This is a very good and serious debate about an aspect of Iraqi Law that we aren’t as familiar with as we ought to be. If you doubt your sense of humor, or confuse humor and compassion, please don’t watch this. And just remember (as I paraphrase Lincoln): I have never invented a good story, although sometimes I remember a good one that I’ve heard. I am only a retail dealer.
Dr. Schramm, you told us a very compassionate story about Lincoln and humor once: About how he would make crass jokes and laugh at times of the utmost seriousness, like casualty reports. When finally called to task for it, he told his cabinet [paraphrase of you quoting Lincoln] "I'm sorry, I thought you knew. If I couldn't laugh, I'd have to cry." It always seemed to me that the redeeming factor in Lincoln's humor then was that it was needed to deal with strong human emotions that can't be handled otherwise. It eased the human condition. If that need is gone, then it seems the crassness is all that remains.
How do you suggest properly distinguishing the necessary humor and compassion?