does anyone need another example of positive ANYMORE?

[Benjamin Barrett]

I have heard this sort of joke. I always interpreted it more along the
lines of a person of an oppressed group finally having a way to get
even. Kind of a "hah-hah". I got YOU this time. And if it's Tonto, all
the better, for being called stupid. My interpretation is surely a
reinterpretation based on changing times. BB

Wilson Gray wrote:
>
> I heard the punchline ca.1944 as "What you mean, 'we,' white man?" And
> no mention was made of weapons. Of course, such jokes have many
> different versions. I heard it in Saint Louis from a white neighbor
> boy and I took its point to be that, when the deal goes down, white
> people can not trust the non-white and I didn't find it humorous at
> all.
>
> -Wilson
>
> On 2/14/08, James Harbeck <jharbeck at sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>>  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>
>> Poster:       James Harbeck <jharbeck at SYMPATICO.CA>
>>
>> Subject:      Re: does anyone need another example of positive ANYMORE?
>>  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>>> BTW, I am indeed white. I've only been called paleface in Makah, though,
>>>
>>  >never in English. BB
>>
>>
>> The line "Whaddya mean 'we,' paleface?" is from a joke -- I thought I
>>  had mentioned it here before, but I am perhaps mistaken. It goes like
>>  this: The Lone Ranger and Tonto are holed up in a high crag, on the
>>  run from large numbers of highly irritated Indians who, perhaps, have
>>  wearied of being targets for LR's bullets. The look to the north:
>>  Indians. To the south: Indians. To the east: Indians. To the west:
>>  ...uh... yup, more Indians. LR turns to Tonto and says, "Well, Tonto,
>>  looks like we're surrounded." Tonto turns, reaches for his weapon,
>>  and says, "Whaddya mean 'we,' paleface?"
>>
>>
>>  James Harbeck, who is probably even paler than you (and occasionally
>>  beyond the pale). Even if he did grow up on and near an Indian
>>  reserve.
>>
>>

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