The 2017 General Political discussion thread, Part 2!

[Dddrees]

This sounds reasonable enough in principle. My only objection is that once we start using the law to enforce more than minimum standards, it gets twisted to be used on those with good intentions while ignoring the worst offenders. Asset forfeiture is a prime example of this in action.

Often it's not that the reason something wasn't done can always be pinned down to this or that but more that did what happened really rise to a level that either got the right person attention or did what occur rise to the level someone figured they just figured it simply could no longer be ignored. Unfortunately it's not always because it was right or wrong.

I do know from my experience at least that the organization one works for generally does take on the character of the person in charge. Whoever it is can't always be aware of everything that transpires but the organization for a good part does take on the characteristics of the person at the top,

 

[Trigger Time]

I don't get bent out of shape over racists jokes. I enjoy most of them from the minority comedians I watch

 

[Dddrees]

I don't get bent out of shape over racists jokes. I enjoy most of them from the minority comedians I watch

Yeah, but it really has no place and serves no good purpose in a professional work environment.

 

[jamil]

My two cents about racist jokes. It depends on the spirit in which it's told. Everyone understands the environment of a comedy routine. Good comedians are skilled at telling those kinds of jokes in a way where the listener understands there's no contemp, no mean spirit. The best comedy happens when comedians are humorously honest about a controversial subject.

People can tell when the intent is contemptuous, mean spirited, even with comedians, and those kinds of jokes mostly come off as funny to the other side. Jokes are less funny when you're pretty sure the person telling a joke at your expense has the utmost contempt for you. A racial joke told by a person who doesn't care about race has less offensive power than a racial joke told by a racist.

 

[Dddrees]

My two cents about racist jokes. It depends on the spirit in which it's told. Everyone understands the environment of a comedy routine. Good comedians are skilled at telling those kinds of jokes in a way where the listener understands there's no contemp, no mean spirit. The best comedy happens when comedians are humorously honest about a controversial subject.

People can tell when the intent is contemptuous, mean spirited, even with comedians, and those kinds of jokes mostly come off as funny to the other side. Jokes are less funny when you're pretty sure the person telling a joke at your expense has the utmost contempt for you. A racial joke told by a person who doesn't care about race has less offensive power than a racial joke told by a racist.

The only problem with this approach is that your banking on that everybody else in the room are seeing the way you do. Unfortunately it doesn't always work that way. That's why it's generally best not to even go there.

 

[jamil]

The only problem with this approach is that your banking on that everybody else in the room are seeing the way you do. Unfortunately it doesn't always work that way. That's why it's generally best not to even go there.

I'm not advocating. I'm just talking about the conditions where most people accept joking about race. I don't mind when Chris Rock jokes about white people. One of my roomies in college was black the other white. We all joked about race, just like dudes rib each other all the time.

The workplace is different. Not everyone is yer buddy, and not everyone knows you're not being mean spirited. Here are contexts in which people can joke about race in the workplace without getting into trouble. Between good friends who trust each other. Sending a racist joke in an email to everyone should result in disciplinary action up to firing.

 

[Brad69]

Dddrees your back!

How did scouting locations for HRC's upcoming book tour go?

 

[ghitch75]

Dddrees your back!

How did scouting locations for HRC's upcoming book tour go?

 

[Dddrees]

Dddrees your back!

How did scouting locations for HRC's upcoming book tour go?

Yeah, I don't think so.

I blame Bearny, I blame Russians, I blame the fact some one left something on the floor and that's why I stubbed my toe.

 

[ghitch75]

oh yes Russia Russia Russia......

 

[Dddrees]

I'm not advocating. I'm just talking about the conditions where most people accept joking about race. I don't mind when Chris Rock jokes about white people. One of my roomies in college was black the other white. We all joked about race, just like dudes rib each other all the time.

The workplace is different. Not everyone is yer buddy, and not everyone knows you're not being mean spirited. Here are contexts in which people can joke about race in the workplace without getting into trouble. Between good friends who trust each other. Sending a racist joke in an email to everyone should result in disciplinary action up to firing.

Agreed

However tempting even between friends at work I try to steer away from it. Often just too risky.

 

[jamil]

Agreed

However tempting even between friends at work I try to steer away from it. Often just too risky.

Well yeah. You have to really know the person.

In high school I was in the band. There were two skinny black guys that sat on either side of me. I was overweight so one of them called us an oreo cookie with doublestuff. From then on everyone called me doublestuff. Of course the context was racial, but I wasn't really offended by that. Probably the fat context was more offensive to me than the racial part, but you grow up fat you just grow a thick skin.

 

[Dddrees]

Well yeah. You have to really know the person.

In high school I was in the band. There were two skinny black guys that sat on either side of me. I was overweight so one of them called us an oreo cookie with doublestuff. From then on everyone called me doublestuff. Of course the context was racial, but I wasn't really offended by that. Probably the fat context was more offensive to me than the racial part, but you grow up fat you just grow a thick skin.

Yeah, but besides the risk of saying something that someone in the imedeate group may have a problem with is the risk that some one inadvertently stops by or some one in the group decides to say something at an inappropriate place or time later on. Steering clear of it in the first place I've found just generally works best in the first place.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

Dddrees your back!

How did scouting locations for HRC's upcoming book tour go?

 

[IndyDave1776]

Agreed

However tempting even between friends at work I try to steer away from it. Often just too risky.

True, especially given that you can never be sure that you really know a person. A friend once moved and found a new job to go along with the move. She had worked with a certain black woman for years and years--someone she really liked and valued as a friend. Their departure ended on a disappointing note when that woman basically told her good riddance, that was a black job (that she had no business taking up for those years). I could imagine how such humor would have gone down in that situation.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Well yeah. You have to really know the person.

In high school I was in the band. There were two skinny black guys that sat on either side of me. I was overweight so one of them called us an oreo cookie with doublestuff. From then on everyone called me doublestuff. Of course the context was racial, but I wasn't really offended by that. Probably the fat context was more offensive to me than the racial part, but you grow up fat you just grow a thick skin.

 

[Trigger Time]

I'm not advocating. I'm just talking about the conditions where most people accept joking about race. I don't mind when Chris Rock jokes about white people. One of my roomies in college was black the other white. We all joked about race, just like dudes rib each other all the time.

The workplace is different. Not everyone is yer buddy, and not everyone knows you're not being mean spirited. Here are contexts in which people can joke about race in the workplace without getting into trouble. Between good friends who trust each other. Sending a racist joke in an email to everyone should result in disciplinary action up to firing.

Exactly. Except the firing part. I disagree

 

[Trigger Time]

Hell I don't wanna be around people I have to tiptoe around. I don't mind "race" jokes. I don't mind gay jokes from my Navy SEAL and Marine friends who are gay and talk about male anatomy, or carpet munching regularly. I give it right back and it's funny.
I've even had a job where the same **** gets joked about, even emails. Whoop tee dooo. If someone ever got offended they punched the offender in the dick or confronted them or whatever and that was the end of it. I don't give a **** about all this you hurt my sensibilities or feelings crap.
Unless someone is burning a cross in your front yard (that was done in my community as a kid to keep a black family out and it wasn't riggt) or physically harming or threatening you because of your color or sexual preference or whatever then in my opinion it's not a issue.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Exactly. Except the firing part. I disagree

So you think it's perfectly acceptable, for a superior to send racially disparaging emails to a new employee, before ever having even met that person? You don't see how that could be construed as intimidation, by essentially saying "we don't want you here," and will be treated in any way they want? Do you not see how if this was something that was ever know publicly, it would detract from the ability of the entire organization to conduct business?

 

[Kutnupe14]

Hell I don't wanna be around people I have to tiptoe around. I don't mind "race" jokes. I don't mind gay jokes from my Navy SEAL and Marine friends who are gay and talk about male anatomy, or carpet munching regularly. I give it right back and it's funny.
I've even had a job where the same **** gets joked about, even emails. Whoop tee dooo. If someone ever got offended they punched the offender in the dick or confronted them or whatever and that was the end of it. I don't give a **** about all this you hurt my sensibilities or feelings crap.
Unless someone is burning a cross in your front yard (that was done in my community as a kid to keep a black family out and it wasn't riggt) or physically harming or threatening you because of your color or sexual preference or whatever then in my opinion it's not a issue.

You're talking about friends.... what about strangers who hold the ability to affect the direction of your career?