asktrebek:

(content warning for racial slurs)

I was about to stop posting for the night when this message found its way into my inbox. Whoever sent it (which is not important) must think they’re being oh so funny or edgy or whatever (which is important). Let’s take a break from the humor typically associated with this blog, if only for a post, because this is important.

Regardless of the intent, racial slurs are not okay to use. Using them in a joking context is no better than using them in a derisive context. The connotations associated with words such as this can be really painful to some people, which is why it’s better if these words just aren’t used. Edgy bloggers who use these words are honestly setting society back decades. The fact that it’s MLK Day just makes this all the more sour.

But we can turn this into a positive, use it as a learning experience. There are some things which it is never okay to joke about. Racial slurs fall into this category. You may think you’re being cute, funny, edgy, whatever. What you’re really doing is not only being disrespectful, but you’re also showing that you’re ignorant of all the progress we, as a whole, have made as a civilization. It’s also telling of the fact that we have a long way to go.

This blog has over 2,300 followers and I’m really happy about that, I truly am. I’m glad we can all share in the sarcastic humor we all love Alex Trebek for. But the same man, if confronted with this situation, would put the humor aside and use it as a learning experience. I know you don’t follow this blog to hear social commentary. This is probably the last time you’ll hear from me like this.

But we can all learn an important lesson here. A lesson that most of us should already know, though it appears some of us still have some learning to do.

So… what are they?