Slog - Comments on Letter of the Day http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69 Your endorsement section [The Stranger Election Control Board Endorsements 2008, Oct 16] is always helpful. This: “Q: What’s the difference between Sarah Palin’s mouth and her vagina? A: Only some of the stuff that comes out of her vagina is retarded” was not and I’m returning it to you with a request to think about what “humor” you include in this section as it could so turn off folks that they’d not use you as a reference! The retarded jokes are beyond not-cool. Liz Neuman Poor-quality photo courtesy of Jonah Spangenthal-Lee... Copyright 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:48:40 -0800 Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:08:16 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by ScottM best part of the election guide

told this joke before the stranger even ran it

would tell it again

]]> ScottM http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188264 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188264 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:48:11 -0800 Comment by Tard rancher Retarded people don't care if you make fun of them. That's why they're retarded.

]]> Tard rancher http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188265 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188265 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:50:00 -0800 Comment by That's so freaking gay I substitute the word "gay" whenever the Stranger throws around the word "retarded." Same thing, really.

]]> That's so freaking gay http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188266 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188266 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:51:40 -0800 Comment by golden mexi-fries I laughed because I'm a terrible person, but I, too, was a bit surprised by how tasteless this was.

]]> golden mexi-fries http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188268 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188268 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:52:53 -0800 Comment by shub-negrorath It was a tasteless, insensitive joke that almost made me fall out of my chair with laughter.

]]> shub-negrorath http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188274 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188274 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:56:06 -0800 Comment by Jesse I hate myself for recognizing how wrong this joke is, but still seeing the humor in it. My internal dialog goes something like this:

"HA HA HA OMFG HAoh that was wrong, so so wrong."

]]> Jesse http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188290 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188290 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:13:03 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Let's face it, that was funny.

People who are outraged by it are seriously humor-deprived.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188297 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188297 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:17:06 -0800 Comment by Darcy I certainly hope you've all had a long think about what you've done.

]]> Darcy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188299 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188299 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:18:35 -0800 Comment by John Bailo
I was kicked of the "Republicans for Obama" website (comments) for questioning whether someone who said her son had a "missing chromosome" was telling the truth or not. I thought it was a joke because I had never heard of such a disease and when I looked it up they said that it was extremely rare and survivability was a few months.

However, she took great offense (not for making fun of it, but for questioning her veracity) and made me apologize (which I did) sent me a picture of her son (which I sympathized with) and then had me blocked from the site (which I trolled on a daily basis).

So, when it comes to touchiness about these things, I'd have to say the Republicans are far more flexible and reasonable than high strung Democrats who want to vote for the Hawaiian preppie spawn of bank vice president.

]]> John Bailo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188304 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188304 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:21:07 -0800 Comment by crazycatguy Did this joke come out of Palin's vagina?

]]> crazycatguy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188307 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188307 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:21:34 -0800 Comment by Doug Yep. It was tasteless. And hilarious. And unfortunate.

The Stranger has plenty of room for tasteless humor. It doesn't belong in the election guide.

]]> Doug http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188321 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188321 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:36:42 -0800 Comment by cognitive dissident Worst. Joke. Ever.

(And yes, I already passed it along...)

]]> cognitive dissident http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188324 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188324 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:38:10 -0800 Comment by blackhook Palin is a tastless, insensitive person and the joke fits her to a T.

]]> blackhook http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188326 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188326 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:41:33 -0800 Comment by Sad Comment Yeah, I mean if I was retarded I too would find any association with Palin very embrassing and in bad taste.

]]> Sad Comment http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188329 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188329 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:42:51 -0800 Comment by lostboy What crazycatguy @10 and Doug @11 said.  Tasteless even by Stranger standards.

]]> lostboy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188335 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188335 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:49:58 -0800 Comment by Hartiepie It isn't funny.

And yes, grow up........

]]> Hartiepie http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188339 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188339 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:54:56 -0800 Comment by Teeven Hmith I yeevun lavved. Dadleased Dobama isund mblag GAND dreedarded.

]]> Teeven Hmith http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188340 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188340 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:57:30 -0800 Comment by abe Count me on the side of Liz. There are lots of tasteless jokes in the world that are funny.

Her son's lifelong condition is not funny at all.

I saw a 60-year-old woman and a 40-year-old woman with Down syndrome (obviously a mother and daughter) silently eating lunch together at a restaurant today and I cried thinking about what they've been through.

]]> abe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188343 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188343 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:02:09 -0800 Comment by alan That joke is only hilarious if you do not know any developmentally disabled people and therefore have no idea of the difficulties and prejudice they face.

You can be a hipster without being a complete fucking asshole.

]]> alan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188346 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188346 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:05:31 -0800 Comment by mike abe @ 18:

you "cried thinking about what they've been through"

how do you know waht they've been through? it's possible they were brought up in very loving families and are functioning and have a happy life, as my cousin does.

you are projecting what you think they are missing out on in life, when the truth is they may have a much better life than you do.

]]> mike http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188355 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188355 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:12:46 -0800 Comment by Bucky I missed this one the first time around. Hilarious. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Liz.

]]> Bucky http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188356 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188356 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:12:55 -0800 Comment by TVDinner I'm with Liz on this one, and I give her props for speaking up.

]]> TVDinner http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188358 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188358 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:14:47 -0800 Comment by iain Stranger writers are allowed to make retard jokes just like gay people are allowed to make gay jokes and black people are allowed to make black jokes.
Besides, "A: not everything that comes out of her vagina gets knocked up by 17" isn't funny at all.

]]> iain http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188367 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188367 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:25:00 -0800 Comment by Glenn Fleishman Tasteless and funny, but that's actually one of the few things I like about Sarah Palin: she was (before her son was born with Down's) and after an advocate for better lives for kids with disabilities. So...there! OR something. Still happy to have her returned, postage due, to Alaska.

]]> Glenn Fleishman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188385 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188385 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:05:23 -0800 Comment by superyeadon I thought it was lame. Funny can be lame.

]]> superyeadon http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188390 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188390 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:10:19 -0800 Comment by anna i'm used to the stranger's tasteless humor and generally don't find it that offensive. however, i'm also used to their election guide being pretty well-written and i often vote an almost straight stranger ticket. this year, i came to that joke, stopped reading, and didn't use their election guide in my evaluation of the races this year. i don't know why it pissed me off so much, but it really did. it made me completely unable to take the endorsements seriously. knock it off, guys, or just leave that shit in the rest of the paper, which is often tasteless and offensive and also funny and where we're expecting it.

]]> anna http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188411 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188411 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:59:57 -0800 Comment by WTF It just makes me sad to hear jokes like this. Why do people have to be so mean and hurtful? We're liberals, we should be taking the upper road. Making fun of the disadvantaged? Hypocritical.

]]> WTF http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188420 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188420 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:29:13 -0800 Comment by Ed In fairness, people like #27, the only disadvantaged person the Stranger was making fun of was Sarah Palin. There was nothing in there making fun of Trig.

That being said, I'm frankly with Liz and the rest who think that this joke steps just a bit over the line. Obviously that line can be difficult to find, but I think a bit more thought about this joke before it was published might have led to that conclusion.

]]> Ed http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188450 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188450 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:48:05 -0800 Comment by violet_dagrinder I sent that joke to everybody I really like, and got a thread locked on another website over it.

It still cracks me up every time I read it. So, so happy.

And look, you humorless douchebags, it's NOT making fun of retarded people! It's MAKING FUN OF SARAH PALIN!!!!!!! She's STUPID, not RETARDED, and there's a DIFFERENCE. Fer fucking fuck's sake. Stop insulting retarded people by failing to get the fucking joke!

]]> violet_dagrinder http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188451 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188451 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:52:19 -0800 Comment by Seriously Stranger = gay retards.

]]> Seriously http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188453 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188453 2008 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 23:00:49 -0800 Comment by bitch, please. sheesh. stop being so butthurt over a harmless joke (that was totally funny).

@29 is right, it's bagging on palin, not her kid.

]]> bitch, please. http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188487 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188487 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:59:45 -0800 Comment by Jen We're no 100% sure that the one you're talking about actually came out of her vagina or her daughter's.

But, anyway, I've got to agree with this chick. It's clever, but it's too much.

]]> Jen http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188508 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188508 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 06:32:53 -0800 Comment by Lola, Now in Iowa I am so with you, Liz - so fucking sick of this word being used as a joke. @2, you are an asshole, as are the rest of you who think it's funny to make fun of people whose IQs are supposedly lower than yours. Fuckers.

]]> Lola, Now in Iowa http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188512 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188512 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 06:54:44 -0800 Comment by RainMan It's human nature to make sick jokes about things that scare us. We may love our grandparents but still make jokes about senile elderly people, for example, because one day we're all going to be there. We make sick jokes about Sarah Palin because there is a possibility (not a huge one, admittedly) that she may be elected VP on Tuesday, and that scares any thinking person. Humor is a universal way of dealing with our fears. The retarded joke really was over the line, but I'm not going to be too hard on myself for finding it funny.

]]> RainMan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188522 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188522 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:41:57 -0800 Comment by maxsolomon@home don't you all know the only subgroup that can be safely ridiculed is hillbillies?

]]> maxsolomon@home http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188525 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188525 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:55:25 -0800 Comment by Elmo's dad A friend pointed the joke out to me, I was completely shocked and fell out of my chair laughing. I proceeded to share with co-workers (including my boss' boss!) and family.

Everyone was shocked and just about fell out of their chairs laughing.

Thank you for publishing that highly offensive and hilarious joke.

]]> Elmo's dad http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188531 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188531 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:35:00 -0800 Comment by momster @31 - calling Trig Palin a retard is "bagging on Palin, not her kid"? please, indeed. there are a billion ways to be funny and hip and edgy without insulting the disabled - but the stranger goes for the gratuitous laugh. again.

i agree with liz, anna @ 26 and what unfortunately looks like the minority opinion here.

]]> momster http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188534 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188534 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:47:43 -0800 Comment by Brian Another thing for Seattle liberals to cry about...

]]> Brian http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188543 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188543 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 10:42:20 -0800 Comment by John Bailo You stupid fucking Seattle hipsters think you're all so fucking hip just because you're hip. Well, listen here, punk-ass hipsters, I can see right through you. So there!

Go Knuckledragger/Cousinfucker in 2012!

]]> John Bailo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188899 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188899 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:08:06 -0800 Comment by beatgrl I'm with Liz, #26 and others who found that joke tasteless and offensive. I was in the middle of taking the election guide seriously and it really turned me off. There are plenty of things to make fun of Sarah Palin for, but a mean joke like that reminds me of the disrespect dished out by a playground bully.

]]> beatgrl http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188914 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188914 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:23:19 -0800 Comment by Hunter If i'm not mistaken they also made an awful joke in the slog using Palin's baby as the butt of a joke...and it didn't go over so well there either.

I guess some people are just hypocrites, they want to defend minority groups from oppression...unless that group is unable to stand up for themselves...then apparently it's fair game.

What a bunch of losers, get a life.

]]> Hunter http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188963 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1188963 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:48:06 -0800 Comment by Samdinista It's not funny, because it's not true. So far, everything that has come out of her vajayjay is retarded, and everything that has come out of her mouth is retarded. Ergo, there is no difference between her vajayjay and her mouth. I don't really have a point here, I just like typing "vajayjay" on the hope that some humorless douchemonkey will find that offensive as well.

VAJAYJAY

]]> Samdinista http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1189116 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1189116 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 20:18:12 -0800 Comment by boobcat What did the blind, deaf special-eds kid get for christmas?


Cancer.

]]> boobcat http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1189133 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1189133 2008 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:11:23 -0800 Comment by Neil Hamburger Why did the blonde crash her car?

Because she had down syndrome.

]]> Neil Hamburger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1189623 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1189623 2008 Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:45:04 -0800 Comment by when? I have to wonder when progressives are going to start caring about people with cognitive disabilities. Not yet, I guess.

]]> when? http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1189770 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/letter_of_the_day_69#c1189770 2008 Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:08:16 -0800