Horrible, Bad, Insensitive Joke Requires Justice to Be Meted Out

 

A tweet from student Jaden McNeil last week said, “Congratulations to George Floyd on being drug free for an entire month!” This prompted a decision for Kansas State football players to boycott.

Frankly, I am surprised this joke wasn’t posted on our “Funny Political Memes” page. But in today’s world, who here would dare have the courage or stupidity to do so…

If this joke were told by a late-night comedic host, would he be canceled? Is free speech no longer one of our constitutional rights? Will Kansas State officially cancel this student? I think the odds are high that they will.  Intolerance is ironically the highest honorable badge of the so-called, self-declared tolerant.

I am simply exhausted by the totality of the insanity.

Published in General
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 86 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Hoyacon (View Comment):
    The tweet at the center of this thread really does nothing but offend

    I disagree. Speech can be allusional. This is a response to the deification of Floyd. Floyd was drugged up at the time he resisted arrest, and that may have contributed to the need to retrain him (no matter how unrestrained the restraining was).

    You’ve taken my comment somewhat out of the context of a comparison to disruptive speech/ behavior. It was not directed at whether one might not be offended, but rather at the fact that it only does that at worst.

    Oh.  Sorry.

    • #31
  2. Hammer, The Inactive
    Hammer, The
    @RyanM

    I didn’t read the whole post.  I read the joke, though, and it made me laugh out loud.

    • #32
  3. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Misthiocracy got drunk and (View Comment):
    One could argue that any school that accepts taxpayer funding is prohibited from infringing on students’ freedom of speech, not just state universities.

    That means Hillsdale could.  Of course, it’s not likely to.

    • #33
  4. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Valiuth (View Comment):
    Ricochet Charter Member

    So what exactly is the threat to this jerks constitutional rights? Is he facing jail? Loss of property? Is the State coming after him in some way? No? 

    Freedom of speech doesn’t work, none of the Bill of Rights work, if the people don’t accept them in their lives.

    Innocent until proven guilty:  Sure, it’s only applicable to criminal matters, it doesn’t even apply to civil courts.  But if everyone loses their jobs just for an accusation then we are all at serious risk.

    Freedom of speech isn’t really free if all of society doesn’t accept that freedom and encourage people to speak their minds.

    This used to be something our culture understood and promoted.  That’s a big loss.

    • #34
  5. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Hammer, The (View Comment):

    I didn’t read the whole post. I read the joke, though, and it made me laugh out loud.

    It’s very good!

    • #35
  6. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    We have all lost something when a stupid quip in poor taste made by a random young person draws the attention and the action of adults in positions of responsibility.

    Social media is a fact, and it’s given a voice to foolish people with nothing of worth to say. But those who fixate on the vacuous utterances of such people and elevate them to the level of a crisis, who imbue childishness with weight and meaning, share the responsibility.

    Who cares what some stupid twerp says. For G-d’s sake. There is someone who will say anything; in a nation of 300,000,000, nothing is too juvenile to appeal to someone’s childish sense of humor.

    Talk about punching down.

    • #36
  7. The Cloaked Gaijin Member
    The Cloaked Gaijin
    @TheCloakedGaijin

    Valiuth (View Comment):

    So what exactly is the threat to this jerks constitutional rights? Is he facing jail? Loss of property? Is the State coming after him in some way? No?

    Kid has no right to attend a University that will not have him and he can plead and apologize to the community that will now seek to ostracize him for his remarks, or not. People can face the consequence of their action and hopefully grow wiser from it.

    Uh, is this a joke?

    • #37
  8. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    Had he been drug free for a month or was that an exaggeration?  Is the kid’s crime that he exaggerated Floyd’s reform?   Perhaps that the cop should have been beaten to death immediately instead of suspended and charged?  I find the whole reaction to the media event a little scary and surprised to see some of its sillier aspects reflected here.

    • #38
  9. Sisyphus (hears Xi laughing) Member
    Sisyphus (hears Xi laughing)
    @Sisyphus

    I Walton (View Comment):

    Had he been drug free for a month or was that an exaggeration? Is the kid’s crime that he exaggerated Floyd’s reform? Perhaps that the cop should have been beaten to death immediately instead of suspended and charged? I find the whole reaction to the media event a little scary and surprised to see some of its sillier aspects reflected here.

    It’s a month since Chauvin died, thus a month since he last used drugs. Thus the joke.

    • #39
  10. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Sisyphus (hears Xi laughing) (View Comment):

    I Walton (View Comment):

    Had he been drug free for a month or was that an exaggeration? Is the kid’s crime that he exaggerated Floyd’s reform? Perhaps that the cop should have been beaten to death immediately instead of suspended and charged? I find the whole reaction to the media event a little scary and surprised to see some of its sillier aspects reflected here.

    It’s a month since Chauvin Floyd died, thus a month since he last used drugs. Thus the joke.

    Correction.

    • #40
  11. Sisyphus (hears Xi laughing) Member
    Sisyphus (hears Xi laughing)
    @Sisyphus

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Sisyphus (hears Xi laughing) (View Comment):

    I Walton (View Comment):

    Had he been drug free for a month or was that an exaggeration? Is the kid’s crime that he exaggerated Floyd’s reform? Perhaps that the cop should have been beaten to death immediately instead of suspended and charged? I find the whole reaction to the media event a little scary and surprised to see some of its sillier aspects reflected here.

    It’s a month since Chauvin Floyd died, thus a month since he last used drugs. Thus the joke.

    Correction.

    Thank you. 

    • #41
  12. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Henry Racette (View Comment):

    We have all lost something when a stupid quip in poor taste made by a random young person draws the attention and the action of adults in positions of responsibility.

    Social media is a fact, and it’s given a voice to foolish people with nothing of worth to say. But those who fixate on the vacuous utterances of such people and elevate them to the level of a crisis, who imbue childishness with weight and meaning, share the responsibility.

    Who cares what some stupid twerp says. For G-d’s sake. There is someone who will say anything; in a nation of 300,000,000, nothing is too juvenile to appeal to someone’s childish sense of humor.

    Talk about punching down.

    For those who think the student should be expelled because the joke was offensive, does this student have a lengthy history of offensive statements? One of the complaints about “woke” “cancel culture” is that one “sin” is grounds for execution, regardless of the remainder of the person’s work, and regardless of context.

    The football team is engaged in bullying. If the school administration fulfills the bullies’ demands, they are again encouraging bullying. I understand bullying in the name of “wokeness” is now considered a social good that should be encouraged, but I am so old-fashioned that I think bullying should be discouraged. 

    • #42
  13. Ed G. Member
    Ed G.
    @EdG

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Richard Fulmer (View Comment):

    It seems to me that universities used to “own” the campus culture. That is, they could demand a specified level of decorum of students. Their contracts with students included the rules. If a student broke the rules – that is, breached their contract – they could be expelled. The federal government overrode the universities’ and students’ rights of contract, by threatening to pull public funding from the universities. The campus culture then became a “commons” that no one owned. What we see now is a fight over control of that commons. Students aren’t mature enough to exercise that sort of control, so we’re seeing dysfunction.

    I’m not familiar enough with the concept to have an informed opinion on the analogy. However, I do remember Berkeley’s Free Speech Movement in ’64-’65, which was a major assuault on a university’s ability to “own” a culture. The point, I think, was that the spirit of a university–and certainly a state run university–is inconsistent with ownership insofar as that ownership efffects a repression of speech. Of course, this brings us back to line-drawing, but, in most instances, it strikes me that the negative fallout is from speech accompanied by conduct, not merely speech.

    Agreed that the conduct is typically the problem and not the speech. I’ve been on the lonely end of free speech discussions when I’ve agreed with special zones designated for protests and demonstrations. Some call them free speech zones. I don’t think any entity, especially state entities, should be governing content, but I do believe that schools are for learning in the context of a classroom and curriculum. These spaces weren’t built as parade grounds or stages for the ideas of the ill informed (i.e. students). I see nothing wrong with enforcing that especially in an effort to reduce disruption on campus. So I also agree with Richard about The Commons problem. My idea is to retake the environment and function of campuses for the purpose they were intended to serve, not to attempt to adjudicate what is said.

    • #43
  14. Ed G. Member
    Ed G.
    @EdG

    Richard Fulmer (View Comment):

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    This is the mainstream adoption of Antifa tactics against anything conservative.

    Are you sure you want to label that joke as “conservative”? I really don’t want to claim it for our side.

     

    I thought it was funny. The dude may have been wrongfully killed, but he was no innocent. I find the joke to be an extremely mild corrective to riots, looting, gold caskets, and an ornate coach for a hearse.

    • #44
  15. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Valiuth (View Comment):

    So what exactly is the threat to this jerks constitutional rights? Is he facing jail? Loss of property? Is the State coming after him in some way? No?

    Kid has no right to attend a University that will not have him and he can plead and apologize to the community that will now seek to ostracize him for his remarks, or not. People can face the consequence of their action and hopefully grow wiser from it.

    So you are pro-mob destroying someone’s life.

     

    • #45
  16. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    “We are demanding that Kansas State University put a policy in place that allows a student to be dismissed for displaying openly racist, threatening, or disrespectful actions toward a student or groups of students,” the players said in a letter.

    Did the players even look at their own criteria? The tweet was in poor taste but “openly racist”? No mention of race was made. “Threatening”? No threat made and football players feel unsafe because some nerdy kid made a bad joke? Get the coach out there, his players need some hugs. “Disrespectful actions toward a student or groups of students”? The joke was disrespectful, but that disrespect was towards a dead man from another state. And it was a comment, not an “action” and unrelated to any school activity or student.

    Snowflakey football players . . . imagine what their glee club must be complaining about?

    • #46
  17. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):

    We have all lost something when a stupid quip in poor taste made by a random young person draws the attention and the action of adults in positions of responsibility.

    Social media is a fact, and it’s given a voice to foolish people with nothing of worth to say. But those who fixate on the vacuous utterances of such people and elevate them to the level of a crisis, who imbue childishness with weight and meaning, share the responsibility.

    Who cares what some stupid twerp says. For G-d’s sake. There is someone who will say anything; in a nation of 300,000,000, nothing is too juvenile to appeal to someone’s childish sense of humor.

    Talk about punching down.

    For those who think the student should be expelled because the joke was offensive, does this student have a lengthy history of offensive statements? One of the complaints about “woke” “cancel culture” is that one “sin” is grounds for execution, regardless of the remainder of the person’s work, and regardless of context.

    From what little I’ve seen by delving into the Twitter stream, the student also posted questions about the validity of Bubba Wallace’s noose incident and he’s trying to start an America First group on campus. The tweets about Bubba posted by people claiming the issue isn’t about the one tweet aren’t offensive. They asked how can we trust this claim when the majority of such claims turn out to be false. Maybe he’s said something truly offensive but I haven’t seen it yet.

    • #47
  18. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):

    We have all lost something when a stupid quip in poor taste made by a random young person draws the attention and the action of adults in positions of responsibility.

    Social media is a fact, and it’s given a voice to foolish people with nothing of worth to say. But those who fixate on the vacuous utterances of such people and elevate them to the level of a crisis, who imbue childishness with weight and meaning, share the responsibility.

    Who cares what some stupid twerp says. For G-d’s sake. There is someone who will say anything; in a nation of 300,000,000, nothing is too juvenile to appeal to someone’s childish sense of humor.

    Talk about punching down.

    For those who think the student should be expelled because the joke was offensive, does this student have a lengthy history of offensive statements? One of the complaints about “woke” “cancel culture” is that one “sin” is grounds for execution, regardless of the remainder of the person’s work, and regardless of context.

    From what little I’ve seen by delving into the Twitter stream, the student also posted questions about the validity of Bubba Wallace’s noose incident and he’s trying to start an America First group on campus. The tweets about Bubba posted by people claiming the issue isn’t about the one tweet aren’t offensive. They asked how can we trust this claim when the majority of such claims turn out to be false. Maybe he’s said something truly offensive but I haven’t seen it yet.

    Who cares?   It is a free country.  We are allowed to make jokes.  We are allowed to form political groups.  We are allowed to be offensive.  Eff them if they can’t take a joke. Eff them if they don’t like his politics.  Eff them if they don’t like him for any reason.  We need to stand up for freedom or we will lose it. 

    • #48
  19. Sisyphus (hears Xi laughing) Member
    Sisyphus (hears Xi laughing)
    @Sisyphus

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    “We are demanding that Kansas State University put a policy in place that allows a student to be dismissed for displaying openly racist, threatening, or disrespectful actions toward a student or groups of students,” the players said in a letter.

    Did the players even look at their own criteria? The tweet was in poor taste but “openly racist”? No mention of race was made. “Threatening”? No threat made and football players feel unsafe because some nerdy kid made a bad joke? Get the coach out there, his players need some hugs. “Disrespectful actions toward a student or groups of students”? The joke was disrespectful, but that disrespect was towards a dead man from another state. And it was a comment, not an “action” and unrelated to any school activity or student.

    Snowflakey football players . . . imagine what their glee club must be complaining about?

    Really bad season ahead. 

    • #49
  20. Nohaaj Coolidge
    Nohaaj
    @Nohaaj

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):
    the student also posted questions about the validity of Bubba Wallace’s noose incident and he’s trying to start an America First group on campus.

    In the eyes of the football team, this is the proof of this kid’s racist history.  Except it’s not. The left only hears dog whistles.  He is racist because he’s not “anti-racist”, and  not bowing in abject remorse over his whiteness. Thus, he must be eliminated from campus, because he creates a toxic environment, and violates their safe space.  

    • #50
  21. Nohaaj Coolidge
    Nohaaj
    @Nohaaj

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    This event has been burning at me all weekend, since it showed up in my Twitter feed by a person I follow taking the university President to task. I’m from Kansas and chose K-State in the great KU/KSU division the state has so I’m following it a little closer.

    I would appreciate it if you keep us updated on the official response from the University. 

     

    • #51
  22. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    This event has been burning at me all weekend, since it showed up in my Twitter feed by a person I follow taking the university President to task. I’m from Kansas and chose K-State in the great KU/KSU division the state has so I’m following it a little closer.

    I would appreciate it if you keep us updated on the official response from the University.

    Sure. The school announced on Friday that they are launching a review. The president released a statement that included, “We know this is not what we want to stand for; our expectation is that we will help build the world up, not tear it down.” The mob is yelling that it is empty words unless Jaden is expelled. Don’t know how they will ultimately respond. They can’t wait it out but I doubt they have a strong enough case to expel him.

    • #52
  23. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    Skyler (View Comment):

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Henry Racette (View Comment):

    We have all lost something when a stupid quip in poor taste made by a random young person draws the attention and the action of adults in positions of responsibility.

    Social media is a fact, and it’s given a voice to foolish people with nothing of worth to say. But those who fixate on the vacuous utterances of such people and elevate them to the level of a crisis, who imbue childishness with weight and meaning, share the responsibility.

    Who cares what some stupid twerp says. For G-d’s sake. There is someone who will say anything; in a nation of 300,000,000, nothing is too juvenile to appeal to someone’s childish sense of humor.

    Talk about punching down.

    For those who think the student should be expelled because the joke was offensive, does this student have a lengthy history of offensive statements? One of the complaints about “woke” “cancel culture” is that one “sin” is grounds for execution, regardless of the remainder of the person’s work, and regardless of context.

    From what little I’ve seen by delving into the Twitter stream, the student also posted questions about the validity of Bubba Wallace’s noose incident and he’s trying to start an America First group on campus. The tweets about Bubba posted by people claiming the issue isn’t about the one tweet aren’t offensive. They asked how can we trust this claim when the majority of such claims turn out to be false. Maybe he’s said something truly offensive but I haven’t seen it yet.

    Who cares? It is a free country. We are allowed to make jokes. We are allowed to form political groups. We are allowed to be offensive. Eff them if they can’t take a joke. Eff them if they don’t like his politics. Eff them if they don’t like him for any reason. We need to stand up for freedom or we will lose it.

    Oh I agree and wasn’t justifying the mob’s claims. Tabby asked if Jaden had a history of offensive remarks. I was pointing out the mob’s evidence of why they think he’s been offensive in the past. That’s why the school shouldn’t cave and explain freedom to the mob. This is a “teaching moment” in the vernacular of the Left.

    • #53
  24. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio…
    @ArizonaPatriot

    I thought that the joke was both funny and insensitive.  This is often the case with effective humor, especially on political issues.  It makes a very good point, in an insensitive way, about the strange beatification of George Floyd, who does not appear to have been a good guy.

    Obviously, even if Mr. Floyd was a really bad guy, I don’t think that the officer would have been justified in choking him to death.  If this is what happened, which isn’t clear.

    I haven’t seen any evidence that would cause me to change the conclusion of my prior post on the issue (on June 6, here).  After reviewing the autopsy report, I didn’t see how alternative causes of death — fentanyl overdose, plus meth and pot, plus serious heart conditions — can be ruled out, using the criminal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt.  I’m not an expert in the area, so I’d like to see the opinions of impartial medical examiners on the issue.  Not only have I not seen such an opinion, from even one medical examiner, but such opinions are being actively suppressed in the media (including Scientific American).

    I worry about whether the officers can get a fair trial in the current environment.

    Interestingly, Bret Weinstein shared these concerns in a recent interview of John McWhorter.

    I think that Mr. Floyd’s family will have some chance of prevailing in a wrongful death lawsuit.  I’m not sure whether or not they’ll be able to prove causation by the civil standard of proof, which is a preponderance of the evidence.  I do not expect the claim to go to trial, though, as I expect that the case will settle (for quite a large sum).  Such a result would be justice for Mr. Floyd and his family.

    • #54
  25. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and
    @Misthiocracy

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    One of the points that stuns me about this situation is the the football team’s belief that they are so important that the threat of them boycotting practice can force the admin into action against another student. This is the equivalent of a toddler refusing to move in the grocery store unless they get the piece of candy. I am sure there are radical left comments daily made on campus (ie kill all cops) that clearly do not receive similar protests. This is the mainstream adoption of Antifa tactics against anything conservative. they disagree with or take offense to. (edited appropriately)

    Toddlers do not represent a vital revenue stream for their parents.

    • #55
  26. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):
    a, so I’d like to see the opinions of impartial medical examiners on the issue. Not only have I not seen such an opinion, from even one medical examiner, but such opinions are being actively suppressed in the media (including Scientific American).

    Not necessary to the point.  The cop came into the encounter with his gun pointed at the man’s head.  The accusation was passing a bad $20 bill, and was made by an untrained clerk at a convenience store.  That is outrageous.  You take the plaintiff as he is.  The lightest touch might not hurt most people, but if the man is delicate as glass and your light touch harms him, you’re still liable.  The police used vicious methods to subdue a man that was only haphazardly suspected of a petty, non-violent crime.  I don’t care if he was a nice guy or not, the cops murdered him inexcusably.

    • #56
  27. iWe Coolidge
    iWe
    @iWe

    The joke made me laugh out loud, too. If it was insensitive, it was insensitive only to those who revere Floyd. Frankly, revering Floyd is actually quite bizarre – and humor is a great weapon.

    I once celebrated a new mayor of Baltimore’s first 100 days without an indictment. My wisecrack had nothing to do with her sex or race, and everything to do with the fact that the office and crime seem to come hand-in-hand.

    • #57
  28. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Certainly the person should have the freedom to say it, but, gee, that was a pretty tasteless joke.  

    • #58
  29. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    Manny (View Comment):

    Certainly the person should have the freedom to say it, but, gee, that was a pretty tasteless joke.

    I agree. What I find unworthy is the idea that tastelessness should become broadly actionable. There’s an institutional cowardice to that that I find repugnant.

    • #59
  30. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    Misthiocracy got drunk and (View Comment):

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    One of the points that stuns me about this situation is the the football team’s belief that they are so important that the threat of them boycotting practice can force the admin into action against another student. This is the equivalent of a toddler refusing to move in the grocery store unless they get the piece of candy. I am sure there are radical left comments daily made on campus (ie kill all cops) that clearly do not receive similar protests. This is the mainstream adoption of Antifa tactics against anything conservative. they disagree with or take offense to. (edited appropriately)

    Toddlers do not represent a vital revenue stream for their parents.

    Hmmm… I’m sure there’s a counter argument here somewhere…

    • #60
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.