When oppressed people find humorous ways to express their desire for freedom, I rejoice.
Before elections in Hungary this year, in a public park, some people set up a metal barrel with a picture of their corrupt president, Viktor Orban. For a small fee, bystanders were given a baseball bat to strike at the image. When police arrived, organizers dispersed, throwing the bat in a lake. The military found only a battered barrel. Forced to do something, the officials arrested the barrel, causing hilarity on social media.
In Seoul, South Korea, prior to the ouster of Yoon Suk Yeol in 2025, hundreds of protestors waved flags with corny jokes on them and held a huge K-pop dance party in the streets with light sticks and LED candles.
Portland, Oregon protestors, in 2025, rallied to support people being arrested by ICE. Many participants dressed in inflated cartoon character costumes to conceal their identification from drones and other cameras. Also, the giant frogs, dinosaurs and unicorns gave the crowd a festive air and made ICE look ridiculous when they shoved or battered the characters.
Authoritarian powers want to inspire fear and obedience. Laughter reduces their power. Long live humorous protests and the power of imagination in the face of oppression.
Real Life – Real Laughs:
Humor When You Need It Most
Cate Burns’ thirty-eight non-fiction stories of heartfelt humor explore society’s foibles and personal snafus with insightful zingers that will delight readers. Burns casts an unstinting, cock-eyed look at personal change, friendship, sanity and courage.
“Absolutely LOVE the descriptions in this work. Very, very, very clever and, dare I say it? -unique. This is refreshing, funny, inventive and delightful.” -Sharon Whitehill, Ph. D.
