David Cameron and 'Tourettes' comment....

[hazeyjane]

.... has anyone seen about [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16458524 this]].

I linked to the bbc website, but some of the comments on other websites (telegraph, Daily Mail) are just appalling, showing a complete lack of understanding of Tourettes and of why this was such an ill judged remark.

Sorry, should be this

Well it took me so long to type my thread, and it is so bland in comparison with the badly worded inflammatory other thread that I shouldn't have bothered-ah well!

I just want to say how depressing it is that it is so easy to write off this comment as just a silly mistake/people jumping on a pc bandwagon/getting easily offended etc. It is lazy and stupid to use conditions like Tourettes as the butt of jokes, and as a means to 'humorously' insult people - maybe one day disabilist comments like these will be seen in the same light as homophobic, racist or sexist comments.

Using a disability to get a cheap laugh is pretty ill advised for a PM

Shows his true colours - and the idea that he thinks he can apologise because it was an 'off the cuff remark' is even more astonishing. Just reveals his real nature.

Will post here what I said on the other thread, maybe we can have a rational discussion rather than a weird off-topic nonsense bun fight.

Several people have explained on [the other] thread that not all people with Tourettes shout and wave their hands about, and that many sufferers would not even be recognised as having Tourettes.

That is what is offensive. The taking of one extreme symptom of the condition and using it to describe anyone someone who is expressive in word and gesture.

An example where it would not be accepted - if you described someone as having "big fat negro lips" for example, or "gollywog hair", in a derogatory way.

That would be racist, in the same way that DC was disabilist.

I'm astonished that people can't see how offensive his remark was. And even more so that people would defend his use of the word.

Hands up anyone who hasn't opened their mouth before engaging their brain? Thought not.

Was he wrong to say it? Yes. Has he offended people? Yes. Has he owned up to making a mistake and apologised? Yes.

Personally I prefer politician's who are not afraid to admit when they are wrong. Take for example when Tony Blair 'apologised' for the Iraq war. That was a shambles.

Yes of course - but I'm not the prime minister. Nor have I previously worked in PR and been schooled in how to handle the media.

And to try and excuse it as an 'off the cuff remark', like that makes it acceptable, isn't really a serious apology, IMO.

Just betrays his way of thinking.

I agree with BIWI.

He is a career politician, and has worked in PR. He also had a disabled child, so one would imagine him to be more sensitive to the language he uses in this area.

It was also quite a nasty thing to say about Ed Balls. Attack his politics, fine. But attack his mannerisms, that is a bit off.

David Cameron, for example, is a complete twonk.

he has shown himself to be a disablist twat

Quite apart from being offensive, he showed a remarkable lack of discretion in admitting that a member of the opposition annoys him to the point of distraction.

I should imagine that Ed Balls is delighted to hear it!

Totallly appalled that our revered leader should be so offensive however he is a complete arsehole.

Sorry i cant get my knickers in a twist over it.

Then I think you should engage brain and try a little harder ...

A small number of people will be very offended, a larger number will be mildly offended, and most won't even notice or care.

The man is an idiot, and I have always thought that before he made this comment. He is a father who lost a SN child and should know better.

As the mother of a child with Tourettes I think he was very ill educated to make the comment and clearly knows little about the condition

I can't remember. Was there such an outcry when Gordon Brown called that old woman a bigot?

All I'm saying is that I'd rather accept a politician speaking his mind and making the occasional gaffe than hear them speaking politically correct gibberish full of the right sounding words but not actually saying anything at all.

Basically you end up with something like

niceguy: yes, there was an outcry, and deservedly so.

Maybe its the fact that DC said it, people seem to have more of a problem with him than what he said. All politicians are idiots what do you expect!!!!

No, I have a problem with what he said. And because he said it, it confirms that he is an ignorant man.

Nice guy - yes, there was an outcry. But regardless of that, bigotry is not a disability/specific medical condition. It Is quite different.

It's still an insult and my point is that politician's are ultimately human and make mistakes. The key thing in my mind is:

1. Was there an intent to insult or was it a case of mouth engaging before brain?

2. Did they apologise promptly or did they try to weasel their way out of it?

It's sometimes breathtaking how the Tories seem to be held to such a different standard to others. If DC makes a momentary slip up then it's front page news and he's ignorant etc etc. But if Tony Blair engages in massive tax avoidance then that's barely even commented on.

I agree with niceguy2 on this.
Of course it was a stupid thing to say. However, DC had a profoundly disabled son who died, so I doubt he is totally devoid of understanding.

He made a cheap joke & he has apologised.