Are fat jokes and weight based insults appropriate for DU?

[last1standing]

This is a simple poll, either they are or they're not.

22 votes, 1 pass | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes, fat jokes and weight based insults are appropriate.
	1 (5%)
	No, fat jokes and weight base insults are not appropriate.
	21 (95%)
	1 DU member did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[get the red out]

1. Not necessary for Christy

He's the kind of asshole that generates material without resorting to his appearance.

[Walk away]

2. I am guessing that most of those posts are from trolls.

I can't believe a Democrat of any stripe could be so stupid.

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Only if it is directed toward people whom we don't like

[cherokeeprogressive]

9. This.

All language is accepted if it's directed at the right group. I remember seeing the 'C' word defended here when it was used to describe conservative women.

[forthemiddle]

13. Caribou Barbie is funny....

Abortion Barbie is insulting.....

No different than any other website on the internet. It's only an insult if it is directed toward your side.

To me, both names (with emphasis on Barbie) is degrading.

[cherokeeprogressive]

18. The 'C' word was in a Rude Pundit piece.

It was defended pretty hard here if I remember correctly. It's not a word I would use to describe any woman, conservative or otherwise.

[Warpy]

33. Rude Pundit posts are labeled as such

and that should be sufficient warning to those whose tender sensibilities require Bowdlerizing or flat out censorship.

I would rather wince at a few words here and there than have everything heavily censored because some people want to go through life without ever being offended by anything or anyone.

<plink, plink>

[BainsBane]

47. When it is used as such

Many women take it as an insult against them. I find them personally insulting, and I always vote to hide such posts when called on jury duty. That some juries don't care about sexism isn't an excuse to allow other kinds of bigoted remarks.

[cherokeeprogressive]

51. Agreed. n/t

[athena]

25. It's hurtful to people on DU who happen to be overweight or obese.

It makes them feel self-conscious. It makes them think people make disparaging remarks about them behind their backs. It ruins their day. How can that be a good thing?

What makes Chris Christie a bad politician has nothing to do with his weight. If he were a progressive, kind politician, I would be all for him. It's what's inside that counts.

[Adrahil]

4. I think Christy is a bully... no need for a "big fat" in front of that.

[redstatebluegirl]

5. I am really sick of the fat jokes here.

I love seeing Christie in trouble but the references to his appearance are no different than the right always using Black to describe our President. We shouldn't lower ourselves to this.

[MissMillie]

6. Never appropriate anywhere

EVER

[DLevine]

7. No. nt

[The Straight Story]

8. Hunh. I thought we only commented on the looks of female politicians

At least that is what I have been told.

Apparently it's open season on anyone in the public eye over clothing (How nice Michelle looks in something she is wearing - ah...but no one comments on a dress if Obama wears one. Weird) , weight (Christy), looks (Obama without a shirt in the water), etc.

Just remember folks "Christie's eyes are up here" so stop glaring at his other areas (or is it leering?).

[geek tragedy]

14. Jesus, can your "the women are victimizing us poor men" routine take at least one day off? nt

[Capt. Obvious]

26. want some cheese to go with that whine? nt

[geek tragedy]

31. better asked of the person to whom I was responding. nt

[The Straight Story]

55. How about you give things a day off? I am simply a mirror.

See you are over in a thread/poll about some certain words. Seems you think it is ok to voice your opinion but not for others.

And I post plenty of other things - but you never respond to those. And even in threads about generally stories some from a small group pop in and make it about the same thing over and over.

Sucks don't it?

[PasadenaTrudy]

10. No.

The comments in GD are just getting more and more immature as the days go on. Thankfully, I can trash threads and even words. Seems like fat folks are the last group to make fun of, i.e. fatshaming.

[dembotoz]

11. slippery slope so next we can not attack republicans for being stupid because it is an insult to

folks who have limited intelligence


perhaps a compromise
i will be politically correct except when it comes to folks i don't like

[Atman]

32. ^ this.

We (democrats) are constantly mocked for being "politically correct." As if it's a bad thing. BUT...sometimes it is a bad thing.

My personal opinion is that Chris Christie is a fat fuck bully.

Now, that is enough to get many DUers' panties in collective wads. (I'm not making a collective sexuality judgment -- maybe some of the men are wearing panties, too!). But this is how I feel. You can look it up it psych books...Christie's serious, ongoing weight problem has caused him to lash out, to be an angry man. He seems to feel anyone questioning him is questioning his appearance.

Just my armchair observation. I don't know how anyone can deny that Christie is a bully. Where does that come from? Maybe defensive, after spending his life fighting off "fatty fat fat" jokes on the school playground? It doesn't make the reality any less reality. He is a bully. He is a mean, nasty bully. If it's because he's fat, so be it. Let's talk about like adults, and stop pretending we're not allowed to use the word "fat." He's fat. He's huge. He has a problem, just as you pass the same judgement on alcoholics or cutters or other who lash out, or internalize.

[LanternWaste]

44. I suppose accurate criticism of policy is far too difficult

I suppose accurate criticism of actual policy is far too difficult for many people who rely merely on the convenience of irrelevant vulgarities to validate their positions, and rationalize their petulance as a righteous stand against the political correct.

Grade school is often like that, but let's hope the children graduate and grow beyond that...

[last1standing]

12. I'll try to kick this on occasion so that as many posters as possible can vote.

n/t

[Gormy Cuss]

15. Are juries hiding them?

Yes>>>>>not appropriate
No>>>>>>appropriate
If some are hidden and some are not, it's apparently on the hidden ones that were against the "community standards" here.

What, you were expecting consistency?

[L0oniX]

16. Don Rickles was kicked out of DU.

[boston bean]

17. They are immature, not funny, and stupid.

And they are hurtful to people you love.

All reasons to avoid telling fat jokes and weight based insults.

[crappyjazz]

19. I didn't choose yes or no

But I would have voted for this question not even being necessary.

[TroglodyteScholar]

20. There is a disconnect here

Juries have been consistently allowing fat insults and jokes to stand. Are the same jurors voting against their own actions?

[hughee99]

22. No, it's because for many, fat jokes in general aren't acceptable,

but when directed at someone we don't like, people are more willing to let them slide.

[TroglodyteScholar]

40. So if I don't like someone, inappropriate comments become appropriate?

Nonsense.

[hughee99]

54. I agree with you, but if someone made fun of Hitler for being short,

most people don't want to be "the one that defended Hitler" (as someone will inevitably claim), so many people will let such a comment slide.

[TroglodyteScholar]

56. Well..."I don't want to be the one to defend" is a cowardly position.

Either it's okay to attack someone for their weight or it's not.

And you and I both know which way it is.

[hughee99]

57. I agree with you,

but we both see that depending on the target, people might get away with comments they'd NEVER even think of posting otherwise, and I suspect this is why.

[Nye Bevan]

28. I am one of those disconnected people.

Last edited Fri Jan 10, 2014, 02:36 PM - Edit history (1)

I voted Inappropriate, but earlier today I voted as a juror to let such a post stay. The thing is, I just couldn't bring myself to vote to hide given that Christie was the target.

[TroglodyteScholar]

39. So is it okay to call a prominent black Republican a n****r if he's a jerk?

Seems like a similar scenario to me, but I doubt many DUers would find that appropriate....

[Nye Bevan]

41. Nope. I think the fact that you typed "n****r" but would not type "f*t"

illustrates this.

[TroglodyteScholar]

43. One word is offensive in and of itself

The other is a kind of cell.

Nice attempt at a "gotcha," but not good enough.

[Nye Bevan]

49. I'm really not trying to do a "gotcha" here.

I admitted upfront that I have an inconsistent approach to this issue. And while as a juror I would always hide a racial slur (even about someone like Clarence Thomas) sometimes I cannot resist letting a fat joke about someone like Christie stay.

[LanternWaste]

46. What then is the precise and relevant difference between the two?

What then is the precise and relevant difference between the two?

And on what objective measure is that difference predicated on?

[Nye Bevan]

52. I just admitted to being inconsistent. So I don't have a "precise yardstick".

I would always vote to hide a racial slur, even if it is directed at someone like Clarence Thomas. I may well hide a "fat" comment, especially if it is very nasty, even if it is directed at someone like Christie. But sometimes I cannot resist leaving a post that jokes about Christie's weight. So I am embarrassed to say that I do not have a precise, measurable and relevant yardstick. I did realize a long time ago that I sm not a perfect person, and I accept that. Your criticism of me certainly has validity.

[Kingofalldems]

21. Inappropriate, but to be fair Christie uses his girth

to intimidate people. One can see it in his body language.

[quinnox]

23. yep

[BuddhaGirl]

29. why? n/t

[quinnox]

37. always have been.

Jokes are allowed on Du

[Johonny]

24. When ppl stop laughing at them ppl will stop telling them

the DU is not a great barometer for what is considered funny material. Tell jokes here at your own risk.

[Nye Bevan]

27. Inappropriate. But nonetheless hard to resist in some cases.

I voted to leave a Christie fat joke earlier today and the final vote was 3-3. I guess we are not all perfect, myself included.

[Vashta Nerada]

30. Generalized fat jokes?

No.

But when they're directed at Christie, I don't give a shit. He's a vile and disgusting human being. All's fair in love and politics.

[Spirochete]

45. But is it possible

someone might use a loathsome specimen such as Christie to cut loose with some fat jokes he/she had always wanted to tell, but hadn't had the opportunity before?
On the other hand, people have a tendency to emphasize all the negative things about someone they hate. (president looks like a chimp, chinless, turtle-headed senator, orange guy, etc)

[lumberjack_jeff]

34. Yes. Fuck republicans.

There's only two kinds of politics, not "nice" and "not nice" but effective and ineffective.

If ridiculing Chris Christie for looking like Popeye's Wimpy, is effective politics, that's okay.

[madinmaryland]

35. If the issue is Kristie, then yes. Rightly or wrongly, these people have chosen a life in the

public. All politicians have been mocked (or caricatured) going back two centuries or more. Whether it be President Obama with huge ears or Bush as a chimpanzee in recent history. Funny, but I heard no complaints when Bush was called a chimp because of his looks (does any remember Bush or Chimp??). I read the toons yesterday, with a grossly overweight man sitting on the GW Bridge, and heard no complaints.

In fact, there were several DUer's with "chimp" in their screen name, and there was no argument with that. Also, how do you feel when The Rude Pundit talks about the "fat piece of shit that cannot even reach..."??

[Whisp]

50. good post.

pretty well how I see the subject, esp: political cartoonists that get a pass (I have not noticed any outrage in toon threads lately, maybe I missed it tho!) and what the Rude One can say.

I do not go around telling fat jokes - the Girth Certificate thing was my vent against that monster of an evil piece of shit Christie and if people take it personally, like I am somehow calling them to have the same qualities of that evil piece of shit Christie, it's just out of my hands.

[BobUp]

36. Looks like DU

isn't the only place this is happening...
read caption on lower left;




now click on link, is DU really that funny?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024309930

[Demo_Chris]

38. When it is used with malice it is no longer a JOKE...

I can handle a joke about ANYTHING. Insulting people based upon their appearance or lifestyle choices is unacceptable with me.

[NCTraveler]

48. I love these polls.....

because a select few are willing to publicly out themselves as being cold and callous.

[beachbum bob]

53. who really cares??

[last1standing]

58. kick for a later crowd.

n/t