Disablism

Disablism aside the idea that any and all bigotry should be left to stand is astonishing. It's a bit like asking "What's wrong with being racist?"

Got it cheers bishop. Just seems like the shame old shite. Anyone trying to contradict the op just gets shut down... Fuck it.

Link please?

Yes, Bishop. I can't quite get my head round it: basically "don't mention bigotry on a thread!"

Very good point, Bishop

Does anyone have any media contacts? Especially in the disability rights field? I'm sure someone must be interested in running an article on the issues we are facing (not from other posters, but from a huge company such as MN)

Perhaps asking their advertisers if they want to be associated when disabilist comments and threads are left unchallenged ? Money talks.

Smartle you are right which is why I think peoples efforts might be better spent contacting charities and companies who think mn are suitable advocates to represent carers and those with disabilities. It's clear they are not.

Mn are entirely profit focused now. I flounced when they advertised McDonalds, not because I sneer at McDonalds, I actually love it! It was just that it was the point at which mn demonstrated how straight, how mainstream, how money focused they are. Before then, there was at least a tone of ethical revenue, albeit a veneer. Not sure I'm expressing this correctly, but for me, that was the moment that mn said "fuck it, we're here to make money above all else."which is fine if you are a business. But mn was once more than that. It's been a steady slide since then as the reactionary daily mail esque posters increased.

BishopBrennansArse

It's getting increasingly difficult to be on here as a disabled person with a disabled child.

In all of MNHQ's recent posts if you changed the words relating to disablism to any of the other 'isms' its would be gobsmackingly obvious they are throwing vulnerable people 'under the bus'.

I particularly loved Rebecca's 'not everything is about those with a disability' (paraphrased)

I come on here for support, as so many others who lives with disability.

But it seems MN are more profit focused than ever and have to appease the lowest common denominator to suck more people on.

There are some golden parts but this site has essentially turned into a salacious gossip rag.

And what's more fun to gossip about that scrounger benefit claimants (where the posts always 'exclude' those who are disabled BUT invariably end up with posts and anecdotes that show that some of us 'put it on a bit')

OR allowing disablisy posts to stand up because the majority agree with the statement (some fucking corkers on the NIMBY thread)

I'm holding off deregging for a couple of days to see if there is a decent reply but I'm very close to following Candy and Fanjo and probably countless others that have just slipped away quietly or found it too hard to lurk anymore.

You seem to want to keep a fair and squeaky public image MN. I hope if you continue down this route it all blows up in your face. My mind boggles at the cognitive dissonance needed to take the policy line you have AND run the 'this is my child' -that you don't want to live next to you and other campaigns.

I posted this, so now am waiting for the attack to begin again. My bets? I'll be called aggressive, told I'm attempting to derail, or they'll once again demand "what should I have done? huh? huh?" which is standard as well. Last time they asked me that, I said they could be more open minded and realise that they actually don't know if a child has a disability. Yeah, that didn't make any difference. But this that I posted is absolutely true - this happens ALL the TIME.

"That doesn't change the fact that you've already stated you were basing your assumption on whether or not he had a hidden disability on simply what you've seen, which is simply not fact. So why the need to point that out - that "As far as I know this boy has no hidden disabilities before anyone suggests he has."

It's just another way of heading off anyone that might find fault with the judgement that this boy is just badly behaved. It's done over and over on MN. It's just another way of shutting down those that might point out, quite rightly, that actually you don't know."

Slowest dereg ever!

Katemumnet, when you say you get MNetters saying they feel anxious about paying about disability (and others have come on here and said anxious is too strong a word), and you have to look after that group, this is what you are doing:

You have two groups.

Group 1: not disadvantaged. Not vulnerable not protected by law. Feel uncomfortable on topics around disability.

Group 2: disadvantaged. Vulnerable. Protected by law. Feel hurt, damaged, frustrated and insulted by indirect and covert disablism.

And you are prioritising group 1

And the law says you should prioritise and protect group 2.

Not only are you failing to protect group 2, you are ascribe my condoning group 1 and throwing group 2 under the bus.

This is why, despite living being an MNetter I cannot stay and Condone you,

MNHQ - repeatedly when we try to "educate" or stand up to people using disabilist terms, we're criticised and attacked and told we're being aggressive. Still happening, even on that thread. Where are you?! Why do you let it continue??

12 hours, still no deletion on post. So they delete our threads with lightning speed, but other things stand.

Again, no change then.

Maddy I think that's why it's so upsetting when threads get deleted. It costs a lot to keep trying to change things for the better and then it's all for nothing.

Totally agree with everything you said Maddy
I have no issue in walking away from something on here if something in my RL

Only I would add I have no problem walking away from something on here simply because it was upsetting. It is afterall just an anonymous Internet forum. For me your never going to have enough of an impact for the fight to be at much personal cost to myself

Just be challenging for better provision you are doing more. By actively ensuring you get better provision you are helping to shape ideas of what better provision looks like. There are lots of very good reasons people don't do it and the personal cost is high. But the benefits can be huge.

If all that's appeasement I'm all for it.

i know the spoon theory well :) I've found it translates very well into my own Autism and ability to be sociable with RL people.

I'm very introverted, and DS is full on, his care uses up most of my spoons, and the degenerative disc disease i have uses up whats left!

Ah Switzerland! I'm getting nostalgic now.

You are right Maddy, you have to pick your battles.
A very was ninja educated me about spoon theory.
It's worth a look up.