John Davison BAFTA Tourette’s incident and competing rights

I’d prefer the N word died out completely. But I respect the right of others in the Black community to decide for themselves whether to reclaim it. These debates happen in most marginalised communities when it comes to slurs used against them.

But not all language change is good.
We all know words that started off being nice and are now used as slurs or to give offence.

Look at how scope had to change its name.

It’s not about “reclamation” of the word. It’s about pointing out that the context of the word is relevant.

The only reason Jamie Foxx is saying “he meant that shit” is because of Foxx’s own ignorance of coprolalia. Well, Jamie, explain how he “meant that shit” and all the rappers and comedians who use it regularly don’t “mean that shit”.

It's disappointing to see no other white commenters call that poster out. I don't expect people to engage in an ongoing fashion, because what's the point, but to just let it stand entirely unchallenged makes it seem acceptable/endorsed. It makes a thread feel weirdly racially hostile to me, fwiw.

Like I say I disagree that I want to control language.

I think we need shared understandings. Certain words changing means we lose an understanding as well as that meaning. They are about consensuses.

Words mean things. They provide definitions. They are shared experiences in some cases. If you lack the ability to describe something you lack the ability to share what that means. You destroy consensus.

We can create new definitions with new words and have complete control over them without having constant arguments or misunderstandings. We then persuade others of their worth and build consensus that way.

It's much healthier and has less pitfuls.

My point stands.

Wow.

It’s always funny when in accusing someone, a person inadvertently reveals their own point of view. It’s quite clear that it’s you that wants the two black men decentred and all the attention and sympathy on the white man. I have little doubt that if the races were reversed and a white slur had been shouted you would not be on here writing hundreds of paragraphs ‘educating’ people on Tourette’s or calling people upset at the situation ‘performative’. These situations always reveal true thoughts and it’s a sad reflection of where this country still is in 2026.

Ahhh, culturally created. How about we ban the N word completely then? That way nobody would have to be exposed to it. I don't think I've heard anyone in recent years use the N word outside of African American rap music.

MN guidlines are not to engage but to report.

It’s always funny when in accusing someone, a person inadvertently reveals their own point of view. It’s quite clear that it’s you that wants the two black men decentred and all the attention and sympathy on the white man. I have little doubt that if the races were reversed and a white slur had been shouted you would not be on here writing hundreds of paragraphs ‘educating’ people on Tourette’s or calling people upset at the situation ‘performative’. These situations always reveal true thoughts and it’s a sad reflection of where this country still is in 2026.

It's disappointing to see no other white commenters call that poster out. I don't expect people to engage in an ongoing fashion, because what's the point, but to just let it stand entirely unchallenged makes it seem acceptable/endorsed. It makes a thread feel weirdly racially hostile to me, fwiw.

It’s like you and the other unhinged posters on the other thread are so annoyed that the two actors aren’t being front and centred over a white man. I understand how horrible it must’ve been to hear that offensive slur, I haven’t been living on the moon, I realise it’s an extremely offensive word to say to black people by white people. Noted. The fact that it was an involuntary tic meant with no malice (which hopefully all involved will have educated themselves on Tourette’s and Coprolalia) is also noted. They can co-exist, it’s not a race to the bottom. Both views are valid.

I can also see the horrific treatment and ignorance that’s been meted out to a man with a debilitating disability, which is still going. Comments on social media are horrific. The performative outrage/offence seeking is starting to wear thin though. The DEMANDS for an apology for something he had no control over, impact over intent or not. Pound of flesh seeking.

The issue is with Bafta and the BBC. If you’re still bothered that I appear ‘dismissive’ then I don’t really care to be honest. People are clutching at straws to shout racism as it is. I do think the man that’s going to come out worse in all of this is John Davidson.

Two dismissive sentences among paragraphs and paragraphs of telling others they’re performative and beating them over the head with rhetoric around Tourette’s we’ve now heard ten thousand times. A well balanced view, cheers 👍

You have just been chatting shit about skin colour shades. That's as racist as hell.

It’s been 24 hours and you’ve not told me one single racist thing I’ve said.

because

I’m not racist.

Language changes, it always does. You just want control over that change.

What give you the right to decide how language changes over the people who were harmed by that language?

Did you mean to be so rude? So patronising? Fortunately that's your problem, not mine.

Arrogance is not a pretty trait, especially if you're wrong.

Language changes, it always does. You just want control over that change.

What give you the right to decide how language changes over the people who were harmed by that language?

Can people read? I’ve said I understand the impact on the actors of hearing the word. It’s literally in my post you quoted - ‘They were offended by an offensive involuntary tic. It’s not difficult to understand why. ‘

Wild.

I don't feel like responding in good faith to someone who appears to be here purely to engage in racist trolling. That's all I have to say to you.