to think that Chris Huhne's son was very wrong to call him 'autistic'

[Sallyingforth]

He is may be an unpleasant creature but that word should never be used as an insult.
order-order.com/2013/02/04/peter-huhnes-texts-to-lying-father/

The used little stars instead of shit, they should have use them for this word as well

Twat is more acceptable to me. It doesn't use a very small and minority population as an insult.

If they had used the little stars for autistic in this context it would show everyone that it is unacceptable as an insult like this.

It should have been presented as

'You are such an a piece of *. Don't contact me again you make me feel sick.'

For some reason some of the stars are gone from this - I am sure I typed seven and four.

I would haven spent ages going...asshole?.. Arsewipe.?

Wouldn't using asterisks just make it look like the word 'autistic' is unacceptable? I don't agree with his use of it but wouldn't censoring it make it look on a par with swear words?

I wouldn't censor it either because it shouldn't be an insult.
It's just unfortunate that he used it as one.

noone wants you to shut up!!!!

and I am sure noone on this thread condones it, noone

Had someone in high level position used this term, I would be fucking outraged too

I just feel that picking on the words of a distraight and fucked up child, in an unfortunately public dialogue is a bit unkind

Precisely.

What is shocking reading those texts is that the son is clearly getting angrier and more frustrated (understandably) as he's sending them.
He's trying to hurt him and this is the word he comes up with? So sad.

Hitler and Geoffrey Dahmer were autistic, i can see why it is used as an insult by those who know no better but it is not fair on austistic people most of whom are decent law abiding folk.

Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer had diagnoses of autism in their lifetimes made by professionals who took them through an assessment process?

I didn't know that.

Is there a link? I'd like to read about that.

There is little or no evidence to show that either Jeffrey Dahmer or Hitler were autisitic. Much of Silva's work has been discredited.

Oh noes can't be having the thought police, can we?

Gotta have unfettered racism, sexism, homophobia and ageism. It's our right.

Why don't people see disablism in the same context as all the above?

Would Xenia use 'that feminist lot' in the same derisory way as 'that disability rights lot'?

imogengladhart, I wasn't aiming that comment at you sorry.

I was replying to bluesunnyskys comment

Im quite shocked that you think its ok to pull his son on use of this word in these circumstances - there are lots of situations where discussion about the use of this word would be acceptable but piling further hurt on the hurt this boys father has already inflicted on him seems narcissistic in the extreme to me

Implying objecting to the use of autistic as an insult is narcissistic.

most of them are decent law-abiding people. Oh, that's alright then.

I give up.

I think this thread shows what a long way disability awareness has to go. People's general attitudes towards disability are like attitudes to women/feminism in the 1960s or black people/racism in the 1950s. I just hope that in another decade we will be in a different era. A lot will have to happen first, though.

imogen

Yes blaming those who take offence sucks.

Sorry to arrive very late and if this has already been shared, but hopefully useful enough to repeat if so:

Evidence is slowly starting to emerge that people on the autistic spectrum are actually hypersensitive to the feelings of others (as opposed to lacking in empathy):

This blog post by Nicole Nicholson discusses well the issues surrounding autism and empathy.

What are we to conclude? I think it is safe to say that we are sensitive and empathetic to the point of being overwhelmed by the emotions of others, and that we sometimes have trouble ?reading the signals? and maybe knowing how to respond. That is the inside. What?s outside is our reactions and behavior, from which the wrong conclusions have been drawn.

Whilst I have much sympathy with CH's son, "Autistic" was the wrong choice of insult if his intent was to describe CH as lacking in empathy.

Failure of the media to pick up on this highlights beautifully how widespread this general misunderstanding is.

Of course he was trying to insult his father by using the word, but I don't think quite to the extent of digging for the worst insult he would think of and coming up with autistic, just ignorantly using a word that he thought described the way his father was responding to him at that particular time.

Still completely wrong and ill educated but not necessarily indicative that he thinks autistic equals worst insult you can throw at someone, but that's just ne persons interpretation.

As an aside, he also uses fat on a later text (ch def not fat as far as I can see) which is clearly also an example of a word routinely used to throw in as part of an insult which I find pretty offensive.

I can completely understand the reactions from people that are personally effected by autism, but I struggle to judge him too harshly given his age and the circumstances, but I can Understand why others would feel less forgiving.

Yes, spatsky - I don't think judging this particular young man is the burning issue.

I think the more important issue is the fact that his attitude (autistic = insult) is widely prevalent. As shown by the number of people on this thread who dont think it's a problem for someone to do that.

Autism is a medical condition. It should not be a shorthand way of saying 'selfish' or 'unfeeling' or 'cold'.

I agree bed hopper. Part of the differences here is that I don't think the son was necessarily using it as shorthand for selfish unfeeling or cold. I think it was shorthand for you don't seem to get it that I am telling you to fuck off and leave me alone. But that's an I interpretation issue.

I don't think he's right to use it in the context that I believe he was using it, but I think there is a subtle difference there.

I think we all need to get over ourselves a bit here. Mr Huhnes son is a/ Young
b/ Very and understandably distressed.

He sent his Dad a private text, he had no idea or any intention of offending anybody other then voice his considerable stress about the situation to his dad.
Please please can we change things and stop being so over sensitive about things that were clearly not intentional. We are all intelligent beings and all know that this lad was clumsy (and who isn't) are we to expect all normal human beings to have a degree in international Public Relations or Law or whatever. Move on and discuss something really important like how we are going to identify Autism as early as possible and help those with it and except that occasionally people who are just human may say things that may be thoughtless. Its those that deliberately destroy others lives or well being we need to be looking at. Lets not fuss about a silly but innocent remark - he is just a kid! We need to be much more concerned about an MP who cheated on his wife, and lied to all and spent thousands of tax payers money in the run up to this. About police officers who 'set up' a chief whip and the press that pushed this to its limits and a government who had evidence that the emails sent were untrue but were too timid to DO the right thing etc .. these issues are the one's that worry the living daylights out of me!