Using disability labels to extract the michael – what is acceptable on NSC?

[Nibble]

I'm sure I have used some of these derogatory words on here and if I was reported then I think that's fair. Most of us are adults with a fair degree of intelligence or common sense and probably wouldn't use these words anyway, I try not to. As we grow up and gain more life experience we tend not to use these words too much as by a certain age most of us will have known or had experience of people with difficulties and tend to learn not to use them. At school certain terms were bandied around but probably cos we were young and I'm sure kids still use the same words or equivalent now, probably worse. One hopes as they grow up they grow out of it. Some don't and end up being largely ignored by the majority.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Falls into the "virtual pub" grey area.

If you call your mate a ****, they may laugh, call a stranger a ****, they may smack you in the gob. If you don't want a virtual smack in the gob, don't use the word.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

This is a football forum.. Hardly the place where PC is going to be at a high. I've used the words mong and retard before but when I say these words I am not comparing them to someone with down syndrome or any other disability. Language changes over the years, something highly offensive 5/10 years ago can become normally everyday language now days..

 

[Simster]

You sound like my MUM.

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"...

Well you should have paid more attention to your MUM then, shouldn't you.

#jaffas #retards #etc

 

[NMH]

Taking some words to your own heart is harmful to you, so the terms "I drank several shots, ended up proper monged" will probably seem offensive to some.

"Windowlickers" referring to some of our dullards, was used on the radio and got the users dumped off the airwaves.
The title "retard" seems to be just another version of 'idiot' - so I don't think it's a term that anyone should own in any respect, unless they are coming to terms with being an idiot.

Better in my opinion, to think of the words as not being related to any unfortunately handicapped person, as you would not like to have anyone call your relatives 'retarded' even if the users were a trying to be correct. It just doesn't seem like a correct terminology.

 

[NMH]

I'm sure I have used some of these derogatory words on here and if I was reported then I think that's fair. Most of us are adults with a fair degree of intelligence or common sense and probably wouldn't use these words anyway, I try not to. As we grow up and gain more life experience we tend not to use these words too much as by a certain age most of us will have known or had experience of people with difficulties and tend to learn not to use them. At school certain terms were bandied around but probably cos we were young and I'm sure kids still use the same words or equivalent now, probably worse. One hopes as they grow up they grow out of it. Some don't and end up being largely ignored by the majority.

Agree with this.

In school, kids use a lot of terms they don't actually realise mean anything other than a jibe.
When I was in school, the term "don't be a jew" was commonly used towards anyone being tight.
It's a given that, once you are old enough to know that is a worse insult than just a flippant jibe, you should know not to use it. Ridiculing these terms might be funny, but not in earshot of anyone who might be offended.

Sometimes a lad who was being weak, cowardly or nervous could be told "don't be such a f'ing GIRL"
Ought females to be offended by this, even though it's not being aimed at them?

 

[cloud]

have a rethink and try and use some other words to express what you are trying to say?

"The referee's a numpty"

 

[Return of the Rev]

The norwich going to hell thread was not clever,seems having a pop at people with learning disabilities is fair game?

 

[Medwayseagull]

Homophobia and racism are illegal, hence they cannot be used.
Other than that it should be open to what anybody wants to write. What offends me may not offend someone else and vice versa.

What about the Disability Discrimination Act ?

 

[Return of the Rev]

falls into the "virtual pub" grey area.

If you call your mate a ****, they may laugh, call a stranger a ****, they may smack you in the gob. If you don't want a virtual smack in the gob, don't use the word.

No not acceptable for either

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Can. Of. Worms.

And one I should probably not reply to in order that I can feign ignorance, but I won't...

It strikes me, and I may be wrong, that terms such as spastic, spacker, retard, mong and the like have, for whatever reason, been in far wider usage than terms relating to race and sexual persuasion for some time now. As such, they are seen by many to be acceptable to a degree.

Maybe it's simply that as a society we're knocking off discrimination one 'flavour' at a time - race has been targeted for some time, homophobia is in focus currently and maybe disability will be next.

Tricky.

Disability discrimination is generally based on ignorance and oversight more than a deep seated dislike, or hatred, of a person because they are disabled. This is not the case for racial and sexual orientation where people are attacked or even killed purely because of their skin colour or sexuality. Possibly it is therefor seen as more tolerable? I am not for one minute trying to belittle disability, or excuse people using derogatory terms, I also do appreciate that some people do receive abuse purely because of their disability. but I do believe disability discrimination is in a very different place to race etc, maybe this is the reason why derogatoy terms are used more freely and seemingly acceptable?

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I find the word 'Numpty' is the perfect put down. Fun, harmless and with no offensive connotations to anything. Can be used at work, when out with friends, and even when talking to your mother.

This message was bought to you by The National Council of Nice Swears.

I always thought the term "muppet" was relativey safe and inoffensive, but a while ago I said it someone, really in quite a jokey way (I thought), and he really took offence and I thought he was going to hit me - the Muppet.

 

[petercg365]

That act is about discriminating against somebody because they have a disability, not calling someone without a disability a name.

 

[petercg365]

What about the Disability Discrimination Act ?

That act is about discriminating against somebody because they have a disability, not calling someone without a disability a name.

 

[KZNSeagull]

No not acceptable for either

Sorry? The **** represents any label, rather than a specific word.

 

[petercg365]

I may have misinterpreted that, but it seems like you're saying because it's not illegal, using derogatory words that compare someone to somebody with a learning disability is fair game?

I'm saying that poeple get offended by different different things and that you can't stop someone from saying something because it may offend someone.
If I call you a mong you may be offended, but if I call someone else a mong they might not mind. Do we have to ban sayings like 'you are mental' or 'you are an alky' because someone with ansane or alcoholic relative might be offended? Where do we stop?

 

[Seagull on the wing]

Words like mong etc are not offensive to me if written on a forum board...it's the way of expression of your feelings ,as someone else says on here as you cannot put a tone down in words. But if it is said directly to a disabled person then that is very offensive. By the Way,I had 3 disabled children and if it was said to them as a personal attack I'd hope the person who said it liked hospital food.

 

[Was not Was]

Perhaps the best way forward is that are you going to say something that might offend someone, have a rethink and try and use some other words to express what you are trying to say?

Could mods perhaps introduce the 'Simster's Mum Rule'? If a post is reported as possibly offensive, the mods make a judgement call on whether the poster has paused to try to use less offensive words: if they have, no problem; if they haven't, delete post.

Edit: this was a joke (there really should be a Simster's Mum Rule somewhere in the world), but part of me thinks it's not such a bad idea, really ...

 

[upthealbion1970]

The words spastic and mong I find the most offensive on here, there is never any need to use them.

 

[rool]

"The referee's a numpty"

ha ha, reminds of the time I had to sit in the family stand at Withdean with my two boys and one family were singing 'the referee's a dunker'

I paused and wondered if he was a hobnob or a rich tea kind of ref