To comment on this Facebook post?

[Essel]

One of my husbands friends has commented on/promoted another friends business by saying this on fb: 'business name, if Mr D can do it, any spastic can.'

I'd love to add a comment to fb about the use of the word 'spastic' as it shits me to tears that its still used as a socially acceptable insult by so many people (or maybe that's just in oz), but I don't want to sound shrill or ruffle feathers when I'm not close to any of these guys, and I doubt they really care what I think. I'm not sure I have the guts to speak up so publicly, but It bothers me to see it and not say anything.

My little brother has mild CP so I'm sensitive about the use of that word and I would hate for him to read something like that on FB (not that he would see this guys post but I guess he might see my reply).

I've tried to 'report' it which is what I usually do when I see posts/photos that make fun of people with disabilities, but that doesn't seem to be an option on this kind of post.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I could write or should I leave it?

The term spastic is outdated, beyond offensive and hails back to a time of ignorance about health issues. That's why the Spastic Society needed to rebrand themselves, because the term became so contaminated with prejudice and their charity needed to continue its good work without the distraction of idiotic bigots.

For some people, those who use the offensive language, unfortunately they do still live in the dark ages and their thinking is lazy, and says more about them than anything else.

Well done for reporting Essel. And it was better to post here for increased traffic, as I dont think its a Facebook issue, it is inappropriate use of social media that is the problem.

And your OP wasn't a problem, you invested your time in trying to make the world a better place. We need more and more people like you.

So nomama the phrase it shits me to tears (never heard it before but imho is imaginiative and expressive and, to the point, non insulting and will be stealing it very shortly) ) has you clutching your pearls but you'll let a disablist and wounding piece of name calling go?

Jeez.

And well said Daisychain and well done Essel for raising the issue.

Nope. Just saying that what some people consider to be normal speech can really irritate the daylights out of others. If you are going to make a stand about one person's use of any vernacular you might be taken more seriously if you watch your own.

Rude and thoughtless is rude and thoughtless, wherever you find it.

I don't own any pearls either....

Nice try Nomama but there is a world of difference between the two.

As I said, one is disablist, (probably not an actual word but I hope it's understood in context) insulting and wounding and the other, well the other isn't and is absolutely no different from saying irritate the daylights out of others, except that shits me to tears is, as I said, imaginative , expressive, playful and original, irritating the daylights is imho tired and worn out but if it's the best you can do, so be it.

HTH

I always comment. I actually called out a guy i know who yelled across the pub that his mate was a "f...ing r....d!" He was suitably chastened and apologised!

'Shits me....' is, I believe, an Australian term. So. Maybe deal with it Nomama.

Is that a fact BringmeTea? Bonza! That's my fact for today.

Erm.. I give in! I was making the point that if OP wanted to complain about the terminology used by one poster maybe she has best watch her own. She would be taken more seriously if she did!

I made no comment on the terminology she was complaining about. It is blatantly obvious it is unacceptable.

But I suppose I should have expected common sense to fly out of the MN window when there is outrage to be had!

I particularly appreciate the personal comments, so unnecessary but par for the outraged MN course!

I was making the point that if OP wanted to complain about the terminology used by one poster maybe she has best watch her own

And I was making the point that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her own (since substantiated by the assertion that it is a totally ordinary phrase in Australia.

And tbh honest if anyone is being unnecessarily outraged I really don't think it's me.

Care to point me (or MNHQ) in the direction of any personal comments I have made?

Oh let's just let it go. You know you were being pissy at my expense. I know I was being annoyed by a turn of phrase.

I am not outraged, by the way, not even you having characterised me as a pearl clutcher did more than make me smile!

Deal !

Phew

I haven't heard the word s*c for many years in Australia. It was common when I was a child (30+ years ago), but I teach in a primary school and really haven't had to deal with it for a very long time. The 'Rd' word crops up every so often, but students seem to police each other on this one and get upset if they hear someone else saying it. They generally know it is unacceptable (and that I will never accept hearing that word anywhere near me).

"It ss me" is actually a pretty common phrase in Australia. Funnily enough, despite being absolutely furious if I heard the word 'sc' or 'rd' anywhere in my presence, the phrase 'it s*s me' would really not even register to me (presuming it was said among adults and not in a classroom or other environment were children were present.

I didn't know spaz was related to CP, we just use it to mean random and weird, and we're here in the states. It's not a popular word, but it's said often enough. We've been having campaigns over here to get people to stop using the word retarded. It's really died down and become socially unacceptable to say anymore.

I'm not saying your wrong, and you're upset by all means let them know. But there's lots of "disablist" words out there: idiot, stupid, crazy, insane, dumb.

Instead of getting upset at a word, maybe start raising awareness of CP itself and get people to understand what it is so they know why you think spaz is a bad word.

On a personal note, when promoting a company you should be using professional language at all times anyway. I wouldn't say the words chillin or bro on my company page, so don't use other slang words.

Midnite, I think you said it, a common turn of phrase.

Definitely not one us posh pearl clutchers would use.

I would have thought the the business owner will be less than thrilled to have his business promoted/mentioned in the same breath as such a nasty comment. It will reflect badly on the business as well as the person who actually posted the comment.

"Shits me to tears" is in pretty regular usage in Australia.

The offensive word in question isn't that unusual either, sadly. :(

Don't bother coming to Australia, nomama - you'd be pissed right off by the fact that 'bloody' and 'bugger' are in common parlance, they're even allowed on the [SIOB] polite shows!

DHs aunt has been is Oz for decades (she was one of those with a ticket for a tenner). I find her casual racism more bothersome, well, utterly repugnant actually. All of her wealthy, white friends are the same, the ones I have met. I trust not all of Australians should be measured by them?

But as someone else said, the OP was referring to a business, all I was saying was that if she was going to comment maybe she should watch her own language and not make things worse, especially as her DH appears to own the business.

I wouldn't say anything. The reason being, to do so would publicly humiliated/ embarrass him, and that just won't end well or be an effective way of "educating him" he'll react badly, other people might pile in and you won't be educating anyone, just arguing with thickos on FB

THe term is obviously offensive, well done for challenging it I've noticed it creeping back into teenage language here in the UK (I'm a teacher - hadn't heard it for years then it starts turning up again) and I always challenge it.
I'm not getting how the comment promotes the business, though - it's seeming to say that the things the business does could be dine by anyone, even those who have physical issues...How does that work?

I don't give a shit about profanity.

Using shit is about people using phrases that they regard as rude or not

Spaz and retard are not words I get pearl clutchey about - they are fucking unpleasant because they make my sons condition the insult.

It's not the same.
Shit, fuck wank are matters of personal lines in the sand.
Spaz Ming and retard are insulting people with medical conditions.

Not the same at all

Not Ming obviously . He was just merciless .

One has to be quite the potty mouth to talk about this..

I noticed (still need a po faced emoticon)