Denis Lusby says he is the victim of political correctness after being forced to resign for printing Irish jokes in his parish magazine below
Posted on 09/12/2007 3:30:00 PM PDT by Stoat
As an Ulster-born Catholic, Denis Lusby is perhaps more qualified than most to poke fun at the Irish.
But although most enjoy reading the jokes he prints in his parish magazine, some can't see the funny side.
And after a council official complained they were racist, Mr Lusby, the magazine's editor, resigned.
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Denis Lusby says he is the victim of political correctness after being forced to resign for printing Irish jokes in his parish magazine below
The 58-year-old, who runs the village shop in St Breward, near Bodmin, Cornwall, has spent 11 years building up the magazine from a flysheet to a 56-page monthly.
His 30p publication, which sells about 500 copies, includes information on local events.
Schools in villages on the edge of Bodmin Moor also use the Blisland with Temple, Helland and St Breward Community Magazine to tell locals of their news.
But after reading the May issue, Cornwall County Council's equality and diversity boss complained that the use of the names Murphy and Paddy in jokes in the magazine was racist and ridiculed the Irish traveller communities with whom she works.
Ginny Harrison-White then wrote to schools asking whether it was appropriate to have their news printed alongside 'such derogatory material', claiming that the jokes may have an impact on the attitudes of the children.
She called for headmasters to boycott the magazine.
But Mr Lusby, a grandfather of four, was furious.
He said: "I have spent my life being non-racist and anti-racist - and to have somebody accuse me of being racist is really hard to take.
"IRA bombings were going on, so I reckon I know a lot more about racial prejudice than she does.
"The magazine evolved out of the church notices and grew over the years but I've always put in the odd joke or two."
Mr Lusby, who is chairman of St Breward's parish council, added: "It had all sorts of jokes, not just Irish, but in her letter this lady complained about the use of the names Murphy and Paddy, which is funny because Patrick is my middle name.
A love of laughs: Comedy legend Frank Carson is also an Irishman who just can't help telling Irish jokes ... just like parish magazine editor Denis Lusby
"I feel she has used her position to put pressure on the schools.
"The only time I have spoken to her was after we ran a joke about an Essex Earthquake appeal, which was full of Essex Girl jokes.
"She rang up and said her neighbours came from Essex and was concerned they would be offended.
"I told her that all humour is subjective.
"I felt her letters to the school put the tin lid on it, so I am resigning."
Mrs Harrison-White, who lives in the nearby village of Blisland, said that she sent the letters to the schools as a 'concerned local resident' rather than in her capacity as a council worker.
"The context of the letter was to follow up an informal conversation," she said.
"Because of my role I clearly come from an informed position with particular expertise and knowledge.
"I firmly believe that it is the responsibility of all members of society to support each other to ensure that any actions, comments, or public materials do not cause offence."
Her letter said: "There are three items which are distasteful and two of them use racist language or ridicule based on race as defined under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and which may have an impact on the attitude and behaviour of the children and the wider school community.
"I am asking if you feel it is appropriate for the school and church to have their articles, which demonstrate and promote respect and celebrate achievement, published alongside such derogatory material."
Mr Lusby, originally from Londonderry, said the jokes weren't even his. "People sent them in for me to use."
Another brainwashed PC feel-gooder with way too much time of her hands to make a big deal out of these jokes. Seems to have her “paddys” in a wad!
Indeed it was. She attempted to make life impossible for him by engaging in background subterfuge and machinations, which she did in a roundabout way to insulate her from charges of abusing her official capacity. She probably never expected this to blow up into an international incident and will say ANYTHING now to distance herself from the matter. I'm sure that she had expected all of the advertisers to quietly leave and for him to be effectively 'shunned' by the community, and for him to never know who started it all because it was a "private conversation"..
The fact remains, however, that she did indeed use her position in an effort to intimidate and slander this good man with the brush of Racism, whose taint no white person can escape once it's been applied.
By the way, I am mostly Irish and a Catholic, and I saw NO harm in those jokes. In fact, I loved the one about the priest telling people to go stand against the wall.
Drat, wish I had a good Irish joke to add right here.
I have no doubt that this thread will soon fill up with great Irish / Catholic jokes.....just check back occasionally :-)
My pleasure. :’)
ROFLOL!!!
Liberals have NO sense of humor. I guess that’s why they’re liberals - a congenital failure of imagination when they look at the world.
I liked the joke about the priest sending the guys to stand against the wall, too.
Here’s the only Irish joke I remember at the moment:
Paddy and Mike are digging a trench in the street when an elderly nun arrives at the corner. She starts to cross the street but slips and falls on the dirt they’ve dug up.
Mike rushes to pick her up, but Paddy screams,
“Jaysus, Mike, don’t touch her, she’s holy! Pick her up with the shovel!”
I guess that means Louis CK gets hung by the neck until dead then. His Catholic vid ...hooofa. It’d be really (explicitly, extremely, completely, totally)offensive if I were a Catholic. I’m not, but it’s not for those with tender ears.
http://www.youtube.com/louisck
There's a little bit more on this matter in a local media outlet:
(edit)
(end edit)
So now this nice man's community has been hurt in many ways as a result of this awful woman's slanderous, backdoor attack.
Would that St. Paddy could return and drive the snake....er, stick.....from this woman's Irish southern region.
Leni
“I’m Patrick FitzWilliam” “and I’m William Fitzpatrick” “and we’ve heard the joke, so save it!”
I've not heard that one..............
My joke:
Two Irishmen walked out of a bar.................
That IS the joke. That’s all there is..............
God save us all from humorless idiots.
Racist? He’s making fun of a nationality, not a race. At anyrate, the complainant is a silly twit with zero sense of humor, and a do gooder/moron mentality. Typical liberal.
Immediately, four burly men surround him and start beating him up. After a few minutes, they stop and the now bleeding Irishman pulls himself back on to the barstool and says to the bartender, "They must have been Hillary supporters."
The bartender says, "Nope. Horse supporters."
The Irish would rather fight than win.
:)
*Seinfeld ping
Jerry enters confessional, sits down on kneeler. Father Curtis opens sliding door.
Father: That’s a kneeler.
Jerry: Oh. (Adjusts accordingly)
Father: Tell me your sins, my son.
Jerry: Well I should tell you that I’m Jewish.
Father: That’s no sin.
Jerry: Oh good. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about Dr. Whatley. I have a suspicion that he’s converted to Judaism just for the jokes.
Father: And this offends you as a Jewish person.
Jerry: No, it offends me as a comedian. And it’ll interest you that he’s also telling Catholic jokes.
Father: Well.
Jerry: And they’re old jokes. I mean, the Pope and Raquel Welch in a lifeboat.
Father: I haven’t heard that one.
Jerry: Oh, I’m sure you have. They’re out on the ocean and, yada yada yada, and she says, “Those aren’t buoys.” (Father starts laughing) Father...
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