White lights or coloured?

Jester:

You, a sheep?  I think not.  More like a wolf in sheep's clothing...  And that's okay - as long as you "keep the sheep suit on" (as Sam the Sham says in "Little Red Riding Hood").  Still, I wouldn't want your creativity to "suffocate."  Feel free to let it out once in a while: "thinking twice" does not have to mean "playing possum"...(as Dylan says, "Don't think twice, it's alright...)

Having said that, I must say that I'm mightily impressed with the "new" Jester; not that you need to impress me (or anyone else).  Just that you seem so much more...approachable.  (Ooooooh...how you must hate that!   )

Ah...XTC.  If Styx and Supertramp belong here, so do they.  It's all so unfair.  I'm gonna have to talk to someone about it...

Peace.

tuxon wrote: The disclaimer written by Danbo was just fun. a good joke (though I initialy thought he was refering to the pic and tried to set us straigth in a witty manner). It's a shame he deleted it.

I didn't really look at the picture. I read through the posts because I had an idea to make a play on the threads title, a bit of satire on the white/colored equality theme but with lights instead of people. Coupled with the photo it WAS in bad taste. I think it would not have been offensive on it's own, however, when I told my wife about it, she got her panties all bunched up and said it was, without a doubt, racist.  I'm sorry!

Is anyone actually offended by the picture?

Don't think I'm downplaying the apology and explanation, Reed. I understand we want to steer away from controversy on the forum whenever possible...but did anyone raise an objection based on personal offense rather than a general understanding of what might be construed as offensive to others (you know, personal feelings rather than abstract 'stance')?

It's not a rhetorical question...I just wanted to get an idea of the feelings of fellow members.

Dead Jester wrote: Honeybunch!! ??   Sounds sticky

I hope so... 

sigod wrote: Re: 'That' Picture. Sorry about that everybody. I should have engaged brain first. I was merely trying to be silly in a Monty Python vein but I should have realised that my choice was not appropriate. I apologise unreservedly and I promise I'll wear the stupid idiot hat for the whole of the Xmas period. I obviously offended people but that was never my intention. Sorry, sorry sorry... Please forgive as it was never posted with malicious intent.

I forgive you, Honeybunch!!

This thread has come a long way from Christmas Lights to Racism. Anyway I don't think this is the right place for a "serious" discussion about Racism! Let's have the fun out here... and yes IMHO you can make fun of anything  and anyone in a given context.Remember all those jerks yelling on Zappa when he released Sheik yerbouti with Bobby Brown and the jewish princess in it.So as the good old man would have said. just put some Eyebrows on it.

Master inner voices, making choices 

Maani: we both like XTC, that´s as close as we´ll ever get and I try to behave like a good sheep. I just find these restrictions suffocating for my creativity It´s no fun when you have to think twice, everytime you want to post something.

Me & Maani

All:

Well...where to begin? 

Interesting thread; even more interesting tangent.  Two comments.

First, "racism" is, of course, wrong (and would not be tolerated here).  And had the post-er posted the photo with a personal statement that "This is how I feel about black people," that would have been racist.  However, the posting of a photograph depicting a racist action is not, in and of itself, "racist," and is thus not "actionable."  This is the difference between "protected free speech" and "hate speech," which is illegal and actionable.  (Don't get any ideas: the same does not hold true for pornography...)

Second, and as a corollary (no, not a coronary, despite Reed Lover's graphic...) to that, there will be no editing of this thread (any photo editing that has occurred was not done by me, anyway) - nor even any warnings - because, despite what some people may think, we really do value and cherish "free speech."

Keep up the good work...especially you, DJ; you're practically on my good side now (oops, shouldn't have said anything...).

Peace.