iron horse, the key word in your quote, "fun". Not making ridicule, making fun.

I'm of Italian and Polish decent. These two groups are the basis for many jokes, and fun. I take it just the way it was intended. No reflection on me, only meant as humor. Let's all put our shirts back on so as to cover the "chips" on our shoulders. Being proud of our heritage doesn't mean defending it against every comment regardless of whether they are malicious or thoughtless. Know who you are, be proud of it, but pick your battles, or people will begin to ignore you based on the fact that you "doth protest too much".

 

ah, you damn Pollock you

 

Hey! I resemble that remark!!!!

 

I know

 

A blonde was telling her priest a Pollock joke, when halfway through the priest interrupts her, "Don't you know I'm Polish?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," the blonde apologizes, "do you want me to start over and talk slower?"




The Mutt.... Cherokee, Scotts-Irish, and German mostly; but, who knows what else has made it's way in there.

 

.....the line between "just having fun" and ridicule can be a hazy one, that I do believe. But, trust me when I say, if I had a "chip on my shoulder" about these issues, the wording in my post would have been "razor sharp".

My racial origin is mixed to say the least (including 4 types of American Indian tribal descent as well as irish, german and dutch).......I am the living example of the American melting pot.
Living "between two worlds", I have seen and experienced many perspectives. The response that, I may have a chip on my shoulder is a common one from those do not understand that, somethings are just wrong, and should never be tolerated. If no one in this thread had/has the intent to "ridicule" American Indians that is great, however, IF the intent is to "ridicule" American Indians.......I will be back "to fight the good fight".

.....don't worry, iron horse is hated and loved, but never ignored.

 

Great joke OW. I've heard that in several variations, all of them make me laugh.

Laughter is the key iron horse. In regard to: if you had a "chip" on your shoulder your response would have been "razor sharp". Would it have made a difference? Do you think if any of us had been making those jokes with malice that you would have gained an ally with a "razor sharp" retort? "Ridicule" is in the eye of the beholder. I would hope that your vision isn't so different from mine that you detected ridicule in any of the previous posts, but if you did, you may be alone, or at least in the minority. That is your right, and I will defend it whether I agree with it or not. There are certain things I will not defend, stupidity being one of those things. I have not seen one ounce of stupidity in any of the post in this thread. I am constantly amazed at the direction some of the most inocuous threads on this site seem to take.

A gentleman on a local radio station here in North Carolina laments that the United States of America has slowly become the United States of the Offended.

Now I return this post to the originally scheduled programming.....

 

I thought you might appreciate that. It seemed appropriate.




Jerry Agar is the man! I love his show. Even if he is a Canadian.

 

For me, it is a matter of having character, not being a
"character". For me, having character can be the act of standing up for something regardless if it is the popular thing to do or not. Having character sometimes requires one to swim against the waves of conformity. History shows us that, in exteme cases, without character, an entire country can be led like sheep to their doom (****-Germany).

I do not know the intent of the others that posted in this thread, however, I posted what I posted to educate and inform. I also felt the need to post before the thread went down a pathway that would surely require a razor sharp retort and ultimately the closing of this thread.

 

Politically correct = Lose of ones 1st amendment right (free speech)

Therefore it is NEVER ok to be “politically correct” unless one is weak minded. The YMCA is doing a good thing and having fun. No ridicule, no putting ones heritage or racial make-up down.

It may be true that what the YMCA is doing has no real foundation, but then again history is re-written everyday in this country, so many times it is hard to tell what the actual history is. It is re-written for many of heritages and racial make-ups so there has never been just one group separated out for ridicule…

 

So, although you "did not know the intent of the others", you assumed we were all going "down the path" and chose to properly inform us. Did I get this right, or am I putting words in your mouth?
If you require razor sharp retorts to close threads, I would certainly hope you are not more preoccupied with closing threads than expressing beliefs.

I thank you for this exchange, and it was most expressedly not my wish to enter a debate or alienate a fellow F-150online member. My sole intention is to enjoy this website, not jerk anyone's chain. If we can't agree on this issue, at least we can agree on our choice of vehicles.

 

meanwhile back at the bat cave

 

First of all, I'm not back to defend my post..... It is simply my personal point of view.

AND... my post was two separate parts also.... the first part is in reference to exactly what it said. Why would some organization want us to become someone we are not...... That itself slaps the face of who we really are. We have too many people out there already pretending.... LOL

Then, the comment about Native Americans speaks for itself also. The most prominent bloodline in my family is Crete Indian and some of us have heard some pretty cruel stuff from time to time. It has nothing to do with political correctness: rather with respect for one another.

Iron horse has spoken quite eloquently and I completely concur with the "flavor of his message" ........

BUT...... I do believe the YMCA stepped over some bounderies however innocent it may have been. I can't imagine the uproar if a different specific heritage had been used. Hell, they'd have to close their doors!!!!

 

Donny D,
Role playing is an integral part of the learning process. I suggest you visit any elementary school and watch the role playing situations that are used in the teaching/learning environment. It is just one tool that brings awareness of other's beliefs and cultures, good or bad.

Examples:

Teacher:
Little Johnny, you be the corner drug dealer. Little Sarah, you show the class how you should respond when approached by the dealer.

Teacher:
Little Johnny, you be the store clerk. Little Sarah, you be the customer buying $23.54 worth of groceries. You only have 2 Twenty dollar bills (the new ones of course, cause their so pretty!). Pay for the groceries, make change etc.

Teacher:
Little Johnny, your group represents the Indian population during the United States westward growth period. Little Sarah, yours represents the government of the United States. Prepare a debate on the Pros and Cons of the issues we have been studying for the past month.

All scenarios have children playing someone else, being someone they are not. Role playing can be a form of flattery. Schools want to teach awareness. What better way than to attempt to put young people in the other guys shoes and have to think and respond from their point of view.

As to the remainder of your post.

Okay!

 

LOL.......
Although I've never witnessed that type of role playing in the schools around here, I role play daily........ trying to be a "white person"........ LOL