Building Bridges since 1991

I tried telling my brother that it wasn’t funny; that “comedy” at the expense of another nation’s culture, and especially an over-generalized charicature, wasn’t funny.

My parents were in the same room while this was all happening. In fact, they were shown the video prior to me seeing it. My mum said that “playing it once is okay, but if you play it again and again then it’s bad cuz you’re making fun of them.” Then as I went to leave, my dad started with the anecdote he always liked to tell me growing up. It was something my late grandfather used to tell him after hearing mean comments from other people at school. He goes, “Why do you listen to them? Are they telling the truth? Yes? Then why are you getting mad, if it’s true? No? Then why are you getting mad at them when it isn’t true?”

I just went to my room. I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t handle it. Maybe I was being sensitive. Maybe I didn’t handle myself or the situation properly.