WIBU to delete someone off my FB for sharing Irish 'jokes'...

[FourFriedChickensDryWhiteToast]

You know how years ago people used to tell really unfunny jokes based on the premise that Irish people were stupid/alcoholic/ terrorists?

Well it pissed me off 30 years ago but in general these days people no longer tell Irish 'jokes'.

so there is this English woman on my FB that I worked and lived with years and years ago. I hardly know her as an adult tbh as we were teens back then.<

Anyway so she shares this meme that is so unfunny, I didn't even smile. Something about 'Paddy' and a lorry of turf, and him wanting to send his lawn away to be cut. 'What's dat' says his mate...

So we have the 'funny accent' and the purported 'stupidity' of the Irish being shared as hilarious.

One of the women who 'liked' it is Jewish! (I knew her back then too) Imagine if I shared a Jewish joke!!? (well I wouldn't but it would go down like a sack of shit, and rightly so)

It is a little personal to me as my dad is Irish, spent his working life as an academic. So these kind of jokes piss me off. Especially in 2018.

WIBU to defriend her and tell her why? or would that be an over-reaction?

Well, you've got me there. In all honesty, at the start of this so-called discussion, I never knew potatoes were offensive to Irish people.

Now I've learnt how ridiculous are the 'greatly offended' brigade and the danger they pose to freedom of speech and to the truly innocent who don't go around seeing everyone through a racist lens.

Out of the frying pan into the fire.

You don't have freedom of speech on MN. There are talk guidelines because we're all here as guests. Get a tattoo saying whatever racist shite you want - your body, your rules. But racism is banned on here.

There's nothing racist about my comments. You made some pretty massive assumptions and screamed 'offensive'. The knee jerk reaction is to delete the comments.
I'm not interested in playing to your whining fiddle.

Feel free to carry on with your anti British comments.

I know what you're doing.

It's not going to work.

I've had far greater provocation in my life than a goady wee ignoramus like you.

I'm not getting to say something to get myself deleted.

And your three deletions speak for themselves.

Jokes referring to Irish people as terrorists make no sense because the troubles in Northern Ireland were technically a civil war within the UK. I wish more people realised that.

The perception in England would come from a non-state actor In a foreign country (the IRA) launching terrorist attacks, probably in large part they would think of the ones in England. In context your comment doesn't explain it away.

Not getting into the rights and wrongs of it, but imagine someone saying the Manchester attack wasn't terrorism because let's talk about the Balfour Declaration.

I'm half Irish and I don't think it would bother me but if it is bothering you just don't look at her family facebook (I'm not on Facebook so I don't know all the functions of it)...is there anyway to mute it so you can't see what she posts?..if not then blocking might be best

One thing I’ve found is most old style Irish jokes are retold in Ireland in pretty much the same way, with Irish man replaced with Kerry man

I haven't read the full thread but that Keith Lemon dickhead starting that trend of saying potatoes to Irish people was so offensive. Most Irish people couldn't give a fuck about potatoes. It's just it was the main crop that could be grown after Cromwell pillaged the country and forced Irish people to go to the part of Ireland with the least fertile soil. That's why when the blight came it was such a disaster. It's a reference to a famine where a million people died of starvation. That guy is such a moron I doubt he is aware of such things. Other jokes are just stupid but don't rile me as much.

As for Jewish jokes, most of the ones I know were originally told by Jewish comedians. Google Jackie Mason and you'll see what I mean.

@deadringer the nationalities are interchangeable in those type of jokes

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Englishman,_an_Irishman_and_a_Scotsman

Making the nationality of the ‘teller’ the smart one and the others the butt of the joke.

counterpoint

I don’t even think YOU think you’re being funny anymore. Immediately underneath a post referencing the potato famine, you’ve made another potato joke. I’ve reported it, not because I’m a deletion bagger, but because I find your posts truly offensive. You are a racist. I hope you get banned and hopefully have a word with yourself. But based on your repeated and openly offensive posts, I don’t think you have the morals to do that.

Funny how just beneath the surface of someone making “only a joke”s is an aggressive person who genuinely dislikes the group they’re joking about. Not surprising at all tbh, which is why I am extremely wary of anyone who makes racist jokes, irl or on here. Because you plaster on a silly grin and frame something racist as a joke, you think you aren’t really a racist; I’m just having a larf mate . But you are. I see through the silly grin to the ugly, hateful, racist beneath.

It's the 'professionally offended' accusation that I find particularly goady. If you genuinely offend someone unintentionally you apologise and leave it. What you don't do is taunt them for being offended, under the guise of 'I'm only joking'.

Indeed lizzie.

What you don't do is taunt them for being offended, under the guise of 'I'm only joking'.

And repeat the same offensive jokes over and over again, even when numerous people have pointed out why it’s offensive.

My mum is from Liverpool and MIL always makes jokes about Scouse people being thieves and cheap... She knows my mum is from Liverpool... It literally makes me so angry!!! Wish I could delete her of Facebook!!!

@Feb2018mumma

You can unfollow your MIL's posts without actually unfriending her if it would cause a family argument if you unfriend her. (Though why you have to be FB friends isn't at all clear to me?)

Lizzie48 she is unfollowed but she will text and ask if I've seen things if I don't like them... Too late to delete her now I've accepted, would just cause more drama!! Husband deleted Facebook and I would quite like to but we run a sports club and lots of enquiries go through Facebook!

@Feb2018mumma
Calm down, calm down

BTW I've been to Liverpool a few times and I love it there

She does sound really childish. In that case, you will need to speak up for yourself, and if she won't respect your boundaries then that's bullying. If she goes on doing it then you really should feel free to unfriend her.

Potatoes!

Well done sugarisamazing. You sound so clever . Have you read the thread and why people might find this^^ offensive? Do you just not care or are you being deliberately offensive to upset people? If it’s the latter, that is really disgusting. I hope you had a old laugh at another nation’s painful history. Nice. And if you’re Irish, shame on you. You’re not funny.