When good jokes go bad: political wank
FrontPage magazine, love child of rabid-leftie-turned-rabid-rightie David Horowitz, posts an article by David Yeagley. Said article is, to put it mildly, rather racist and sexist (you may want to skip it; it's actually only tangential to the wank itself). The guys at political humor site Sadly, No! get their sticky hands on the article and mock the hell out of it in an entry called Are Y'all Read for Some DERANGED LUNACY??? Damn Right You Are, in which FrontPage is referred to as "D-Ho's Crack Den". So far, so good.

But in the comments, trouble is brewing. Professor Ann Barstow of Feminist Law Professors objects, not to the mocking of little Yeagley, nor to the stunning displays of racism and misogyny in the original article, but to the name bestowed upon David Horowitz:


While I mostly agree with you on the merits here, do you not see how refering to Frontpage as "D-Ho's Crack Den" is a little racist and sexist in its own right?


Sadly, No! writer Brad R does a double take: I don't get it. I'm saying that a bunch of silly white guys who write moronic columns for David Horowitz (or "D-Ho," as we affectionately call him) are essentially on crack. If anything, it's an insult to the crack addicts.


Retorts Ann Barstow: D-Ho is not supposed to be a dialtected pronounciation of "the whore"? Really?


Brad R is forced to violate the laws of humor: Well, yes and no.

It's also a play on David Horowitz' name, the sort that is popularized by names like "J-Lo" (Jennifer Lopez) and "A-Rod" (Alex Rodriguez). The fact that shortening Horowitz' name in this manner makes him "D-Ho" is just a hilarious coincidence.


But Ann Barstow doesn't think it's hilarious. Quite the opposite. At this point, commenters pile on poor Ann for being too easily offended.


This causes Ann to erupt: No, you're absolutely perfect. Any woman who comes here and reads this will be delighted by the caring and sensitivity. "D-Ho's crack den" will have them roling in the ailes. Why is it that the criminal justice system treats crack so much more harshly than corollary drugs like cocaine? Because it is viewed as a "black" drug. Oh the peals of laughter that inspires! And when you say D-Ho just like Amos and Andy might - heelarious. Truly, whay could be funnier. Oh, calling someone a ho in a discussion about rape, where the woman is poor and black and the accused are white and priviled. Why they may well have called her a ho while they were attacking her, so it's true comedy gold. But of course this is so very BOURGEOUISE of me.

Sorry to interupt. By all means continue congratulating yourselves for being so morally superior to the wing nuts.


She then runs back to her blog and posts this bit of drama. Back at Sadly, No! some commenters get a bit upset (and slightly wanky), while others are just idly wondering when mocking the bigots became more offensive than the bigots...


Best comment so far (by Gavin M at Sadly, No!): I can't believe this. Ann Bartow comes by and says, 'That's not funny.'

It's like you're sitting in a bar, and a priest, a rabbi, and a minister walk in.


So far it's a rather small wank.