Seriously?

I don't know about you, but I've noticed a disturbing trend. It seems that gay bashing jokes are making a big run in entertainment today. 

Now I'm not gay, but I can't help but be offended. Maybe it's that whole "white people getting offended for other people" thing, and true I don't know how many homosexuals respond to it, but I personally have had enough. I recently saw Tropic Thunder, perhaps against my better judgement, and was shocked at how a gay joke was a huge punch-line for one of the characters. I also saw the Comedy Central roast of Bob Sagat, again, against my better judgement, and 75% of the material was along the lines of "Dude, Bob Sagat you are so gaaaaaay." Ha ha, right? You're laughing aren't you? Oh wait, you're not because it's not funny at all. 

I saw two clips of a new animated show coming out on HBO, and guess what? Gay jokes and stereotypes. Part of me wonders if the people involved in the comedy think that since gay rights are gaining that perhaps it's "edgy" or even "ironic" to do gay jokes, or maybe it's worse than that, that there's just some vague excuse for masking easy, discriminatory laughs. But I must confess, I am probably guilty of it too. I have what some people have described as a "gay voice," a little character voice, you know, but I like to think that it has evolved into just an eccentric voice, not a caricature of a people. For that, I ask forgiveness.  

Now I don't get offended easily. (Sure, my feelings get hurt, but that's different from offense, you know?) Anyway, I don't get offended too easily. I try to have a sense of humor about myself and even my faith, because I believe that there's room for that and it's healthy. And of course, any community has to have a sense of humor about itself or it won't last too long. If I'm wrong, please stop me, but what I'm saying is that I think that people can hold themselves to a higher standard then a series of homophobe jokes. We can hold ourselves, and as consumers, we should hold the entertainers and comedians and producers to a higher standard as well. That's my opinion. I'm open for what you have to say.