I can handle jokes about topics that many consider "offensive," as long as I believe it's just a joke. If I thought they were serious, I'd drop them. I watch a lot of comics who tell jokes that might offend certain groups of people, including Jim Norton, Kathy Griffin, Ricky Gervais, Amy Schumer, Chelsea Handler, Daniel Tosh and--a new one for me--Anthony Jeselnik, who is consider the "dark prince" of comedy. I think he crosses a lot of lines, but I'm ok with it, as long as it's just jokes. I think humor helps us open up about topics that can be difficult to discuss.

I read an article, probably the last time I was on the computer (I haven't been here since around the end of last month!!!), from a magazine which I can't name here, for it is the B-word, a feminist zine, about rape jokes. Some of the comics I listed have done rape jokes (like Tosh and Jeselnik, but also Schumer, a female). I am okay with laughing (if I think it's funny), because I know I'm able to differentiate a joke from the actual thing. Still, I do wonder, if enough comics do it, will society look at rape as a lighter crime, rather than the horrific thing it is?

Of course, sometimes I wonder (but remain open to the fact that I don't know and can't tell) if a comic uses the stage to make jokes that aren't really jokes, that they believe what they're saying. You can't always tell. I do think we need to lighten up on some things that trigger groups of people to become offended, but that's a long discussion that I don't have time for at this moment, really. I'm supposed to be looking for a post I put up last month, and update it, but the topic of this thread caught my eye, and I couldn't resist joining the discussion. I'll just say this: When I say, we need to lighten up on hair triggers, I don't mean you shouldn't be offended by some things. It's more that we need to look at the intent of the person speaking; if someone says something racist, but doesn't know it's racist, shouldn't he or she get an explanation, rather than condemnation, as to why it might offend someone?