This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_017C_01BE0394.0A38F2A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 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.) :<) ------=_NextPart_000_017C_01BE0394.0A38F2A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2>PATTI = WROTE:</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>> O.K., I was going to let this one pass, but = having=20 seen it re-posted, I<BR>>am compelled to respond. I enjoy a = good laugh=20 as much as the next person,<BR>>but I am distressed by the cavalier = attitude=20 displayed in passing on this<BR>>"humor." First Ethel = was=20 described as "one sandwich short of a picnic." I<BR>>assume = this=20 means that she is incompetent. Given that, I find the = sexual<BR>>nature=20 of the joke tasteless at best.<BR>><BR>> To the = sender=20 of this "joke" and to those who think it's funny: Are=20 you<BR>>aware that assault, including sexual assault is a serious = problem for=20 those<BR>>who are institutionalized? Are you aware that this = type of=20 behavior toward<BR>>someone who is legally incapable of consent = (incompetent,=20 mentally ill,<BR>>minors) is criminal? Would you laugh if Ethel = were=20 your<BR>>mother/wife/sister/daughter/father/husband/brother/son?<BR>&g= t;<BR>> =20 Would you laugh if this joke were about wife-beating, sex with=20 children,<BR>>gay-bashing, or a sexual assault on a PWP? Have a = little=20 sensitivity here,<BR>>and consider what you are condoning. What = we are=20 talking about here = is<BR>>victimization.<BR>><BR>>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. We sure are an out-spoken bunch today. = Being=20 pretty much of a "newby" on the List, I've been keeping my = more=20 passionate beliefs to myself up until now. Patti's letter, = however, has=20 sparked my "coming out". </DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I am one that found the "Ethel" joke = to be very=20 funny. That does not mean I am not "aware" of the = obvious or=20 "insensitive" to anyone that may be "one sandwich short = of a=20 picnic". Nobody has a bigger heart or will come to the aid of = anyone=20 in need faster that I have, do or will. I've always been among the = ones=20 with nerve enough to speak up for the underdog when others all around me = are=20 "following the crowd". I have more than a "little=20 sensitivity" <U>for what's real</U>. However, = "Ethel" is=20 NOT someone's = mother/wife/sister/daughter/father/husband/brother/son. =20 "She" is a fictional character in a joke, for God's = sake. What=20 we are talking about here, is an adult joke, NOT=20 "victimization". </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. 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. = 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 "telling or laughing at an adult joke" is the same as =20 "condoning the behavior". </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Lighten up! Life is too serious and too = short=20 already without self righteousness thrown in. The pendulum of=20 "Politically Correct" 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 "lecture for lecture" 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> </DIV> <DIV><EM>Sharon Starr (Florence, AZ) Daughter and CG / = Rae=3D74 now /=20 50 age dx / 45 age onset</EM></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT face=3DArial></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT face=3DArial>P.S. And yes, I have = found some=20 </FONT>"wife-beating" jokes to be quite humorous, and I have = been the=20 victim of abuse. However, when I became able to laugh about it, I = could=20 see the underlying problem clearly for the first time. Laughter = was the=20 catalyst to my "healing". (Haven't been beaten = since,=20 either.) :<)</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_017C_01BE0394.0A38F2A0--