Reply #112: I know exactly what you mean.

[Lucky Luciano]

"I also work with people of color in the arts (I'm caucusoidal) and we can discuss and joke about style, culture, and skin color without flinchiness because it is a common topic amongst mature respectful people, not something to be avoided as taboo lest someone get offended. In fact, jokes about 'race' are common in 'mixed company' because everyone is friendly and respectful and this teasing is used to indicate a form of social intimacy and vulnerability at the same time. Not hostility or condescension or ignorance. It says "we are all human here and silly jokes are just that, silly jokes, not reality." "

This is how my friends and I play it off. We are all pretty diverse, but we throw racial jokes at each other with the same idea as you have - it indicates a sort of social intimacy because the CONTEXT is in the right place. I think the other thing that is humorous about it is that you can't help but laugh at the fact that there are morAns out there that actually believe in the racist remarks they use. I mean it is sad that they can use such remarks and mean it, but I still laugh at them for being morAns.