Does laughing at a racist joke, make you racist?

[Rowan]

Theres a new show on channel 10 (australia) called can of worms. Its basically a bunch of people sitting at a panel and arguing their opinions, except they are idiotic and ignorant as where I'm smart and awesome. The show focuses on questions and topics that would sometimes be considered 'taboo'. One of the questions that interested me since it provoked many various opinions was 'does laughing at a racist joke make you a racist?'

My thoughts on the question were as follows. I think that if you laugh at something, it means you have a good sense of humor. You are able to see the joke and how it was intended to be funny. So the short answer is that I dont think laughing at a racist joke makes you a racist. In fact, I dont even think slandering someone because of their nationality makes you a racist. If the intent was to offend them (ignoring all other circumstance), then you are nothing more than a prick. A mere asshole just trying to hurt someones feelings. To me, the word racism is propaganda used to control how people from different backrounds speak with each other. I would draw the line at the likes of the KKK and wanting to kill someone you dont even know just because of the colour of their skin. To me, that would pass as racism.

Any thoughts?

[Halie]

There are two ways I look at this. On one hand, no, I don't think it makes you racist. Laughing at something another person has said doesn't necessarily mean you agree with it, it often means you're simply appreciating their wit. It's not always "right" to laugh, but that doesn't make you racist. Take this joke for example (taken from a website);

"Q: What do you call a Negro with a peg leg?
A: Shit on a stick"

I don't think a person should be considered racist for laughing at that. I mean, unless the person laughing genuinely did set out to call the next black man they see with a peg leg "shit on a stick", then they're not being racist. As I said, they're just appreciating humour. A laugh can't distinguish whether you agree or not. I often laugh at a joke's stupidity, that doesn't mean I find the joke itself funny.

On the other hand, it's almost like when a person is bullying another and you laugh it, it makes you a bully yourself. So if you laugh at somebody who is victimising another because of their race, doesn't it make you just as bad?

It also depends on the joke as well, I think.

[Heartless Angel]

It depends on how the joke is delivered, and to what audience. Just telling black jokes to a group of nonblack friends (or black friends with a good sense of humor who understand that it's meant in jest and not as an insult), not racist at all. Laughing at these jokes would also not be racist. Racism by definition is discrimination of a person or persons because of their race. Talking to people who aren't offended by a joke not directed at anybody discriminates against nobody. As long as nobody is stupid enough to take a joke as an expression of fact and act on it, there's no real racism going on. If I'm sitting there harrassing somebody with insults (whether they be in the form of jokes or not), and I have a group of people around me laughing at the victim, then yes, I'd say they're contributing to an act of racism.

[Judge Magistrate]

It's hard to tell in this day and age, sometimes you can't tell. Like the others before me said, it depends on the company. Some blacks can take a joke really well, others consider it "racist". Than those that think it's racist go and tell the joke themselves and it's hilarious to them.

In my opinion as long as they tell the joke theres nothing wrong but if a white person does there doomed.

[Pete]

It's not racist to laugh, or even to tell racist jokes. The jokes are what they are, and it's really only racist if the person who is telling them means what they're saying, or is truly trying to discriminate or hate certain groups.

It's one thing to tell a "How many Jews can fit into a Volkswagen?*" joke, and then it's something else to smash in the windows of a Synagogue and spray paint swastikas all over the place.

Although, I suppose it would be racist if you were telling black jokes at a Klan rally... but then again, it would only be because everyone in attendance IS a racist... hence the pointy sheets to hide those gaping slack-jawed vagina faces.

We'll tell a joke because it's funny, and because it can make us and others laugh. It doesn't necessarily make it right, but that's life. The jokes do have some element of truth or historical context to them, or else it wouldn't be funny. We take our humor out of everyday things in life, and more often than not, being able to poke fun of our own cultural differences and explain them to others through anecdotes and jokes actually works to explain the differences between cultures and create more understanding and ultimately unity.

And hell, we all know the biggest black jokes are Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.

*The answer is millions.... in the ashtray.

[Bubble Boy]

No, if something's funny enough...you laugh.

Just like how if you laugh at a retard joke, does that make you retarded? No.

[Judge Magistrate]

No, if something's funny enough...you laugh.

Just like how if you laugh at a retard joke, does that make you retarded? No.

That's one way of putting it.

[RagnaToad]

Absolutely not.

You don't have to be racist to understand the irony in stereotypical or discriminating jokes. Just like with any type of joke, finding it funny does not equal admitting that the joke is realistic or 'right'.

Racism is too serious of a thing to call everything that is offensive racism.

[seanb]

There's a reason it's known as a joke, jokes are not serious, therefore should not be taken seriously. Jokes are used to make fun of everyday serious things. Racism is an everyday serious thing.

So my answer would be no, it does not make you racist if you laugh at a racist joke.

Oh, and all this talk of jokes makes me wish there was a no holds barred humor section on this forum. But I doubt that would be possible considering this place is run by pack of old nuns.

[Judge Magistrate]

There's a reason it's known as a joke, jokes are not serious, therefore should not be taken seriously. Jokes are used to make fun of everyday serious things. Racism is an everyday serious thing.

So my answer would be no, it does not make you racist if you laugh at a racist joke.

Oh, and all this talk of jokes makes me wish there was a no holds barred humor section on this forum. But I doubt that would be possible considering this place is run by pack of old nuns.

You know it's a joke and I know it's a joke, unfortunately some people don't take it as a joke.

[Rocky]

Racism was created from deep seated hatred towards someone and then attacking their ethnicity from it. I don't see how a single joke can do that.

In any case, I laughed when I saw this video, but it doesn't make me a racist!

[daelythm]

I'd say it depends on the circumstances. Think of someone in a position of affluence. Maybe we would or wouldn't care if someone told the president of the United States a racist joke and he laughed out loud about it.

How much control do we have over our own sense of humor? Sometimes I laugh at something that is appropriate, but I laugh so hard I look like an absolute idiot.