Comedians such as; Dick Gregory , Richard Pryor ,Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle and Micheal Che utilize observational commentary which address the hypocrisy that exist in " The Land of The Free". The Chapelle Show highlighted social inequities in the U.S with skits like Tyron Biggums where a blind Black man is a member of the Ku Klux Klan. The skit goes on to underline how ignorance and fear further perpetuate acts of racism aka acts of domestic terrorism. In the everyday world Melanated people use humor to reduce the sting racism inflicts and the way Melanated people did not allow "Barbecue Becky" to take away there beautiful day at Lake Merritt is just one of many examples .
Ps I came across this interesting information and wanted to share ……. Poet Maya Angelou was quoted saying, “the slaves were not allowed to laugh on many plantations. When the urge to laugh became irrepressible, the slaves had a ‘laughing barrel’ into which they would lean way down, with the pretext of getting something, and laugh. The slaves would then go back to whatever it was they were doing.” White people viewed slaves laughing as a form of disrespect to them. Some plantations owners had barrels set up on the plantation and when a slave heard something funny they would have to run off to one of these barrels in order to laugh. Some people believe that this is where the phrase a “barrel of laughs” derived.
Work Cited
https://blackthen.com/a-barrel-of-laughs-why-slaves-were-not-allowed-to-laugh-on-many-plantations/
Pps I noticed a common theme with Melanted people giving nicknames to the racists ladies who harass them as well. Its safe to conclude that this action reduces some of hate by adding humor to a potentially life or death situation. I recall an off duty officer pulling a gun out on my cousin's father. This incident was provoked by a child supposedly kicking his fence. There was no humor in our situation however my family was so relieved none of us got shot we did kind of laugh on the way home.
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