LL-L "Humor" 2008.02.05 (04) [A/E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  -  05 February 2008 - Volume 04
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From: Mark Dreyer <mrdreyer at lantic.net>
Subject: LL-L "Media" 2008.02.04 (06) [E]

Dear Ron & All:

Subject: L-Lowlands "Politics"

A pox on political correctness!

Ron, I do not want to see you, of all people, walking on eggs on your own
list of alllll lists!

I will not pretend I haven't had my toes trodden on, oh, my dainty corns, &
came out blazing with both guns & ducked back for the coverts, but I will
not pretend I have a 'right' not to be targeted, either in the collective or
personal context. It is exactly under such conditions that the truth will
out!

To duck back a couple of strings, Uilenspiegel & Nasreddin both performed
very necessary social (& political) functions, & so did Rabalais, & so does
Commissar Borat, so the proper place of satire & burlesque is by no means
restricted to the Middle Ages. Ron. put on your ragged motley & prance your
piece before the Great Kahuna, blat the po-faced ponces on the mouths with
your disgusting bladder on a stick: Trek die hele siel uit elke liewe
onderdane voor die keiserlike setel uitgerank, tot op die laaste los repie
dat dit wapper. Pull out totally the souls of every darling subject arranged
around the Imperial throne, to the last loose rag & let it flutter. Only
remember, in the old days, if you took off your motley, your head came off
with it.

In the meantime, if someone bites back for something that you said.
Remember, but gently do not remind him, that he has given something precious
of himself away, his dear pretensions.

Yrs,
Mark

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Humor

I value your supportive stance, dear Mark. But this may not be a case of
political correctness versus the opposite. It seems to have begun with a
misunderstanding, namely with me taking Luc's and Ingmar's responses as
teasing rather than as serious, and I ran with what I thought were their
satirical ouvertures. Seeing it from their side, I totally accept Luc's and
Ingmar's sensitivities and indignation, and it makes me think no less of
them whom I've always have regarded highly.

All humor has a serious side, as Luc said, and satire assumes certain
attitudes and knowledge and requires work on the part of the beholder. It
pushes different buttons in different people. As Elsie alluded, the joker
may end up being totally misread. Levity has always worked on this list, but
apparently there are areas in which at least satire is inappropriate in that
it can be divisive and thus counteract one of the basic goals: bringing
people together.

We can only *hope*, not mandate, that people think of themselves as
individuals among individuals here rather than as representing countries,
ethnic groups and so forth.

Sure, if you and I have a *tête à tête* there need be no bounds to the
buffoonery.

And happy Fat Tuesday to those that celebrate it!

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
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