A lot of us have gotten lessons lately in how easy it’s become to offend.

An entertainment reporter for Jacksonville’s WJXT Channel 4, John Citrone, was recently fired* ala Don Imus. He joked on the air about something profoundly unfunny — runaway wildfires in South Georgia.

“Do we really care if Georgia burns?” he asked.

Fair question* but as Citrone’s editor at Folio, the independent weekly he also writes for and that stands by him, pointed out in an editorial entitled, “Playing With Fire,” the columnist lacked a sense of timing.

“…the formula for comedy is tragedy plus time. And the exact moment when homes are engulfed in flames and people are being evacuated isn’t the time. For the people involved, it may never be the time.”

In calling the T.V. station which aired Citrone’s segment of early morning entertainment news to express their outrage, Georgians said what really burned their biscuit* was the tone of the Florida coverage. Reports centered on the effects of smoke blown two hours southeast into Jacksonville, which produced asthma attacks and watery eyes. And while these conditions are bad, they are not exactly up there with having to throw the kids in the car and run for your life before a wall of fire.

“Did we get some smoke on you?” the Georgians asked. “Well excuuuse me!”

And yet…It is human nature to make light of terrible situations, even really terrible ones, like losing basketball tournaments and fighting wildfire.*

Florida had its own bout with wildfire almost 10 years ago, and no one who lived through it has forgotten the choking ash, the constant prayers for rain, and the fear that losing everything in a wanton inferno is very close at hand. We don’t wish such things on our worst enemies.

We also don’t stop making bad jokes about it. Palm Coast, south of me in Flagler County and especially hard-hit in ‘99, will forever be known to long-time residents as Palm Toast.*

I found out for myself recently how very fragile people’s feelings are with regard to diet. Take it from me and don’t go there.

I think it was right to speak out against Don Imus calling females athletes “nappy-headed hos.” I said so in this very format. I think it was right for Georgians to call foul when Citrone maligned their plight. And I think it’s good to articulate our culinary preferences.

But I think we need to lighten up too. We are too quick to rant and rave and shout each other out, going for the kill. We have become a nation of Bill O’Reillys and Al Sharptons and all it gets us is further apart. Being offended has become a national pastime. And as Imus and Citrone found out, there is no forgiveness. Apologies are no longer accepted.

* I sincerely apologize for my inappropriate and insensitive use of humor to convey any concept in a way that was offensive to some or all readers and promise to do better from now on.