Over here, in Europe, we don't have the same PC-code that you, Yanks, have to abide by.... However, we have a "color line" not to cross: jokes and innuendoes about Blacks, Jews, and North Africans (ie Arabs) are a delicate issue, as one might expect. But then again, it's always a matter of who is razzing who. For instance, a "Jewish joke" would be labeled "racist" if told by a non-Jewish guy --hence the best jokes against Jews are pulled by.... Jews! Same with blacks, chinese, etc.
In Europe, it's all too common for the French to deride the "little Belgian hick" --and vice-versa. Germans will mock the Poles, the Poles will laugh about Russkies, etc. Those are all "family jokes", that is they aren't meant to racially oppose Europe's diverse peoples.
Further, there's something funny about the word "frog".... I mean, as a native French speaker, I can't see how in the world it's offensive.... If someone calls me "Hey, frog!", it's as if she'd call me "Hey, refrigator!" In French, we'd rather use the words "franchouillard", and Flemings would talk about "fransquillons", both words being only slightly derogatory. |
