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		LISTSERV Archives
		PARKINSN Home
		PARKINSN October 1998, Week 5
Subject:
"Ethel Joke"
From:
Sharon Starr <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To:
Parkinson's Information Exchange <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 29 Oct 1998 23:29:57 -0700
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (219 lines)
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PATTI WROTE:

>    O.K., I was going to let this one pass, but having seen it =
re-posted, I
>am compelled to respond.  I enjoy a good laugh as much as the next =
person,
>but I am distressed by the cavalier attitude displayed in passing on =
this
>"humor."  First Ethel was described as "one sandwich short of a =
picnic." I
>assume this means that she is incompetent.  Given that, I find the =
sexual
>nature of the joke tasteless at best.
>
>    To the sender of this "joke" and to those who think it's funny:  =
Are you
>aware that assault, including sexual assault is a serious problem for =
those
>who are institutionalized?  Are you aware that this type of behavior =
toward
>someone who is legally incapable of consent (incompetent, mentally ill,
>minors) is criminal?  Would you laugh if Ethel were your
>mother/wife/sister/daughter/father/husband/brother/son?
>
>    Would you laugh if this joke were about wife-beating, sex with =
children,
>gay-bashing, or a sexual assault on a PWP?  Have a little sensitivity =
here,
>and consider what you are condoning.  What we are talking about here is
>victimization.
>
>Patti

*************************************************************************=
**********************
After a hard, 10 hour day at work and long evening helping Mother with =
dinner and bedtime chores, I've just finished reading all my 90+ email =
messages for the day.   We sure are an out-spoken bunch today.  Being =
pretty much of a "newby" on the List, I've been keeping my more =
passionate beliefs to myself up until now.  Patti's letter, however, has =
sparked my "coming out". =20
I am one that found the "Ethel" joke to be very funny.  That does not =
mean I am not "aware" of the obvious or "insensitive" to anyone that may =
be "one sandwich short of a picnic".  Nobody has a bigger heart or will =
come to the aid of anyone in need faster that I have, do or will.  I've =
always been among the ones with nerve enough to speak up for the =
underdog when others all around me are "following the crowd".  I have =
more than a "little sensitivity" for what's real.  However, "Ethel" is =
NOT someone's mother/wife/sister/daughter/father/husband/brother/son.  =
"She" is a fictional character in a joke, for God's sake.  What we are =
talking about here, is an adult joke, NOT "victimization". =20
I would not laugh at an adult joke if it were told around my =
grandchildren (even if I did think it was funny). Children are still =
learning and forming their beliefs and sense of right.  As one of their =
adult role models, my body language would leave no doubt that speaking =
of others or circumstances in such a manner is not the right thing to =
do.  However, as well developed adults, they will be able to express =
their sense of humor and still maintain their values.
Those of us on the List are neither children nor ignorant adults who are =
likely to believe that "telling or laughing at an adult joke" is the =
same as  "condoning the behavior". =20
Lighten up!  Life is too serious and too short already without self =
righteousness thrown in.  The pendulum of "Politically Correct" has =
swung far enough, it's time to push it back a ways.
(Well, Patti, we're now "lecture for lecture" and it's your turn at bat =
if you wish a turn.)

Sharon Starr  (Florence, AZ)  Daughter and CG / Rae=3D74 now / 50 age dx =
/ 45 age onset

P.S.  And yes, I have found some "wife-beating" jokes to be quite =
humorous, and I have been the victim of abuse.  However, when I became =
able to laugh about it, I could see the underlying problem clearly for =
the first time.  Laughter was the catalyst to my "healing".   (Haven't =
been beaten since, either.)     :<)

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<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
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</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2>PATTI =
WROTE:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; O.K., I was going to let this one pass, but =
having=20
seen it re-posted, I<BR>&gt;am compelled to respond.&nbsp; I enjoy a =
good laugh=20
as much as the next person,<BR>&gt;but I am distressed by the cavalier =
attitude=20
displayed in passing on this<BR>&gt;&quot;humor.&quot;&nbsp; First Ethel =
was=20
described as &quot;one sandwich short of a picnic.&quot; I<BR>&gt;assume =
this=20
means that she is incompetent.&nbsp; Given that, I find the =
sexual<BR>&gt;nature=20
of the joke tasteless at best.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To the =
sender=20
of this &quot;joke&quot; and to those who think it's funny:&nbsp; Are=20
you<BR>&gt;aware that assault, including sexual assault is a serious =
problem for=20
those<BR>&gt;who are institutionalized?&nbsp; Are you aware that this =
type of=20
behavior toward<BR>&gt;someone who is legally incapable of consent =
(incompetent,=20
mentally ill,<BR>&gt;minors) is criminal?&nbsp; Would you laugh if Ethel =
were=20
your<BR>&gt;mother/wife/sister/daughter/father/husband/brother/son?<BR>&g=
t;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=20
Would you laugh if this joke were about wife-beating, sex with=20
children,<BR>&gt;gay-bashing, or a sexual assault on a PWP?&nbsp; Have a =
little=20
sensitivity here,<BR>&gt;and consider what you are condoning.&nbsp; What =
we are=20
talking about here =
is<BR>&gt;victimization.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Patti<BR></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Times New Roman"><FONT=20
size=3D3>****************************************************************=
*******************************</FONT></FONT><FONT=20
size=3D3></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"></FONT>
<DIV>After a hard, 10 hour day at work and long evening helping Mother =
with=20
dinner and bedtime chores, I've just finished reading all my 90+ email =
messages=20
for the day.&nbsp;&nbsp; We sure are an out-spoken bunch today.&nbsp; =
Being=20
pretty much of a &quot;newby&quot; on the List, I've been keeping my =
more=20
passionate beliefs to myself up until now.&nbsp; Patti's letter, =
however, has=20
sparked my &quot;coming out&quot;.&nbsp; </DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I am one that found the &quot;Ethel&quot; joke =
to be very=20
funny.&nbsp; That does not mean I am not &quot;aware&quot; of the =
obvious or=20
&quot;insensitive&quot; to anyone that may be &quot;one sandwich short =
of a=20
picnic&quot;.&nbsp; Nobody has a bigger heart or will come to the aid of =
anyone=20
in need faster that I have, do or will.&nbsp; I've always been among the =
ones=20
with nerve enough to speak up for the underdog when others all around me =
are=20
&quot;following the crowd&quot;.&nbsp; I have more than a &quot;little=20
sensitivity&quot; <U>for what's real</U>.&nbsp; However, =
&quot;Ethel&quot; is=20
NOT someone's =
mother/wife/sister/daughter/father/husband/brother/son.&nbsp;=20
&quot;She&quot; is a fictional character in a joke, for God's =
sake.&nbsp; What=20
we are talking about here, is an adult joke, NOT=20
&quot;victimization&quot;.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I would not laugh at an adult joke if it were =
told around=20
my grandchildren (even if I did think it was funny). Children are still =
learning=20
and forming their beliefs and sense of right.&nbsp; As one of their =
adult role=20
models, my body language would leave no doubt that speaking of others or =

circumstances in such a manner is not the right thing to do.&nbsp; =
However, as=20
well developed adults, they will be able to express their sense of humor =
and=20
still maintain their values.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT><FONT face=3DArial>Those of us on the =
List are=20
neither children nor ignorant adults who are likely to believe that=20
&quot;telling or laughing at an adult joke&quot; is the same as&nbsp;=20
&quot;condoning the behavior&quot;.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Lighten up!&nbsp; Life is too serious and too =
short=20
already without self righteousness thrown in.&nbsp; The pendulum of=20
&quot;Politically Correct&quot; has swung far enough, it's time to push =
it back=20
a ways.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D3>(Well, =
Patti, we're now=20
&quot;lecture for lecture&quot; and it's your turn at bat if you wish a=20
turn.)</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000><FONT face=3DArial><FONT=20
size=3D3></FONT></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><EM>Sharon Starr&nbsp; (Florence, AZ)&nbsp; Daughter and CG / =
Rae=3D74 now /=20
50 age dx / 45 age onset</EM></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT face=3DArial></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT face=3DArial>P.S.&nbsp; And yes, I have =
found some=20
</FONT>&quot;wife-beating&quot; jokes to be quite humorous, and I have =
been the=20
victim of abuse.&nbsp; However, when I became able to laugh about it, I =
could=20
see the underlying problem clearly for the first time.&nbsp; Laughter =
was the=20
catalyst to my &quot;healing&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp; (Haven't been beaten =
since,=20
either.)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; :&lt;)</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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