How about I saw this black guy run away from my street with a tv on my way home I went to go see if it was mine but I was happy to know mine was still there, polishing my shoes
That's a hurtful joke about black people. Why tell it?
From the context you can see that that was meant to be a joke, it's not something I would say to a person. I am all for equality. I don't believe any races or backgrounds are better or worse than others.
Making such jokes furthers the stereotype that black people have a propensity to commit crimes. That has led to discrimination and deaths of black people throughout history.
I don't think I should stop telling racist jokes because they aren't meant to be taken seriously. I want people to see them as jokes, not a potentially real threat. I mean, what if a black person was afraid of me when I was just joking around? I don't want to feel like a criminal for that.
Jokes that aim to demean people of color or label them as theives come from hateful stereotypes. You should not contribute to this problem.