Am i over reacting?

[kollectiv]

Yes, you probably are: jokes SHOULD know no colour / sex / gender / preference / religious boundaries.

And having said that, with the suffix IN THE APPROPRIATE CONTEXT.

Because acutely antisemitic or other racist "jokes" among white supremacists (or black supremacists, or Zionisrts for that matter) are an alarm bell.

Now: anyone know what NASA stands for?

- Need another seven - again....

[benguela]

I thought it was funny.

If I received a similar email about skeptics and/or atheists I would find it just as funny and wouldn't be offended at all.

I laugh at and ridicule the woo's and expect nothing less than for them to give it back as good as they get, I will take it on the chin ... like a man 

[EvolvedMind34]

I find it offensive on behalf of all the gay friends I have.
My best friend from high school is gay, an atheist and a highly intelligent and educated man.
I would love to suggest this forum to him but the fact that a lot of you guys can't see
that calling someone a 'faggot' is offensive concerns me.
The tone of that e-mail was absolutely homophobic.

I don't think you are overreacting. People have been murdered for being gay.
One should never trivialise discrimination in any form.
This is just my opinion of course.
 

[benguela]

Tim Minchin makes jokes about Christian's, should I not forward them in case it offends Christians? Oh wait, the OP has blasphemy, I guess the Christians should be equally incensed.

I never realised that gays and lesbians were so fragile. May I have your complete list of joke topics that are taboo so as not offend any group of people. I wouldn't want a fatwa on my head.

[Rigil Kent]

The intent of the email quoted in the OP is clearly to entertain. It is an attempt at humour - however mediocre. It pokes fun. It doesn't condone or promote homophobia. I think its harmless. Maybe somewhat crude, but harmless.

But, still, prolly not suitable for passing 'round the office either!

Mintaka

[Rigil Kent]

I never realised that gays and lesbians were so fragile.

I suppose they may or may not be fragile - just like everybody else. I don't have many gay friends (only 2 really, a dearth of gay friends which doesn't make me very PC   ), but in general these two souls don't seem particularly sensitive to even fairly harsh comic references to the more personal aspects of their lifestyles. But, as I said, the sample is tiny.

Mintaka

[EvolvedMind34]

My husband said it's funny too. I don't care for offending
Xtians because they've been the oppressors of gays, and
everyone and anyone who oppose them. I'm just not one to want to offend anyone and therefore wouldn't be able to
enjoy the humour in that e-mail. Call me over-sensitive if you will.  

[benguela]

I play classical flute, it then must follow that I'm a faggoty meat whistle blowing poofter. Straight men play Guitar Hero 3, legends of rock.

[benguela]

I don't care for offending Xtians because they've been the oppressors of gays

but

Gareth Cliff is extremely vocal about it. I love it when he starts one of his anti-religious rants.

[Rigil Kent]

I assumed she meant "I dont care about offending ..."

Mintaka

[benguela]

I assumed she meant "I dont care about offending ..."

oh of course, two wrongs make a right, school boy errors.

[Rigil Kent]

Which are the two wrongs again?

Mintaka

[EvolvedMind34]

No, I do not actually subscribe to the theory of 'two wrongs make a right' but I
have no time for christianity so I really don't care what anyone says against the religion.
Seems my point was missed. With that said, I should add: I would certainly not pass around an 'offensive'
e-mail at work against christians either. I leave that to Gareth Cliff-the blatant mockery and criticism that is.
I try to avoid conflict in general but if someone doesn't respect my life choices and infringes upon my rights, or my
family's then I am certainly willing to take a stand.

And on the point of 'gays being that fragile...' - I'm all for freedom of speech but there are boundaries
to be taken into consideration: if the e-mail was about being a  'real white' person with defamatory names for black people- wouldn't it have been seen as racist?

As I said before: This is my viewpoint
Everyone's entitled to their own...
Peace 

[EvolvedMind34]

Please excuse the bizarre layout of my previous post: I'm typing on my mobile phone's keypad and
I can't see what I've written or how it will choose to post it

[Rigil Kent]

As I said before: This is my viewpoint Everyone's entitled to their own...

Absolutely, one cannot be expected to present anything but one's own. And to make it stick, properly defend it as well !

Mintaka