Zack Beauchamp presents a set of tweets in this Vox article from Dallas appellate lawyer (and ex-Professor of English) Jason P. Steed, who wrote his doctoral dissertation on the social function of humour and has a pithy way with words.
Jokes about socially unacceptable things aren’t just “jokes.” They serve a function of normalizing that unacceptable thing, of telling the people who agree with you that, yes, this is an okay thing to talk about.
Such jokes also tell the people who don’t agree with you that they are not welcome in your group, of course.
Go to the Vox article to read the full series of tweets.
Bonus new term of the day: stochastic terrorism, ugh.
Categories: culture wars, language, media, violence
DUFC #69 
False media narratives: why don’t we talk about “white on white” crime? 
Hoyden About Town 
That was an excellent, succinct, persuasive thread. I’ve saved it to use again.