) I didn't reply to the sender of the joke, but I thought it would be more suited to post these things here. And I appreciate the understanding. |
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| 24/04/2003 | By: Patton Whatley, Washington State, USA | |
| i actually found this page while searchign for racist
jokes on the internet. because racist joeks are funny, i'm sorry. i
myself am white. i'm not white power, national socialist, fascist or
anything of the sort. but a joke is a joke. i hear remarks and jokes
about my irish heritige all the time, i'm called a potato farmer or
child of the soup kitchen, a stupid drunk and so forth. it's funny
because it's based on a stereotype, i myself don't fall into that
stereotype so much, so i don't see the problem. if you do fall into the
stereotype that's fine, just excpect someone to occasionally joke about
it.
i live with a black man, i've friends with a few mexicans, a couple jews and an sain, and we all joek with eachother this way. because even if it was meant in a spiteful manner, whether or not you get offended is up to you. msot racism is for shock value, thus if it doesn't get an offended reaction it's no longer shocking and eventually dies out. i can understand not agreeing with a racist joke, or even not wanting to participate in the joking, but please, don't get insulted as words are just that ,words, they really aren't much of a problem if you don't let them be. i've not left my e-mail here as to avoid spamming bots, but i will leave you with my aol instant messenger screen name if you want to contact me about this. as i'm not trying to leave a snobby comment then hide behind the anonymity of the internet. my screen name is MetalizedBlood. |
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| 25/04/2003 | By: Jim | |
| Racism is in my view not "for shock
value" or even for anything. It is the result of ignorance
about a group of people, fear for them, misconceptions, and generalizations
probably based on one experience - or even none, in most
cases. From what I can read "between the lines" it feels you have a healthy way of dealing with other races and stereotypes. Which is good for you and your surroundings. But racism has got less to do with stereotypes than with prejudice. I'm sure that if people call you a potato farmer they don't really believe that you are one. Prejudice is not funny, it is always negative, far worse than "all Irish are dumb drunks", you'd be amazed of what some people believe about their neighbors, just because they have a different skin-color. The point is not that these kinds of jokes are funny or not, or that they are insulting or not to me or to anyone else. The point is that they feed the thoughts of people that cannot see the difference between a stereotype and a human. Good for you that your friends see the difference between "the eternally drunk Paddy" and you. But I'm afraid a lot of people don't, and my question stands: do you want to participate in spreading a way of thinking? |
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| 1/05/2003 | By: Bianca (Tasmania) | |
| i think that it is soo mean when people tell those
jokes...even if they are funny....you wouldn't like it if they were baggin you and your counrty or or colour..its just plan immaturaty......i have a few friends who are black and they are the most funniest people you will come accross! i think that everyone has a right to be on earth and no one should put you down.....TREAT OTHERS HOW YOU WANT TO BE TREATED!~ |
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| 21/11/2003 | By: "joe frenkeistien" ("mexico") | |
U complainers need to shut the hell up! They are funny and we dont give a damn |
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| 21/11/2003 | By: Jim | |
Well, I shouldn't bother about kids that are so confident about their message that they don't even dare to give their true name. For your information, this form service gives me the following info: Why would you like me to shut up? What is it I say that makes you so uncomfortable? Which of the things I say are you afraid of your friends might hear? Why are you afraid that my message might be heard? Is it maybe so that deep down inside you know better, but your self confidence doesn't allow for a critical look at you? |
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| 18/12/2003 | By: krystal (phily) | |
| I found this page looking for racist jokes top, and honestly they are funny, because no ones name is in them so they are not specificaly pointing at anyone, just the overall view of a race or something like that, im 16 and i've been made fun of all threw grade school i didnt have any friends till i moved and came to high school, but i dont get offended anymore, i just dont care. it got old...my point is racism is so old its funny and "no one" cares. People are retartded and will always make fun of anything thats poossible. So i wouldnt get all worked up about, if you dont like the jokes, dont listen and dont spread them, if ya like'em, listen and spread them and keep them away from those who dont want to hear them, its that simple...god-people these days are to damn sensative get over yourself and stop being a loser, try to put some humor in your life, you need it...otherwise life is no fun. | ||
| 11/02/2004 | By: Jim | |
| Listen to yourself: "People are retarted"..."i've been made fun of all threw grade school i didnt have any friends". Wouldn't you have preferred that more people find this behaviour inacceptable? And thank you for calling me a loser. Name-calling is so easy... Luckily my life *is* fun, I don't need to call people names. |
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| 7/01/2004 | By: Amber | |
| Although some jokes are funny, it does NOT mean they are right. If you laugh at a joke but don't agree with it, don't tell anybody else about it:stop it there. Don't spread it around. | ||
| 18/3/2005 | By: Jerry (San Luis Obispo) | |
| I have grown up in a predominantly white area my entire life. Being mexican has always had it's advantages and disadvantages. I, too, came here looking for racist funny jokes. I enjoy jokes about mexicans, whites, blacks, whatever. I really think that they should be taken with a grain of salt, though. And there definitely is a time and a place for everything. I feel bad for everyone who is offended by them, but it's easier to shrug them off and maybe tell a joke of your own. There's my two cents. Do with it what you will. | ||
| 19/03/2005 | By: Jim | |
| Thanks for sending your two cents :-) The reason for putting that feedback form there is just to be able to receive those two cents from many different sources, and let everyone offer different opinions on the things that I write there. I see your point, and of course any racist jokes are just exaggerations of stereotype ideas - or perceived stereotypes. Of course one should shrug them off, I'm not saying anything else. What I say is that those kinds of jokes hold the seeds that support the racist views of far too many people. Are you really like anything in Mexican jokes? Or rather, are you only like those stereotypes? By spreading racism, in the form of a joke or in the form of a pamphlet, you enforce the view of far too many people that blacks, reds, yellows, Mexicans, Irish, whatever, are all just like the stereotype says, you enforce the fear for anything that isn't "like us", you emphasize the stereotype and ignore the uniqueness of every being. Isn't it so that, for very, very many Americans right now, "every Arab is an enemy"? The result of repeated stereotyping, don't you think? "They're all the same", and every time a stereotype is used, it is to emphasize some negative qualities, to push them down, make "them" look less than "us". It's that kind of hidden message that I'm fighting against. You may have a healthy view on yourself and on people with another skin-color (good for you!), many have not, and for many jokes you see as innocent are food for their hatred. That's what I'm saying there. |
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| 20/3/2005 | By: T Bowler (Liverpool England) | |
| You whinging bastard. How dare you say that about the hospitality of the Belgian people, they have been good to allow you into their land, if you dont like it fuck off back to the desert. I have many immigrants entering my country, it will cause civil war, nobody likes them, they are a burden on society, create white no go areas. If you dont like the country you have immigrated to LEAVE FOR FUCKS SAKE, then you and they will be happier people. Goodnight | ||
| 20/03/2005 | By: Jim | |
| Did you read anything here? I didn't immigrate, I was born here. I just have a skin that tans easier, and I have a different ID card, that's all. My father was of Eastern European origin, an area without deserts, to the best of my knowledge. And goodnight to you too, if you can sleep with that raging hatred. |
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© Jim Bella 2002-2004