Unacceptable word.

If MN need any more convincing, not only is it unacceptable because of the negative connotations that is has for a person with Down's, it also has racist overtones.

Dr Down who first identified the syndrome thought that people who had it were of 'lesser intelligence' since they were slipping away from the 'ideal' of the Caucasian race. he felt that white people were the cleverest, then Asian peoples and then black people (ghastly Isn;t it) He saw people with Downs syndrome and felt that this 'proved' his racist tosh, he called them Mongols as he felt (erroneously again!) that they all looked like Mongolian peoples.

So it is offensive to people with a learning disability and has its roots in the most awful racism

I don't wish to upset or offend anyone, but am I the only one person who finds all the furore about the use of this word a bit of an overreaction?

I mean if the poster didn't use it offensively as an insult, then what is the problem?

Although I am fully aware of its misuse in the past; the term 'mong' is now used in the same way as 'veg out' which should be classed as being equally offensive by your standards I take it?

The usage of words changes over time - like 'gay' for example.

They even used the term 'having an epi' on Eastenders last night. Are you all writing in to them too because you are offended?

will add my name to this.
I reported the post in question as soon as I saw it, and the answer they sent back was "we relize that the use of the word is insensitive, however people are entitled to their opiinions"!

no i don't think the word should be banned, as every time it comes up people can be educated, but I think that following education, subsequent reporting and deletion of posts containing it should apply, in the same way it would be considered unacceptable to use racist terms.

unacceptable word

Why won't MNHQ delete it?

It's completely unacceptable.
I would delete the word in situ, and respond if anyone sees it again.
Your daughter is beautiful headgirl.

well mn could delte the post and tell poster why. will that suit.
would save the sn community form haveing to battle even on here.

Adding my name to this

there's another offensive word that does realte to my ds's thats becoming common again- and its so very sad. educate yes, but if people are offended delete.

I have never even heard of this word!!!

I agree that it is not an accetable form of address, but surely educating us about the unacceptable way the word is used is a better was to get your message across....ie....pointing it out to the poster that used in on the thread in question.

not everyone here will read this thread, and so they will be none the wiser......pointing out as and where you see it used would be more (IMHO) effective.

BUT..as I say, I never even heard of the term until I clicked on this thread, meaning, altho it is horrid and upsetting to you (and me in all honesty.....I would liken it to be as disgusting as the term 'spastic'!), most of us here may also be 'happily' naive and therefore not use it either, nor their kiddies.

Yep lapin - I def don't agree with words being banned. Keep it out in the open and challenge it I say.

Blu, check out the first few posts on this thread

A lot of people seemed to think that asking for the post to be deleted was pedantry and censorship. The fact that it was also offensive to people with disabilities was apparently not a valid reason

unless you have a child wth sn you cannot imagine the hurt these words cause.
It is all very well for people to keep saying the post should stand and people should just explain. BUT would you want to spend your time explaining over and over again. I doubt it.

Whizz -

i AGREE

I agree it's unacceptable.

I think the reason it's being heard more often is because of what you said - the medical profession no longer use the term "mongol" to describe Down's syndrome, so many people (particularly the younger ones) don't know that it has offensive connotations, having never heard the word in that context. So they truly believe that it means nothing more than veg out.

I'm sure that this thread, and some of the others which have preceded it, will go some way towards ensuring that posters are aware of the offensive nature of the word. But I'm not sure what MN Towers can do about it. Leaving a post in place and allowing other posters to draw attention to the fact that it's unacceptable is surely a better way of getting the message across.

Blimey - I searched to see where & how it was used & MN came up with 145 threads where it was used

Oh, I see, you wnat MN to delete the post it was erroneously used in?
Won't any ensuing enlighhtening posts on the thread (sorry - I haven't read it or come across it) alert anyone else who comes across it that it is not an ok expression? Isn't awareness raising better than deletion?

Agree Blu.

What was MNHQ's response, out of curiosity? I didn't see the thread.

oh sorry. Yes agree it's not a nice term

It is a horrible word and perpetuates discrimination against those who have special needs.

Of course it's not an acceptable word - and I would be prepared to say so on any thread where it cropped up...and most posters who had no intention of being offensive, would stop using it once they realised where it came from, wouldn't they? What do you wnat MNQ to do?

It is so rarely used nowadays (ime) that I can quite see how people have no idea of it's background - especially people too young to remember that 'mongol' was formerly commonly used to describe Down's Syndrome.

In fact - hooray for the very succesful replacement of the proper term in commmon usage!

It's already been reported Whizzz but many posters are unhappy with the response from MN.