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