There is something called disinhibition. Most of us can keep a lid on our more horrid thoughts...but most of us have them and a brain damage or certain drugs or high stress can cause us to no longer maintain inhibition of them, which is how society works. So what comes out in these tirades is what is underneath a lot of our more sophisticated facades...

And society, and that means us, gives permission for certain groups to be ridiculed etc. Look at the support for Borat's treatment of the Romanians. Right here on this list. It's humor they say. So we have to hopefully reach the point where we realize no one is to be humiliated, much less reminded of savage torture such as what Richards came out with....not just certain groups are OK to treat badly and others are verboten. Everyone, all the time should be treated decently. (Which I think that concept is the main contribution of the Irish...the concept of being a decent man or woman..not that they are perfect but it is a stated goal or at least used to be.) I digress but I usually do.