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... they said, 'Sir, we want to tell you a joke.' I said, 'You don't have time to tell me a joke.' They said, 'Oh, you gotta hear this one.' So I came in, they shut the door, and they said, 'Here's'- I said, 'What's the joke?' I said, 'What's the joke?' They said, '9/11. Saddam Hussein. If he didn't do it, too bad. He should've! Because we're gonna get him anyway.' I said, 'But that's not funny.' I said, 'That's not very funny.' They said, 'It sure isn't.'

Wesley Clark#20

PoliticsWarEthicsHumor

About this quote

What does it mean?
Clark recalls a joke about 9/11 and Saddam Hussein that he found inappropriate.
In plain terms
Someone told a dark joke about 9/11 and Saddam that Clark did not like.
What can you take from it?
Jokes about tragedies can be offensive to some.

Where it applies

  • workplace conversations
  • war discussions
  • humor contexts

Putting it to work

  • assess joke appropriateness
  • recognize sensitive topics
  • set boundaries

Questions to consider

  • When does humor become offensive?
  • How do you handle insensitive jokes?

Another view

This is a specific anecdote rather than a general principle.

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