News: The joke was bad, the overreaction maybe was worse
Did you hear the one about the woman who wrapped a piece of cloth around her face and walked up to the cash register? The clerk goes “please don’t stick me up.” She didn’t think that was funny, since she was wearing it in accordance with her Islamic faith. So a Wal-Mart employee was chastised, apologies were made and apologies were accepted. In other words; The same old dance. Trouble is, this dance doesn’t really prevent people from making stupid jokes, because you can’t train people out of being stupid. But you can berate people into they are afraid to even talk to people who are different. It was an opportunity to education and promote goodwill, and it because another excuse to claim victimhood.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
