Failing to be Funny

Trying to be funny all the time can get one in trouble. Most of the people that have had to apologize publicly for a remark recently have made the mistake of going too far looking to appear witty, and have ended with egg on their faces. The tasteless "humor" about Mitt Romney's adopted black grandchild is a case in point, made more outrageous by the fact that a black TV journalist was in on it. It was a senseless attempt to be funny about something that was clearly hurtful to the child's family. The fact that Romney is a public figure is no justification for making fun of this baby and his relationship to Romney and the rest of the family.

People have to learn when to just shut up, so that they do not have to apologize afterwards.

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