Notes from the great State of Tennessee where more people tell racist jokes than think they are funny according to this poll:
“Nearly one in six Tennesseans has told a joke about Barack Obama’s race, and three-fourths say they’ve heard or read at least one, even though only 15 percent of Tennesseans say they would find such a joke funny.”
Well, what we learned from this is that one of six people (about 17%) in Tennessee are willing to admit to telling racist jokess, but at least 2% don’t think the jokes they tell are funny. Quite curious. And 75% admit having heard a racist joke about Obama.
In addition, since whites make up roughly 80% of Tennessee’s population, and assuming Black people aren’t the ones making these racist jokes (or hearing them), one can reasonably conclude that approximately 90% of white Tennesseans have listened to the jokes which only 17% of their fellow citizens have been spreading. My those 17% have been busy little beavers, haven’t they?
Now if you believe that to be true. I would love to sell you some prime waterfront property in the Everglades. I suspect the poll probably understates the number of white Tennesseans who have told such jokes (and/or found them funny) by a factor of two, at least. Still, to be fair, I’m sure lots of whites in other states have told and/or heard such jokes regarding Obama’s non-white skin pigmentation, as well. Personally I’ve overheard a few Obama “jokes” I found offensive at the odd convenience store/gas station and fast food restaurant I’ve stopped at when on the road to take my son to or from college (located in a state that voted for Obama). I did notice that the people who listened to them were also laughing. No black people though. Other than that I haven’t come across such ugly attempts at humor. After all, the people I speak to for the most part in my day to day life don’t consider any jokes about race or ethnicity acceptable.
So, here’s my question for you. Have you heard any racist jokes since the election, and if so, has the number of such jokes increased or decreased in your experience? Then again, maybe the population willing to make fun of Obama’s race in a joke aren’t likely to repeat them to people who frequent blogs like this one.
Haven’t heard any here. But, here’s an oldie but a goodie about Tennessee – Did you know the toothbrush was invented in Tennessee? If it was invented anywhere else, it would have been called a teethbrush.
I’m a Tennessean. I’ve heard a grand total of one guy tell a racist joke about Obama: the evangelical wingnut who sits next to me in the office, the same guy I’ve been working very hard to get fired. I’m sure there are plenty of others, but since this is a pretty diverse office, and I don’t hang out with racists in my spare time, I haven’t run into them.
I do find it curious, Steven, that you seem entirely oblivious to the irony involved in complaining about racism while eagerly twisting statistics to tar an entire state full of people with the misdeeds of a comparative few. I mean, the 45% or so of Tennesseans who are liberal Democrats surely appreciate the effort you’re making to make it even more challenging to win more moderates over to our cause, but if it’s all the same to you, could we just get back to the regular BooTrib pastime of praising Hamas?
I have an aunt who lives in Nashville and voted for Obama, so I have no particular motive to slur Tennesseans. I admire the fact that Middle Tennesee State University bothered to poll on the issue. The state where I personally heard the Obama jokes myself was Pennsylvania. I simply think there is a large percentage of people who voted against Obama in every state who are 1) predominantly white, 2) willing to tell jokes about him in which the punchline involves his race. Tennessee just happened to have a poll. If it had been another state I would have posted the poll results there.
BTW, I suspect the propensity to tell racist jokes correlates closely to people who supported the
Palin/McCainMcCain/Palin ticket. I also believe people lie to pollsters about any action action which they recognize society at large officially disapproves.I’m a 6’2″ 260 lb. Black man – do you think anyone has told such a joke in my presence?
I assume that’s a rhetorical question Oscar.
But of course – I’m not in jail for attempted murder, am I? :o))
I’ve heard racist jokes about Obama–twice before the election, none since the election.
Except for those that are reported from the likes of talk-show radio disinfotainers.
Haven’t heard any here…………
I’ve heard a grand total of one guy tell a racist joke about Obama………
I’ve heard racist jokes about Obama–twice before the election, none since the election…….
Damn, it must be nice. I would say I hear or overhear, on average, at least 6-8 “jokes”, nigger references, monkey inferences and general Obama related racist comments a week. Seriously. And there are probably weeks where it goes into double digits.
But, of course, they’re just “joking”. Like good natured conservatives will. We liberals just need to “lighten up”. Right???
I think the more conservatives you live around, the more likely you are to be exposed to this form of “humor.”
Well yes, that goes without saying.
I am just a little envious of the good fortunes of those who don’t have to endure Teh Stoopid every single day, Steven!
Haven’t you ever repeated a “joke” you didn’t think was funny? That’s how I’ve heard a couple of the racist Obama slurs that have traveled around my part of the world. They were repeated by people who didn’t think they were funny so that I would agree about them not being funny. Perhaps, originally they were told by someone with a sneer or a guffaw but I haven’t gotten any of them directly so I’m still waiting for my opportunity to face down gleeful prejudice with a cold stare of disapproval.
I actually know hundreds of offensive jokes, many of them racist, ethnic, mysoginist, misathropic, anti-child, anti-religious, anti-semitic, what have you.
I also know alot of offensive jokes about reagan, clinton, and bush 1 and 2.
so what?
what’s the joke? feel free to respond off list if it;’s that offensive: bskwire AT yahoo DOT com.
Round here, Syracuse, I have heard no racial jokes about Obama. Even the old time ethnic jokes about the Italians and Polish have disappeared. Guess the melting pot is really doing its job.