Appropriate sense of humor day.

     Hostile humor has long been the bane of angry people wanting to express themselves but fearing the outcome.  So, the humor then goes out and is misinterpreted by others.  This in turn creates factions and bias among people who call for tolerance while being intolerant of others.  When complete, people who should be supportive and joined together for the edification of each other are flushed down the toilet.  Wow!  How many of you could pick out the hostile humor points in these sentences?  Perhaps one or more of the statements are reflective of your sense of humor.  Let's take a look at this and other examples of humor.  I declare today to be World Humor Day in honor of what's funny and what's not.
     Have you ever heard or told a "blond" joke?  How about something about Norwegian people?  Any black or white jokes that you may or may not have passed on.  You see, humor steps over thresholds of bias on a regular basis and for what purpose?  That purpose is more a reflection of what we really believe and exercise in our daily living.  And so go "your mama" jokes other degrading statements about just about everything in and around the world we live in.  Don't get me wrong, I like a joke like everyone else.  What I don't like is hurtful, degrading, or evil jokes.  Take the show "America's Funniest Video's".  Watching some of this "humor" is enough to create panic in most people.  There are no follow ups to the video but I don't believe it's funny at all when this "humor" is physically, emotionally and psychologically injurious. 
     While sometimes humor is used to teach intolerance of people or issues, there is little healthy about tearing up those same people for any reason.  For every joke, there needs to be a brunt of the joke.  Something we are telling the joke about or against.  Everyone can remember hearing jokes about lawyers, psychiatrists, plumbers and so many other professions.  Why?  Because we don't like being victimized by some in those professions.  So, we then turn to hostile humor to express our likes and dislikes so that we feel better.  We get it "off our chest" and put it out there hoping to find others who share our feelings.  Humor is a means of "breaking the ice."  The problem is when we "break the ice" we risk offending someone personally. But, few are willing to own their feelings in a healthy manner.  Even counseling or sensitivity training are joked about.
     Okay, Steve, lighten up!  There must be some humor that is okay.  Just what is the focus of our humor?  There seems to be "innocent" joking by some.  I just can't remember any jokes that were or are innocent.  Can you?  How about some elephant jokes?  Maybe jokes about heaven and hell?  Maybe we could tell jokes about people who have issues or problems in their lives?  Maybe we can feel better but the one the joke is about won't feel better.  We even are encouraged to tell jokes about ourselves.  We are actually encouraged to tear ourselves down in order to be accepted by the same society that rejects us. 
     I'd like to say there is no truth in what I've written.  However, I cannot.  The truth becomes something joked about as well. I'd like us all to really evaluate our humor or the humor we tolerate in our world.  Make notes of jokes that are okay and not okay.  Then make a commitment to stay away from those jokes that are inappropriate.  It's hard to do but we can also ask the person telling the joke to refrain from telling that joke to you.  Sometimes being funny isn't funny at all.