Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!psuvax1!psuvm.bitnet!cunyvm!maine.bitnet!michael From: MICHAEL@MAINE Newsgroups: news.misc Subject: Re: You can Reply to the K-W Record Article by electronic mail Message-ID: <1036MICHAEL@MAINE> Date: 2 Dec 88 04:02:29 GMT References: <2421@looking.UUCP> <2422@looking.UUCP> Organization: University of Maine System Lines: 43 TO: NETNEWS@MAINE P.O. Box 136 Orono, ME 04473 (207) 827-6309 (207) 581-3510 LETTER TO THE EDITOR c/o Ross Weichel To the Editor: I am writing this letter in support of Brad Templeton. I too read the joke that started all of this controversy and while I am not rascist and do not condone rascist attitudes, I found the joke to be quite amusing. In evaluating humor of this kind, it is important to remember that we are indeed talking about humor. What we read is not to be taken in a serious vein; we must be prepared to laugh at ourselves and others without becoming too entrenched in our own righteous indignation. When I read the joke in question (the Scotsman and the Jew joke) I did not think to myself "serves the Jew right" or any other hateful sentiment. I laughed at the idea that any two people could be so stuck on money that they would do to each other what the Scotsman and the Jew did. The words "Scotsman" and "Jew" were used as convenient symbols to carry the idea. They were not used as labels to cast Scots and Jews in a bad light. I wonder perhaps if Jonathan Richmond has not become so embroiled in his own desire to control the thoughts of others that he has lost the ability to laugh, even a little bit, at himself. I have read and heard many jokes about Yuppies that do not portray them favorably and I was amused by these jokes, even though I consider that label to apply to myself. I think perhaps the world would be a better place if we all could learn to laugh at ourselves as well as others. Sincerely, Michael Thayer Johnson #! rnews