Let's all mock the disabled

SterlingArcher

petrolcan wrote: »

Mong, mongoloid, spanner, spaz, spastic, window licker, retard.

Why is it, that in this day and age, the above words are seen as acceptable to use as put downs towards others?

What makes it worse is that it appears to be perfectly allowable on Boards.ie without any sort of deterrent.

I thought people had moved on but it appears not.

Without these words we'd have no proper way to describe you.

FortySeven

Kal El wrote: »

Breeding maybe, unless its not to a bitch :pac:

That's why I said dogs. Not because I was afraid to say bitches. Although, saying that.........

Kal El

FortySeven wrote: »

That's why I said dogs. Not because I was afraid to say bitches. Although, saying that.........

Oh you. post reported :pac: you hurt my feelings :pac::pac:

Gazzmonkey

petrolcan wrote: »

Mong, mongoloid, spanner, spaz, spastic, window licker, retard.

Why is it, that in this day and age, the above words are seen as acceptable to use as put downs towards others?

What makes it worse is that it appears to be perfectly allowable on Boards.ie without any sort of deterrent.

I thought people had moved on but it appears not.

You forgot.. band of biffers

First time I heard it I was shocked

FortySeven

Gazzmonkey wrote: »

You forgot.. band of biffers

First time I heard it I was shocked

I'm shocked I haven't heard it!

maudgonner

maudgonner wrote: »

I think it's a sign of a weak mind. Why use a word that has such a recent history of mocking the disabled (and often is still used that way) when there's such a glorious variety of alternatives?

Gobshíte is infinitely more satisfying than retard, poxbottle is far superior to spastic. Those with more advanced cursing skills don't need to resort to words that are offensive to people who don't deserve to be picked on.

SterlingArcher wrote: »

Without these words we'd have no proper way to describe you.

I'll say no more

LordSutch

Maybe we have two/three seperate situations here? The workplace, your private life - locker room talk.

Several of you on here may well call your friends retards, cripples, spa's, spastics & mongols, but try that in the workplace and see what happens. Age may also be a factor? Yes you young ones may think its great fun & no harm at all in dishing out those terms to friends & family, but many of us just wouldn't.

Pesronally speaking I just couldn't use any of the above terms (even in fun), but then that's probably because I'm an old fashioned old fart? Maybe the pendulum has swung back the other way (to the 70s) in favour of all those non pc terms?

Irish Guitarist

Anyone who claims that they don't associate the word retard with a mentally disabled person is talking absolute bollocks. I've seen the phrase 'full retard' as well as that meme of a woman with Downs syndrome posted here as an insult plenty of times.

LordSutch

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

Anyone who claims that they don't associate the word retard with a mentally disabled person is talking absolute bollocks. I've seen the phrase 'full retard' as well as that meme of a woman with Downs syndrome posted here as an insult plenty of times.

But the word just isnt used anymore, nobody calls people retards or spastics nowadays!

You just don't.

Ficheall

LordSutch wrote: »

Maybe we have two/three seperate situations here? The workplace, your private life

I've never used the words "gonorrhoea" or "cornucopia" in the workplace. What has that got to do with the price of turnips?

LordSutch

Ficheall wrote: »

I've never used the words "gonorrhoea" or "cornucopia" in the workplace. What has that got to do with the price of turnips?

no idea. What are you saying?

petrolcan

LordSutch wrote: »

But the word just isnt used anymore, nobody calls people retards or spastics nowadays!

You just don't.

I wish that were true.

petrolcan

Kal El wrote: »

So do you want any words used. Like fool for example can we use that? Tosser? Knob? Plank?

<sigh>

What you clearly don't understand is that I am not saying that you cannot use such words.

I'm simply asking that you consider expanding your vocabulary and leaving such derogatory terms in the past where they belong.

It's quite simple really.

Mental Mickey

Yet another dumb thread in AH. Zzzzzzz

petrolcan

Kal El wrote: »

Why shouldnt they be used. Isnt idiot a derogatory word, throw that in the search and see how many times it comes up

The term idiot has a fairly generic meaning albeit derived from psychiatry.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Well done OP, you managed to think of lots of insulting words to describe people with disabilities. Double well done on coming up with such an original title that you hoped would grab people's attention in the same way a similarly entitled thread has done. You should be so proud of your originality

fizzypish

Living on the continent. There's a coffee shop on the main street in the city where I live called brownies and downies. Its staffed by down syndrome people. I don't find this offensive but I do find it a tad bit hilarious. I may be a bad person.

_Brian

I have a serious back injury, some degenerative and some from an RTA, lads in my old workplace used to call me "timmay" after that lad in the wheelchair in south park. I didn't mind it too much but I'm in a new workplace now and it is nice it doesn't happen any more.

Kal El

petrolcan wrote: »

<sigh>

What you clearly don't understand is that I am not saying that you cannot use such words.

I'm simply asking that you consider expanding your vocabulary and leaving such derogatory terms in the past where they belong.

It's quite simple really.

Like I previously said, the word was apt. My vocabulary is quiet expansive.
Why should you decide which words get left behind, thats selective speech, something well seeing that we reside to the most part in Ireland isnt a thing

petrolcan

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Well done OP, you managed to think of lots of insulting words to describe people with disabilities. Double well done on coming up with such an original title that you hoped would grab people's attention in the same way a similarly entitled thread has done. You should be so proud of your originality

I'm guessing I should read that wrapped with sarcasm tags.

I make no apologies for starting the thread.

Kal El

petrolcan wrote: »

The term idiot has a fairly generic meaning albeit derived from psychiatry.

So youre saying its fine to use some words and not others. Gotcha.

The Draugan

I see no issue so long as there not directed towords someone who evidently is mentally handicapped

petrolcan

Kal El wrote: »

Like I previously said, the word was apt. My vocabulary is quiet expansive.
Why should you decide which words get left behind, thats selective speech, something well seeing that we reside to the most part in Ireland isnt a thing

You (and others) seem set on believing that I am telling people that they cannot use certain words. I've been very careful not to say such a thing.

I'm all for free speech, even when it comes across as hurtful etc. I'm just asking that people consider the words that they use.

It's not a huge ask.

petrolcan

Kal El wrote: »

So youre saying its fine to use some words and not others. Gotcha.

Kal, you seem to have taken it really personally that I challenged your use of the word 'spastic'. Please don't take it so personally.

If you wish to use such words then fire away, I won't stop you.

I will challenge it when I see it though.

petrolcan

The Draugan wrote: »

I see no issue so long as there not directed towords someone who evidently is mentally handicapped

I see no issue with drink driving so long as nobody gets hurt.


(that was sarcasm BTW)

The Draugan

petrolcan wrote: »

I see no issue with drink driving so long as nobody gets hurt.


(that was sarcasm BTW)

Totally different issue , its beyond hard to keep up with what words cause offence this week at this stage.

I got the head chewed off me last week for referring to a girl as her

SterlingArcher

petrolcan wrote: »

Kal, you seem to have taken it really personally that I challenged your use of the word 'spastic'. Please don't take it so personally.

If you wish to use such words then fire away, I won't stop you.

I will challenge it when I see it though.

I find all the terms you used in this thread offensive. I'd like you to edit them all out now.

petrolcan

The Draugan wrote: »

Totally different issue ,

Maybe so but a perfectly good comparison

The Draugan wrote: »

its beyond hard to keep up with what words cause offence this week at this stage.

You cannot cause offence, offence has to be taken. There's quite a difference.

The Draugan wrote: »

I got the head chewed off me last week for referring to a girl as her

It happens.

Pac1Man

The Draugan wrote: »

Totally different issue , its beyond hard to keep up with what words cause offence this week at this stage.

I got the head chewed off me last week for referring to a girl as her

You should have used 'female' instead. They prefer that.

petrolcan

SterlingArcher wrote: »

I find all the terms you used in this thread offensive. I'd like you to edit them all out now.

I don't really care whether you have chosen to take offence, that's your issue and not mine.

No plans on editing.