To want to report India Knight ...

[philkim]

Am a long term lurker but feel very angry about this and can't think of what to do about it. India Knight today twittered:
"Also, imagine getting so cross about a social networking site. Like it, don't like it, whatevs. No need to have an epi."

My son has epilepsy and I find this offensive. Anything I can do about it?

She should definitely be reported for using the word 'whatevs'.

Who is this woman, anyway?

Thanks again for all your thoughts. Lots have made me laugh ... and yes I could just stop following her but today I am thinking I probably won't do anything. As Ilovemydog says I have probably reached a larger audience here (but she does have 6000 odd followers).

I would tweet her but I don't feel I have my argument sussed enough - and am not witty or quick enough. In one sense I think it is good to leave it there as it shows her up for what she really is.

I also wonder why I can't take branflake81s attitude. Suspect I have not really come to terms with my son's epilepsy as it is all too frightening.

Any ideas of who to report her too? Do we need a complaints commission for people with influence who have dodgy attitudes?

Contact her via her blog - you don't need an intellectual argument about it, just say you have a child with epilepsy, find the word offensive and are surprised she isn't more aware. I am sure she will reply, and I wouldn't be that surprised if she apologised.

Philkim - I'm not sure if this is helpful, but I have epilepsy too, and have very much the same opinion as Branflake. Used to HATE it at work when people said "we have to use the word cloudburst instead of brainstorm, because brainstorm is offensive to people with epilepsy". Umm... not to any one that I've ever met it isn't.
Sometimes I think our families and friends take offence on our behalf because it is a really, really difficult thing to witness happening to someone you love. My mother STILL can't cope with my epilepsy and I've had it for over thirty years. She even has difficulty mentioning the word - I think because, especially for her generation, there's massive stigma attached. However, for the benefit of your son (sorry, a) veering slightly off topic here, and b) I may be preaching to the converted) it's really worth making every effort to come to terms with it - or at least, not allowing him to be aware that it's a big issue for you (even if, in reality it is). I got myself into some awkward scrapes when first living away from home because - following the lead of my mother - I thought that if I pretend it doesn't exist perhaps it'll just disappear. Obviously it doesn't and new friends/ boyfriends etc can find themselves being given a really difficult-to-cope-with surprise.
Sorry. That's turned really long and rambly. Broadly what I meant is - that must be really difficult for you to cope with, all my sympathies are with you.

philkim i don't thing reporting her is appropriate, she is not at school, just tweet her. You don't need to get into it with her just make her aware basically the same as on here but give her the chance to reply.

She is an idiot!

Thanks Rooble, that is really interesting for us.

We don't hide it all (and when he was first diagnosed my mum said we should never say the word epilepsy to him - there is a generational thing) but it is very hard to come to terms with.

We are coming to terms with it in our own ways as is our son but our timings don't necessarily match up. And it is such a moving target. We are having to recognise that our son is different to how he was before his seizures and to modify our expectations and views of him. And his drugs have a huge effect on him - we are just changing him from one to a different one and it feels a bit that we have the old him back, but who knows what it will be like next week. It is a horrible nasty disease.

I am going to leave India Knight to herself. I don't feel angry with her anymore.

i believe she used to post on mumsnet... i may be wrong and it maybe some unrelated journo..

don't remember her name- but will have a think.
Maybe she still lurks!