>>>I guess then that we differ. If someone makes me laugh I don't consider who did it (that would be discriminatory :-})
>>>
>>>Maybe the person's motivation is not to make you laugh. Maybe their motivation is to insult you...
>>
>>So if someone who is a member of a group to which you belong tells a joke at the expense of that group you might find it funny but if the same joke was told by someone who is not a member of the group then you might consider it an insult - or at least assume that their motivation was to insult you? Paranoia is too strong a word but I do find that odd.
>>
>
>It isn't so unusual, though. For instance, blacks will poke fun at themselves but a white person better not do it.
>
>Even closer to home, the FoxPro-ers among us can make mordant jokes about the future of VFP and it will be taken in fun. A VB developer saying the same things will get a more hostile reaction.

This reminds me of the Russian and American who had an argument about which country was the best to live in. The American "I can stand in front of the white house and shout that GWB is stupid, without risking ending up in jail". The Russian: "So can I, I can stand in front of the Kremlin and shout that GWB is stupid without risking anything."