As long as racism, sexism, homophobia, and all other forms of oppression are accepted in everyday society as humorous, this form of thinking will not be completely eradicated. Of course, no one would hear oppressive words said seriously and agree. As long as there is the excuse of humor behind the words, it is considered perfectly acceptable to express these opinions and have them be received positively.

Comedians who rely on offensive humor should, quite frankly, not be considered comedians. These are people who take the hardships of others and twist it for their own amusement. Sure, offensive jokes are an easy way to strike cash, but if one’s passion for comedy is so strong they are willing to make a career, it is only logical they would be willing to work for it.

Is it truly so difficult to find content that is enjoyable for everyone, and not solely those with no idea what it is like to live as a minority? Even if it is, being funny is a comedian’s job. A comedian’s goal is to be as funny as possible to as many people as possible.

Looking at it again from a logical standpoint once more, this would be sure to bring in more money than offensive jokes that are only funny to a small group of people.

However, money aside, should humor be politically correct from a moral standpoint? Of course!

Humor is one of the things that most reflects one’s personal opinions. Not wanting to admit these opinions because of the knowledge the opinion will be rejected, however, is another matter entirely.

But of course, these jokes aren’t meant to be taken seriously. No one will take these jokes seriously; no one will think they express real opinions.

Hidden behind the guise of humor, anyone can say anything they want without heed to how others may react. With a simple “I was only kidding!” or “It was only a joke!” the speaker absolves themselves from any criticism.

If a person reacts negatively to one of these jokes they are just uptight and do not know how to properly take a joke. The blame is not placed on the teller of the joke, but on the person whom the joke offends.

These “satirical jokes,” made to poke fun of stereotypes, are often inappropriate for people to tell. The people who tell jokes regarding these stereotypes are very rarely trying to draw attention to the issues surrounding stigmas, and in fact are in no way associated with whatever it is they are making fun of.

Offensive jokes only serve to normalize oppressive and discriminative attitudes, teaching those who hear and laugh at them that it is okay to think that way, as long as there’s a “Just kidding!” tacked onto the end of their sentence. Humor and personal opinions go hand in hand; if a person does not agree with the sentiment being expressed in the joke, even a little bit, they would not find the joke funny.