When a person or a society loses the ability to laugh, surely that's a tragedy.

We are all victims of this to a degree.

Many in media and academia are current enablers of this -- engaging in racial demagoguery; using race to divide us all.

This tramples on and negates everyone's humanity.

Most older people probably remember Sammy Davis, Jr. He was a fine African-American singer/entertainer, part of the old "Rat Pack" group which involved names like Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop.

Dean Martin would regularly host a televised "Celebrity Roast" of various high-profile people -- including Sammy Davis.

Here it is.

Some younger viewers may be quite shocked to hear some of the content from back then; things that would be summarily called out today, replete with all self-righteous indignation.

Yes, many of these folks were professional entertainers and comedians. But we can all still learn something from this; namely, how to laugh.

Here, you had men, women, blacks, Jews, Latinos, etc. laughing at each other; laughing at themselves. No one's feelings were hurt -- it was all in good fun.

So everybody take a deep breath; rediscover the humor in life.