Tourette’s/BAFTAs offensive language

[Lochroy]

I wasn’t watching, I’ve just read the article on BBC news. I will admit I know little of Tourette’s and therefore posting to understand.

The tics agree involuntary, and often use offensive language. But what I’m struggling to get my head around is excusing use of the N word because it was caused by the disability when it was (seemingly) only directed at black people?

Also presumably it’s learned vocab so children don’t have swear words as tics? How does this develop?

It’s an example of a really prevalent belief throughout the thread that the apology is for impact of the words and the offence they caused. Those words didn’t come from the character or beliefs of the person saying them, they were the product of an uncontrollable disability - therefore that person is actually being asked to apologise for being disabled. The analogies of the blind person and the person in a wheelchair causing accidents and apologising for them don’t work. The correct analogy would be asking them to apologise for being blind or for being in a wheelchair.

Just as an aside I’m in a wheelchair and I can assure that poster that in the main running over people’s feet isn’t the problem. It’s people falling over my chair and then expecting me to apologise to them because they’ve been staring at their phone and haven’t seen me until it’s too late, or they’ve stepped backwards into a supermarket aisle without looking. Not a chance.

Nope. Nor doesn’t need to be. He did nothing wrong.

If you actually bother to spend a few minutes researching John’s work you’ll see that he is an unequivocally good man, compassionate and unprejudiced and kind. His mission is to make life easier for other Tourette’s sufferers, he’s dedicated his life to this.

But sadly now people who aren’t fit to shine his shoes think they can judge him because he hasn’t been the perfect “funny” disabled man, coming out only with jokes and kind words, and think he needs to apologise for his disability.

When people tell you who they are, believe them. I’ve seen exactly who the bigots are on this thread tonight

Still can’t provide any examples. What a shocker.

No a lack of intent doesn’t need to outweigh anything.
Anyway, you’re wrong.
If someone is offended by my face I’m not going to apologise because I don’t have to agree with them or be sorry for my face.
And it’s the perfect analogy - John can’t help his disability any more than I can help my face. It’s not our problem if others are offended by either

This.

And how is that the fault or responsibility of disabled people?

My DS is hard of hearing. He is often mistaken for being rude when actually he just doesn’t hear people.

Who is at fault if people are offended that he ignores them or just stares at them? After all, the impact matters, right? So is it all on my son?

Oh and you don’t speak for all black people BTW

JFC

Him shouting umbrella is no different, from a control perspective, to shouting the n word.

What exactly aren’t you getting? Do you think he does it on purpose?

And as I said upthread somewhere, why the assumption that we don’t understand, when it’s actually that we don’t agree ?

?! Why should he regret what he can’t control?

Lets face it - even with an apology, people would call for him to hang!

lol good one. You don’t even know what Tourette’s IS

That’s exactly the impression I’m getting from some on here. They think that Tourette’s is somehow a made up condition to allow people to say what they like without recourse. It’s batshit. It’s ableist too.

He’s not married. He’s struggles to find a relationship due to his disability.

And he did leave afterwards because of his tics

They can be hurt, but they haven’t had racial abuse shouted at them. We all have to accept that. Seeing it as racism 1. Doesn’t make you right and 2. Doesn’t mean you can be ableist

If it was women being called sluts or overweight people being call fat cunts (both of which he’s publicly shouted in the past) it would be the same.

The poster accepts he has no control over what he says but thinks he should have control over where and when he says it. I’m still trying to make sense of that one !!

Oh no, an ableist liar “sees me”
However will I cope?
oh wait - I dont care
Please tell em where I said <checks notes> “black people are wet wipes for complaining about racism”
Ill wait

So much discussion about this. If the people who disagree would just watch the film… they would wholeheartedly change their views. I Swear. Not a race issue in sight. Just human understanding.

Nice to know there’s some left somewhere, because there’s precious little on MN !!

Disabled people aren’t getting a “free pass”. Nobody will be more distressed than John at saying this. Do you think he enjoyed saying it?

Some people just really hate disabled people and watching a film or hearing of people’s experiences won’t change them. They hate disabled people and want them banished from society.

I admire your commitment to your current level of understanding.

Yes, victim parade

Youre so busy being a victim that your compassion for an innocent and incredible disabled campaigner has turned into finger pointing over racism.

My ancestors were killed in the Holocaust - I don’t go around using that to justify another form of discrimination. And frankly, what happened to my ancestors is nothing to do with a Scottish disabled stranger, and I’d never connect the two. I’d rather focus on ACTUAL antisemites making my life fucking hard at the moment.
If John had made some comments about Jewish people on the stage, i would understand that’s not the same as someone else doing it. I wouldn’t use that to profess how much more of a victim I am than he is

Being psychic is not a symptom of Tourette’s. HTH.

I don’t believe that but I understand your frustration- I feel incredibly sad for this whole situation. Tourette’s is so misunderstood and people just don’t get even when it’s explained to them that words and slurs that are offensive will come out
but will not be meant by them. They will blurt out offensive words that the brain will tell them is bad and they have to try and stop it like we try to stop a sneeze. Impossible. They don’t believe these slurs.

Do you think he could help it, or that he did it on purpose?