Taboo

[Yorkshire Blue]

Following on from the Notts County thread I want an explanation of why some areas are taboo on SZ but others aren't.

C C Csiders made a vaguely amusing comment insinuating that the McCann parents had something to hide under interview, and by implication were involved in the disappearance/murder of Maddy. This was allowed to pass without comment or objection.

Blue Tonic, I think it was, then made a rather more amusing comment regarding Maddy which apparently is bang out of order.

Where exactly does the line of acceptability lie? Is it OK to joke about murderers/abductors but not about the victim? Surely both is joking about the same subject matter?

Making a subject taboo is curtailing people's freedom of speech. Why should a comment be censored that is not libellous, racist or any other way illegal?

 

[MK Shrimper]

I don't think it's taboo or curtailing freedom of speech, it's being humane and sensitive to the fact that an innocent kid has (probably) been murdered.

Whatever the feelings against the parents and the over exposure by the media, Maddy went/is going through pure hell and there are just some topics where humour is not and never will be appropriate.

I'm sure if BT had repeated that "joke" in the pub he could of possibly ended up with a fist in the gob. God forbid anything as tragic should happen to anyone that he loves.

 

[South Bank Hank]

My wife used to drink this stuff. I always preferred Thunderbirds.

 

[Pubey]

good board game... often play it at christmas

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I don't think it's taboo or curtailing freedom of speech, it's being humane and sensitive to the fact that an innocent kid has (probably) been murdered.

Whatever the feelings against the parents and the over exposure by the media, Maddy went/is going through pure hell and there are just some topics where humour is not and never will be appropriate.

I'm sure if BT had repeated that "joke" in the pub he could of possibly ended up with a fist in the gob. God forbid anything as tragic should happen to anyone that he loves.

Of course its curtailing freedom of speech. The comment that was deemed offensive has been removed

Does this mean that all jokes dealing with death should be banned? Was Blackadder Goes Forth offensive, because it dealt with the black humour of the trenches?

I would also question the right of anyone to punch someone because they didn't like a joke they heard in the pub.

 

[Groyne Strain]

I don't necessarily think it's free speech on here in any case. The owners of this message board, as far as I'm aware, have formed a limited company, and they can pick and choose exactly what can and can't be said on here. Which is entirely fine with me.

It seems that it's consensus that is the main player with this particular subject. A number of people appeared to take offence with something that was written by one poster but not by another so the mod's took out what was taken to be the most offensive post. Their call in the end, mind.

 

[DTS]

I would argue a case as to why anything in this day and age is anything a taboo....

Why is it seen as Ok for most people on here for MK to spout on about being a leftie yet when CS J rants on about the right is he shot down in flames.

In my book a lot of it is about the way it presented...CCC Siders made I thought a fairly clever side joke about the Mccans which I think we can all smirk at rightly or wrongly....Blue Tonics was a little brutal for my pallett.

I agree though neither were any worse than the other and personally I am happy to talk about anything on Shrimperzone.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I don't necessarily think it's free speech on here in any case. The owners of this message board, as far as I'm aware, have formed a limited company, and they can pick and choose exactly what can and can't be said on here. Which is entirely fine with me.

It seems that it's consensus that is the main player with this particular subject. A number of people appeared to take offence with something that was written by one poster but not by another so the mod's took out what was taken to be the most offensive post. Their call in the end, mind.

I don't particularly disagree with that, and my question was primarily aimed at those who formed the consensus by objecting to one comment and not another.

I'm not trying to stir trouble a la CS J, but rather spark rational debate.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Of course its curtailing freedom of speech. The comment that was deemed offensive has been removed

Does this mean that all jokes dealing with death should be banned? Was Blackadder Goes Forth offensive, because it dealt with the black humour of the trenches?

I would also question the right of anyone to punch someone because they didn't like a joke they heard in the pub.

Sorry YB but Blackadder did not laugh at the poor b@stards who were killed in muddy trenches in the Somme or Ypres..... it mocked the stupidity of war and the incompetence of the upper-class generals who sent the working classes off to die in droves. In fact, when Blackadder & co go over the top and are cut down by german bullets its not at all funny but sombre and tragic. As the poppies morph into the scenes of slaughter the only emotion I felt was sadness.

I didn't say it was right to punch someone....I just said it MIGHT happen if he repeated that joke in a pub.

 

[Pubey]

I don't necessarily think it's free speech on here in any case. The owners of this message board, as far as I'm aware, have formed a limited company, and they can pick and choose exactly what can and can't be said on here. Which is entirely fine with me.

It seems that it's consensus that is the main player with this particular subject. A number of people appeared to take offence with something that was written by one poster but not by another so the mod's took out what was taken to be the most offensive post. Their call in the end, mind.

agreed... if (as in the past) i make a joke that is close to the bone then the arguement of 'free-speech' doesn't hold on this forum which is paid for a run by a few guys.. and who want it to be a friendly, inviting and positive messageboard for southend fans. personally i dont think maddie jokes are really that offensive (i find the complete overreaction by many people and the media more offensive) but for many they are offensive and upsetting and hence why these type of things tend to get censored. freedom of speech goes hand in hand with freedom of thought... but also we need to respect that people have a right not to have peoples thoughts/ideas/beliefs forced upon them. i could go and express my 'freedom of speech' by shouting maddie jokes at oxford circus but i would be breaching the rights of thoses i was inflicting my actions on (to do their shopping in peace)

i dont see much wrong with enjoying sick or tasteless humour, and i doubt i would get smacked by dropping maddie jokes at the pub... but with the range of people here on SZ it's probably best to be careful what you say and think about the thoughts of others (especially dropping them in a thread about some Notts County match!).... as i learnt the hard way!

 

[MK Shrimper]

I would argue a case as to why anything in this day and age is anything a taboo....

Why is it seen as Ok for most people on here for MK to spout on about being a leftie yet when CS J rants on about the right is he shot down in flames.

In my book a lot of it is about the way it presented...CCC Siders made I thought a fairly clever side joke about the Mccans which I think we can all smirk at rightly or wrongly....Blue Tonics was a little brutal for my pallett.

I agree though neither were any worse than the other and personally I am happy to talk about anything on Shrimperzone.

Trust me, I've often been shot down! By you for one!

 

[Benji91]

Theres lots of things i would say in my close circle of mates that i wouldnt dream of putting up on this board for fear of offending someone - i dont believe anyone on the board is a stand up comedian so are not used to telling gags in front of an audience of 10,'s or 100's so have to realise that those near to the mark jokes (in particular the ones about Maddy) are going to offend a large percentage of the board.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

I don't necessarily think it's free speech on here in any case. The owners of this message board, as far as I'm aware, have formed a limited company, and they can pick and choose exactly what can and can't be said on here.

It should be noted that our right to edit is used as infrequently as humanly possible!

At the end of the day, we have to keep some sense of order and decorum on this site, and we have to ensure that we don't get sued. That means we end up taking down those things which we consider to be offensive, inflammatory or defamatory.

We don't get it right all the time - we're amateurs, doing the best we can with the limited time, resources and information which we possess. But we always try to do our best.

This isn't utopia. It's just ShrimperZone... but as second bests go, it ain't bad.

:)

 

[Groyne Strain]

It seems, then, it boils down to the individual's morality.

Having not seen Bluetonic's post, I can't say how offensive it was, but then my reaction is that anything to do with this particular subject is no laughing matter. If I haven't read it, though, I'm in no position to challenge it.

I did, however, give rep points to a poster who was then accused of being racist when they challenged it as I think standing up for yourself is something we all have the right of.

And there you are, a good example of just how blurred one person's moral line can be .....

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Sorry YB but Blackadder did not laugh at the poor b@stards who were killed in muddy trenches in the Somme or Ypres..... it mocked the stupidity of war and the incompetence of the upper-class generals who sent the working classes off to die in droves. In fact, when Blackadder & co go over the top and are cut down by german bullets its not at all funny but sombre and tragic. As the poppies morph into the scenes of slaughter the only emotion I felt was sadness.

I didn't say it was right to punch someone....I just said it MIGHT happen if he repeated that joke in a pub.

But is the stupidity of war, which causes millions and millions to die, really a laughing matter? How far removed does something have to be to be acceptable?

The Maddy jokes could be seen as a response to the media hysteria surrouding her disappearance. Is that a suitable area for comedy/satire? Personally I think it is, much like Chris Morris' brilliant Brasseye series managed to create media hysteria, whilst attempting to send up media hysteria.

 

[J]

your all right wing nazi extremists... boooo

 

[sufcintheprem]

To be honest, the sensible thing to do in my eyes is to avoid putting anything close to the bone on here.

Whether I have the right to post something along these lines is neither here nor there in my eyes. If it is going to cause someone grief or has an inconsiderate undertone then I'll save it for a closed audience who I know.

 

[blues_r_best]

Vvvvvrrrrr...Lee




Oh, taboo, not tattoo

 

[callan]

your all right wing nazi extremists... boooo

I'm more of a middle of the road Nazi!

 

[MK Shrimper]

But is the stupidity of war, which causes millions and millions to die, really a laughing matter? How far removed does something have to be to be acceptable?

The stupidity of war is an absolutely valid target to mock and has been throughout history by people far more intelligent than you and I - Chaplin's Great Dictator, Catch 22, M.A.S.H, Dr Strangelove, Slaughterhouse 5.... you're not laughing at the people who died, you're laughing at the morons in "control" who couldn't organise the proverbial p1ss up in a brewery let alone a war.

"Life Is Beautiful" even found humour in Nazi concentration camps!


However, a great topic YB... haven't had a good debate on here for a while.