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posted by [personal profile] alexist at 07:06am on 26/01/2006
So, elsewhere, someone makes a joke after someone confuses Anthony Kennedy with Ted Kennedy:
"they're both kennedy's and both of irish origin so it's safe to say they're both drunks, Ted is just the sloppy one"

Me:
"that's a spectacular piece of racism, really impressive".

Him:
"oh boo hoo, leave the race card (for a race you don't even belong to) in the overhead compartment, the irish will be the first to make those jokes"

(Ha ha, he didn't know I am Irish)

Me:
"there's a big difference between people making fun of themselves and other people doing it"
(e.g. Jews can make jokes about being cheap, but it's not ok for non-Jews to make them about us)

Him:
"There's a reason there's no Irish Anti-Defamation League. Unlike whiny Jewish liberals, the Irish have a sense of humor.

Must come from knowing when to take a drink and let things go."

So, what do you think? Aside from him being an asshole.
Not, of course, that it's the hugest thing in the world: simply that I thought it was tasteless and inappropriate.
There are 7 comments on this entry. (Reply.)
 
posted by [identity profile] ghoti.livejournal.com at 07:27am on 26/01/2006
Ha ha, he didn't know I am Irish


Actually Irish or one of the annoying US people who say 'Oh yes, I'm Irish, my ancestors came over during the famine, I'll go some day'? Because I didn't have you down as either.
 
posted by [identity profile] arosoff.livejournal.com at 09:24am on 26/01/2006
bit of both - paternal grandmother was Iriah, her parents came to the States shortly before she was born.
 
posted by [identity profile] arosoff.livejournal.com at 09:25am on 26/01/2006
not that I claim to be Irish, really, but it was funny simply given the circumstances...
 
posted by [identity profile] stiofan.livejournal.com at 06:09pm on 26/01/2006
Ah, the old racism and humour.
Jokes are great if they are intended as just that, delivered as such and I'm the first one to laugh at them if this is the case. Unfortunately at times it's not and "it was a joke" is all too frequently used as a quick get out of jail card; that doesn't wash at all with me. The "it's a joke" tends to be used as a 'look - I'm not really racist' (I've Irish friends you know) and an implication that you've somthing wrong with you when you don't laugh at their wit. He didn't even try that from the sound of it, but tried to justify it all which takes it past being merely tasteless imho. Racism is deplorable, but it's that widespread and ingrained that I don't see how you can effectively deal with it. You'd not believe the amount of this crap I myself have had, hell I couldn't even go on that Iceland trip without some woman making some wise cracks about my accent and diction.

Humour we may have, but one of the things we're not best known for is letting things go if we feel wronged enough. Your man may find this out for himself the hard way if he keeps this carry on up.

Thats my 2P, aside from him being an arse.
 
posted by [identity profile] arosoff.livejournal.com at 07:25pm on 26/01/2006
I thought you'd have a keen appreciation for this sort of "wit".

My other thought was "Go tell this joke in a pub in the Falls Road, you'll learn a lot about the irish sense of humour"
 
posted by (anonymous) at 06:59am on 27/01/2006
Actually, Justice Kennedy is a member of a private French "Bacchic Guild" Burgundy wine drinking society called the "Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin". Basically "the Knights of the Brotherhood" get together to Clos de Vougeot, Burgundy's finest chateau, dress up in red medieval robes and feathered hats, sing drinking songs, perform "Bacchic rites" and get totally wasted at lavish banquets. Google it yourself if you don't believe me, it's pretty wild.

That said, it's better than even money the good Justice could drink old Ted under the table in the grand manner.
 
posted by [identity profile] arosoff.livejournal.com at 07:23am on 27/01/2006
All well and good, but the original joke wasn't really based on any actual knowledge of Kennedy. It was simply "Irish = drunk". Which is dumb.

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