Friday, April 12, 2013

A Republican walks into a bar...

One of the things that irritates me about living in Wyoming: Republicans think they own the joint.

And maybe they do. But I'm irritated when I'm at a gathering and someone assumes that every man- and woman-jack amongst us is a conservative.

At a meeting today, someone told a blonde joke. I often laugh at blonde jokes. I didn't laugh at this one.

Here it is:

A  blonde and a pilot are flying together on a small plane. The plane gets up to altitude and the pilot keels over dead. The blonde makes a frantic call to the control tower. The air traffic controller tells her to keep calm. He asks, "What is your height and your position?" She thinks for a moment and then responds. "I'm 5-foot-3 and I voted for Barack Obama for president." There is a pause on the microphone. Then the ATC says, "Repeat after me: Our father who art in heaven..."

Not really funny, right? I think a much better punchline would: "I'm 5-foot-3 and I'm sitting down." She's a blonde, right?

What was my response to the joke? I said to the teller (a blonde woman, BTW): "We Democrats would have had a much different punchline."

She smiled. "Hope I didn't offend anybody."

I wasn't offended. Miffed, maybe.

I took it one step further: "You know that blonde jokes are not politically correct?"

She moved away from me, obviously uncomfortable with the tenor of the conversation. After all, Democrats don't exist in Wyoming. And if they do, they should have the good manners to keep their traps shut.

I'm a forgiving person. Sort of. But note to Republicans: Maybe you should ask your gathering if there are any Democrats in the room or if anyone would be offended by a joke about the President of the United States.

Or maybe you should just keep your trap shut. 

5 comments:

Scribble A Day said...

I'll see your blonde joke distaste and raise you with this one.
Sitting in my office once day [in Northwest Ohio], trying not to listen in as one of our vendors is chatting with the boss, describing someone to the boss. "He's a good old guy, likes a good nigger joke, ..." At that point my brain just shut down. I really didn't want to know or think about the fact that two people I know and have to work with would think that was part of describing someone as a 'good old guy'. But I know it's true. In this area, the conservatives aren't just anti-blonde. They are racist, misogynistic, cretins; who still think that global climate change is a myth, even as they watch their lake dry up as this area gets warmer and drier. Sometimes I get really depressed and think that there's not much hope for our future as a species.

Michael Shay said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michael Shay said...

Susan: You might be interested in a previous post on the same subject from five years ago, in another election cycle. Go here.

RobertP said...

Susan, Hard to imagine that going on now, but open racism is making something of a comeback.

Mike, thanks for the link to your 2008 post which is one of your finest.

Just in time, the movie "42" is out. Debbie, Sam and I went to a special KC premiere on Thursday. It was a fund raiser for the Negro Leagues Museum which is HQ in KC. Jackie Robinson played a year with the KC Monarchs before going to the Dodgers. It was a great event, and the director, Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman were there to introduce the movie.

It is a good movie which shows just how prevalent racism was back then. This included a scene in Daytona Beach where Jackie has to leave in the middle of the night before "they" come to get him.

But what a great feeling to have the entire theater cheering out loud when Jackie, Branch Ricky and some of the players stood up against the racism. A good movie that came just in time.

Go see it and keep fighting the good fight.

Best,

Your old roomie Bob

Michael Shay said...

Bob: Great recommendation for "42." Can't wait to see it. Daytona Beach was a "sundowner" town where people of color had to be off the streets by sundown. Now City Island Ballpark is named for Jackie Robinson because he played his first major league spring training games there.