to think that disability hate words are as bad as racial hate ones?

[Peachy]

This is of course related to this thread but also have been in school this morning with ds1 who has been called a retard and his brother (they both have ASD) a spaz.

I would never choose to use a word that offends a group or makes them out to be lesser humans (think racial hate, homophobic words etc)- it woudl be beneath me. So why is it still considered OK for people to use terms like this for disabled people? frequently the excuse is theya re emdical terms but I am in a field that uses medical terminology for disabled people and we constantly review our language usage and minimise use of terms now regarded inappropriate.

Surely a word that offends a group of people who made noa ctive choice about their characteristic is wrong regardless of excuse?

Am fuming for ds1 but at least he is able to fight back and school took seriously. DS3 is not able to fight for himself and should not have to live with bigotry. DS1 is actively campaigning for a racial awareness campaign at school (he is Chair of School Council) after talking with some friends about the racial abuse they have encountered: am thining it needs to be about all hate langauge not one distinct group.

[onagar]

EllenJaneisnotmyname, again I sort of agree with you, but I have just been assured that 'mong' is australian slang and short for 'mongrel' and not what you and I thought at all. Assuming that is true then it only sounds like something else and has no actual connection.

So 20 minutes ago if you and I had heard someone shout 'mong' we would both have been in no doubt of what they were saying and we'd both have been wrong.

I reckon we have to abandon word lists and start from the other end. Teach kids respect for other people from the start. Help them see that other people have feelings too. That way may work, but banning words doesn't and never will.

[troisgarcons]

ok - another everyday word ... 'mad' - hardly likely to say I'm apoplectic and incandescent with rage/having severe mental health issues connected with totally unreasonable parameters

[Brownsugarshortbread]

Agree with you there troisgarcon!

:) glad you bracketed OT for me as I us that as occupational therapy.

[cornsilks]

Totally agree with the OP.

[Brownsugarshortbread]

Although lots and lots of people would say "angry" or "annoyed"

[SloganLogan]

YANBU

[BrianAndHisBalls]

Trois - Im glad you didnt use any energy responding to me then, oh wait....

[wigglybeezer]

Trois, the boy who called my DS2 a "mong" was not using teenspeak to tease DS1, having been at the same primary as DS2 he knew that DS2 has some special needs and he chose to use to use that against DS1. Luckily DS1's friends were horrified and I therefore know that not all teenage boys throw words like that around.

[microserf]

YANBU OP, and troisgarcons, you are talking rubbish. as a fellow antipodean, i just thought i'd let you know . i don't think that's how the use of the word evolved at all.

we need to teach our children, and ask the schools to reinforce the teaching, that these are terms of abuse. i feel very strongly about this issue actually.

[handsomeharry]

YANBU. If I see it on here I will report it. I haven't heard any language like that in real life so am really shocked to read it on here.

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

The people I have heard using the word 'mong' were directing it at my friend's two adopted children with Down syndrome, so no real doubt about their meaning, I'm afraid. As in, 'God, keep those mongs away from me.'

[Peachy]

Trois I have no issues speaking in PC terms and am no genius. I have on occasion breached that (using 'mick' for example)- I apologise and never use it in speech again.

Easily done, it's about putting decency and personal standard before self comfort.

[Peachy]

And yes I am not angry at the kids who used the pwrds (well, ds1 is 11 so DO know better but overall IYYSWIM)

I am not angry at one mum as I know she would be mortified. Herson just picked up on a common word and used it: now educated hopefully enver again.

The other has been told by his mum that it is OK. That makes me furious.

Dh used 'mad' and has severe mh issues at times himself. but he would never use it as a hate term, whereas Ic annot see how R and N words woudl not be used in that way tbh except in medical reports (and now engineering I learn). I must chat to Dh about how others feel about mad, but intention really is all, and once you ahve been eduated there is no good intention any more. We all make mistakes: once.

[Pumpernickel10]

Well With someone with a mental illness I don't actually find mad offensive but I do find nutter offensive.

[wrongdecade]

I think sometimes its worse

depending on the level osf disability they don't have the capacity to defend themselves

a mentally competent person who has been racially abused can at least fight back.

[GrimmaTheNome]

If there is some alternative derivation for mong meaning mongrel in the antipodes, it sounds like an insulting term for 'mixed race' doesn't it? So - unless strictly used about dogs - that doesn't let it off the hook into acceptable terminology anyway.

[Peachy]

grimma fair point

But I think anyone who fights for alternative meanings so they can use words largely considered to be hate terms is not going to care but is purely engaging in an act of self excuse.

it hurts people, there are other words, get over yourself and cut it.

[somethingwitty82]

All abuse should be taken seriously, it should not be stratified and by exclusion make some groups 'fair game' when it comes to insults.

Children should not be abused for being disabled, tall, ginger, welsh, posh accents or anything else they cannot choose.

The notion of Hate Speech in a free society is absurd, it must apply to all intemperate speech or to none.

[Peachy]

Whilst hate speech has a definition (and Welsh would come under racist, and as I am in Wales I know plenty who would take action) in law it can have a different one in practice and I can't see why all those somethingwitty can;t be included in a day to day definition.

It's unkind to laugh at a characteristic someone can choose: that would get my kids in trouble anyway. but when someone can't choose- whatever it is- nah.

Mind, if you swap tall for short my kids cover every suggestion you used LMAO! Although the posh thing equates with the Asoergers diagnosis, it's a trait ds1 has.