Besides the joke not being all that funny, I really don't see the big deal about this

[Wheezer]

So this guy at a banquet in Colorado gets up and tells this joke:

A Greeley businessman apologized Wednesday after a joke about Illinois Sen. Barack Obama fell flat during the National Western Stock Show's annual Citizen of the West banquet.

William R. Farr was pretending to read telegrams congratulating this year's award recipient, University of Colorado President Hank Brown, when he pulled out a piece of paper and said, "I have a telegram from the White House."

Then he added, "They're going to have to change the name of that building if Obama's elected."

Witnesses said they could hear people gasp in the ballroom of the Adam's Mark Hotel.

"I gasped," said Gov. Bill Ritter, who was sitting at the table with Farr.

Mayor John Hickenlooper said, "I don't think he (Farr) intended any mischief or malice, but it was inappropriate."

Afterward, Farr said he regretted making the remark and apologized to anyone offended.

"I apologize for that," Farr told a reporter as soon as the banquet ended.

"I mistook it to be humorous, but it was something I shouldn't have said."

Farr, a member of a pioneering Colorado ranching family, also said he regrets detracting from an evening intended to honor Brown, a longtime friend.

"All that I can say about that is that it was unfortunate and most inappropriate," said Albert Yates, a former president of Colorado State University, who is black. "Even though Bill Farr is a friend, there's just no way to defend what he said.

"I think it was uncalled for and atrocious," said U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, who was also in attendance.

now, aside from the fact that the joke is lame as hell, and pretty transparent to begin with, are we really that politically correct that this is some headline?

OR is it more likely that people who "gasped" have already said this in their private circles and are publicly attempting to do the "right thing" because they are hypocrites?

 

[Pabster]

Racism is alive and well in the Democratic Party. It's always been behind closed doors, but now it's out in the open. And the rats are all desperately trying to right the ship.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Racism is alive and well in the Democratic Party. It's always been behind closed doors, but now it's out in the open. And the rats are all desperately trying to right the ship.

You mean the demoratic party with the black presidential hopeful? that democratic party? of course there are some democrats that have strong racial bias, but do you think this guy would have said what he said if he thought it was flat out racist and not just a pun? please.

We have to be allowed to talk about race without being called racists.

 

[StageLeft]

I am shocked at several things:

1) I hadn't thought of that joke
2) People find it terribly offensive (it has so many meanings that to find the worst one is really reaching)
3) It's a headline, but then this country has one of the most fragile self-esteems anyway, doesn't it?

 

[Pabster]

I agree on your last point, sirjonk, but you can't tell me the guy made an honest mistake. That's the kind of joke one might tell amongst a couple friends but at a national gathering? :roll:

 

[bamacre]

404: Joke not found

 

[techs]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Racism is alive and well in both parties. It's always been behind closed doors, but now it's out in the open. And the rats are all desperately trying to right the ship.

Fixed.

 

[Moonbeam]

I thought Mr. White was a character in Clue and I don't know any President White so I don't know how the Presidential mansion got its name. Maybe the architect? But Obamahouse would be cool.

 

[Farang]

You know if a black comedian said this joke it wouldn't have got gasps. The black house, it is only the white house because crackers have been in it for the past 200 years. I see where he was going with it and think there are many overreactions, especially Salazar.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: Pabster
I agree on your last point, sirjonk, but you can't tell me the guy made an honest mistake. That's the kind of joke one might tell amongst a couple friends but at a national gathering? :roll:

Well that's what I mean. He was at a semi-large banquet with the Governor and a US Senator in the audience and told the joke. Do you think he would tell such a joke if he thought it was patently offensive instead of a harmless play on words? Sometimes we picture things happening a certain way and the reality works out different. Bad call, but this doesn't make someone a racist or even a latent racist.

And telling racial jokes period doesn't make you a racist. Believing a certain group of people are superior in some way to another group of people because of the color of their skin, that's my definition of racist. I tell jokes involving religion, race, sexual preference, and everything else. I appreciate jokes from comedians in all those categories. We have to stop throwing around the racist accusations.

 

[Moonbeam]

Hillary wants to paint it pink.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Wheezer
So this guy at a banquet in Colorado gets up and tells this joke:

Wow, aside from the fact that the joke is lame as hell, and pretty transparent to begin with, are we really that politically correct that this is some headline?

OR is it more likely that people who "gasped" have already said this in their private circles and are publicly attempting to do the "right thing" because they are hypocrites?

Yes, yes we are.

Come on, it could have been worse. Someone opposed to Obama could have said that he'd give this country a "black eye." People say that about Bush and no one gasps. Say that about Obama, and you'd have Al Sharpton knocking on your door within 20 minutes.

 

[manowar821]

That "joke" doesn't even make sense, the building would still be "white".

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: Pabster
Racism is alive and well in the Democratic Party. It's always been behind closed doors, but now it's out in the open. And the rats are all desperately trying to right the ship.

LOL, all the "closet" racists are Democrat? The problem with that is no where (that I can find) does it say this William R. Farr dude is a Democrat.

 

[jonks]

OK, you want racism? Let's see what the White Supremacist Board has to say about the incident?

http://www.stormfront.org/foru...em-gasping-453078.html

Hilarious stuff in here, maybe NSFW if you have collegues reading over your shoulder.

A sample post: Poster EPP:
"His backtracking was certainly uncalled for and atrocious, and he wasn't Farr off the mark when he suggested the name of the White House would have to change should Obama be elected. It would have to be re-named the S*** House!"

But wait, there's more!

Poster SmokyMtnSS:
"Anyone familiar with the writings of our Founding Fathers of this country would know that they would not just rename the White House if a negro became president, they would burn it down."

I tell ya these guys are the real knee slappers. Are we clear on what racism is yet?

 

[Jaskalas]

I don?t see how this is news, except that the news makers have very low standards.

 

[manowar821]

Check this retard stormfronter out.

"Probably what really happened is that a few liberal idiots gasped while the rest of the people snickered under their breath...

The media has to spin the reaction so to intimidate the whites and rush to the aid of the poor offended blacks...

Wouldn't want to hurt the darkies feelings now would we?"

He talks like some of the people on this forum. Kind of funny. Kind of not.

 

[alchemize]

I've only seen about two instances of racism on this board and both users were banned, and those were a couple years ago. So although other than calling liberal idiots, I don't see anyone posting like that on this forum. Although I understand you live in a land where there are arsenic lollipops and cyanide rainbows...

 

[ProfJohn]

'darkies' people really talk like that?

I thought that term was only used in movies, sheeesh.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: alchemize
I've only seen about two instances of racism on this board and both users were banned, and those were a couple years ago. So although other than calling liberal idiots, I don't see anyone posting like that on this forum. Although I understand you live in a land where there are arsenic lollipops and cyanide rainbows...

I haven't seen racist comments on here either. Gay slurs and anti-women comments are of course still socially acceptable.

 

[alchemize]

Actually off-topic is much worse for racist stuff than P&N. I should have been specific...lots of gay/anti-women stuff as well.

 

[Rainsford]

Is it ironic that people get their panties in a world class bunch over people getting their panties in a world class bunch over small, stupid shit? Some idiot makes an unfunny joke that was in poor taste, and certain PC folks get really offended. But then the anti-PC brigade comes screaming to the "rescue", getting all huffy about the FIRST group getting all huffy...like that's any less ridiculous than what they are complaining about.

The whole thing is stupid, and not just because it's all about politics. It's stupid because despite what certain conservatives say, ACTUAL racism is alive and well in this country, and focusing on poorly thought out jokes diminishes focus on real problems. Of course that might be the point, getting all offended about "political correctness" is good cover for ignoring the things people SHOULD be getting outraged about...