It’s that time of year again when America remembers the tragedy that occurred 23 years ago on September 11, 2001. This can be a tumultuous time for many to cope with, especially if they lost a loved one back then. Of course, everyone has different coping mechanisms, one of the most notable being telling jokes and making others laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, after all. However, jokes about 9/11 and other devastating events can be disastrous and not resonate with audiences. Even so, people shouldn’t control what someone else’s coping mechanism might be.

Since the event, countless comedians have tried to capitalize on it. One example is Pete Davidson, whose father died in the 9/11 attacks. He made a joke about it during one of his comedy acts and people found it hilarious. Jimmy Carr also made a joke about Davidson’s father, which left the crowd rolling with laughter and shock. Davidson was only seven years old when his father died, and he made this joke years after the event, which illustrates an important factor: time.

Time moves us forward. While we will “never forget” 9/11, the turmoil is now much easier to bear. Black humor is intentionally offensive, and knowing the right time and place is important. That’s why Gilbert Gottfried was met with “boos and boos” when he made a joke about 9/11 just 18 days after the event. It was simply too soon; Americans were still devastated by the events that had taken place.

But 23 years have passed. It should be relatively OK and acceptable to take the situation lightly, at least without damaging your reputation. People are trying to make the best of a rough situation!

Of course, humor is subjective. What one person finds funny, another person may find extremely offensive. Some people may be more sensitive to these jokes, especially millennials and Generation X, as they were still quite young when they experienced 9/11 and its aftermath. The truth is, sometimes dark jokes don’t land. They can be predictable and unoriginal, especially around this time of year. People are sick of hearing the same jokes every year.

Ultimately, dark jokes about 9/11 shouldn’t be banned, even if they don’t last until landing. And if you don’t like 9/11 jokes, that’s perfectly fine too. Sometimes it’s important to stay grounded in reality. Tragedies are difficult subjects for very valid reasons. Either way, 9/11 jokes are indeed ready for takeoff, so may your airplane jokes land well and pay off.