Sardarjis jokes - the usual excuse to laugh at Sardars

I quote a comment received on one of my earlier posts; that is representative of the supposedly harmless nature of the presumptions that people have about Sardarjis; and the justification offered by them for propagating Sardarji jokes. I quote that comment below:

re: PRESUMPTION - Sardarji jokes are harmless fun. By Adam

 I will totally agree that making Sikh jokes is pathetic and a racist thing to do; I would certainly not like it done to my faith, or my community. I myself used to be a big Sardarji joke-teller, but I have completely stopped now (due to the realization that it is RACIST). 

But, if I may, I would like to offer an explanation as to why I think these jokes are so popular.

All the non-Sikhs (including myself) that I know that have come across a grown Sardarji individual say that there have been at least a few occassions where the Sardarji has something really immature or childish. I am not branding Sardarjis as being stupid, but once that notion exists the jokes will spread; and when the notion is reaffirmed by people's everyday encounters with Sardarjis, that is EXACTLY what makes the Sardarji jokes so popular. Because people laugh and go "its TRUE, its TRUE!" regardless of how big of a misconception it is.

Well, as Adam would have us believe; all (or most of the) Sardarjis are childish and immature; and hence the popularity of the jokes is derived from this.

I give him the benefit of the doubt as to his good intentions; but that doesnt take away from the fact that this is precisely the issue that is ingrained in the Indian psyche. I have come across hundreds of 'non-sikhs' who have been childish and immature on a daily basis. This is 'Human Nature'; the fact that a child lives inside all of us even as we grow up to be adults. It seems pathetic to argue this point; the fact that immature and childish people are spread out quite evenly amongst all communities; even Adam’s.

Come to think of it; Adam would have us believe that “Eve” was a Sardarni to have eaten the apple. :)

posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 12:39 PM