45 Comments

OK, I'll keep my mom and your mom out of this but, "Of course, that would’ve been inappropriate, so I did what any responsible adult would do—ignored it and then posted about it on the Internet. ", I gotta admit, I laughed out loud.

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

So much to unpack here.

First of all, they were "yo momma" jokes.

Second of all you are a brave soul, teaching at the intermediate level in today's inside-out, upside-down bassackwards clown world of values inversion.

Thirdly (on a semi serious note), it is the intolerable act of tolerating every indiscretion, the doublethink of "these are the rules, that no one follows and no one is held to" that has gotten the devolving generations to where they are.

And lastly, enjoy summer vacation, you've most definitely earned it, just like yo momma did.

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author

Yes, “yo momma”! I remember that too, but it was usually “your mom” when I was a kid. Strange how this stuff evolves.

“These are the rules, that no one follows and no one is held to” is the public school system in a nutshell. There’s so much red tape involved in any sort of disciplinary action, it’s usually deemed not worth the effort.

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Your mom is so black, she got a honorary Phd in coal mining.

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What do you think it is? I don't know, Melissa, let me ask your mom.

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

Did not know this was even a thing.

Surely this means we've hit bottom. The trend of self-loathing we've inculcated can't possibly keep stretching further. There has to be a backlash. We'll really be in trouble otherwise. This level of of nihilism is worthy of suicide bombers.

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie, John Mistretta

When I was a preteen, saying “your mother” not “your mom” to someone was extremely insulting. They were what you would call “fighting words.” This was not said to make anyone laugh. Your mother was said in anger. Only “bad” kids said it-mostly boys.

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author

It’s crazy how culture evolves. By the time I was a kid, “your mom” was said so often it was basically meaningless.

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

Like you Melissa I can't stand "Mom" jokes. Mom and Mom's should be sacred. I appreciate your up close perspective on Gen Z. I have many nieces and nephews who are GEN Z and I know what you mean to some extent. My kids are 80's born and thankfully always naturally knew not to go there.

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Your momma told me not to go there once.

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

Thank goodness we can pass around your mom jokes up in here. This one is good.

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Ha! I passed around your mom...

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Nobody makes mom jokes about my Magnificent Mother! She had five 5️⃣ strapping Sons who never let that happen. And she could defend her beautiful self with aplomb!

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

Pffff. The dude with the wine glass is clearly a rake. Check your privilege!

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Jun 26·edited Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

Conflict avoidance – yes, but also immigration. «Yo momma» jokes are purely American thing, in many parts of the world people would either not understand or freak out over them. There are serious cultural taboos in play. And the brawl between little Teddy and little Jorge/Ahmed is usually deemed Teddy's fault.

Why is it an American peculiarity? The theory that connects «yo momma» to Negro ritual insult games and thence to slave auctions seems fairly plausible: https://medium.com/@ericreesebooks/the-sad-history-of-yo-mama-jokes-46e86b015a36

Now, ritual insult games exist in many cultures, but in European tradition (AFAIK) they're mostly connected to wedding (which, mind you, in many rural areas wasn't much better than a slave auction until early 19th century or so; in both cases it's just ritualized haggling over the price). Those transformed into «mother-in-law is the devil» humor (and not-so-humor) which isn't applicable to/by kids who don't have any mothers-in-law.

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author

The immigration thing makes SO much sense. There’s a huge immigrant population at the school. I wouldn’t have even thought about it!

I’d never heard this about the origins of “yo momma” jokes. That’s terrible!

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Jun 28Liked by Melissa Petrie

I'd like some background but insult games like Synanon and what he's referring to are different imo, check out the yo mamma jokes in that Pharcyde song, older hip hop for those who don't know.

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Jun 27Liked by Melissa Petrie

I think this is very astute. And sad.

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

Two possibilities: The kid is just kinda dumb and he doesn't get how the joke works, or he's got a really dysfunctional relationship with his mom 🤣

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author

Haha! Maybe both?

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Jun 28Liked by Melissa Petrie

Or it wasn't a joke at all, and his mother is genuinely clumsy with water bottles.

It wouldn't be the first time that an adult's mind went somewhere different with a kid's innocent remark.

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

You asked what this incident tells us about the young? We lose them to sociopathy.

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

Wow. That’s just bizarre. Insulting someone’s mom is a huge insult, insulting your own mom, is blasphemous

There’s something in the water for sure. I do believe video games are programming devices. My youngest son was addicted and I did everything possible to prevent it and then stop it. His dad allowed it at his house.

So eventually he decided I was a piece of shit, moved in with his dad and we haven’t been close since. For years I got the hate you text messages and hope you die memes

All because I wanted him to return to the little boy who climbed trees and caught lizards

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author

I'm so sorry to hear that! I don't know what to say, except that I hope he comes around as he gets older.

Video games are awful—so many bright kids get addicted to video games because it 'hacks' their desire to learn and be productive. It's a waste of time at best, and as you know, it can get a lot worse than that.

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No need to be sorry but thank you.

That was 8 years ago and I’m finally at peace with it.

We’ve had a couple of good interactions since then but no real connection.

A few times we got close to a reconciliation but then his anger would spew again.

I know deep down he doesn’t hate me, I even think he carries guilt but most likely he’s still playing games and in my opinion they are also escape routes that numb the emotions.

Him and I were great until his dad bought him an X-box. I’d try to tell them how bad they were and he said I was crazy.

But how does someone go from love to hate so quickly? I asked him once what did I do to you? He couldn’t t give me an answer.

It’s unfortunate and I was in pain for years about it, but as I stated I’m finally at peace. I had no other choice. I also have faith that one day all will be fine. Let me correct that- I KNOW one day. Real love never dies! ❤️

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Your mom is so fat, she jumped in the air and got stuck.

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Your mom is so fat she walked in front of the TV and I missed a whole season.

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Thats funny

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I dig it. I’m very insulated from it and act like it. My nephew is 12 and spent a week here on the mountain this year. He was amazed at the shit that comes out of my mouth with such ease and my kids just laugh. Poor kid doesn’t stand a chance in Maryland, he needs to come stay here for a month or so.

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The hoe cartoon reminded me of this:

https://youtu.be/Q_NjgpNKCdE?si=EuS2KzKiy-CKxbcw

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author

Haha!

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Jun 26Liked by Melissa Petrie

I think you shouldn’t have walked by. Instead you should have sent them directly to detention for making that inappropriate joke. And then you should have told their parents.

(You asked what we thought.)

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author

Haha!

You make a good point, although in the public school system, sending a kid to detention requires administrative action and a pile of paperwork that no one wants to do in the last week of school.

I don’t make the rules, I just get paid (meagerly) to sporadically enforce them.

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Sometimes you must do what you don’t want to. 🤷‍♂️

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Jun 29Liked by Melissa Petrie

Detention for an inappropriate joke!!, as we’d say here in Ireland, are you all right mate? Maybe have the skill set to tackle it head on but nowadays you’d probably need to be a hypnotist or a storm trooper.

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