MNHQ .. Can we talk about disability bashing?

[Brownsugarshortbread]

Over the years i have posted on and enjoyed MN.
Sadly there seems to be a growing culture of it being okay to have a go at disabilities, those who claim DLA and those who's children have 'invisable' disabilities such as ADHD and ADD.
The terms 'freak' and 'scrounger' have been batted around and comments from some posters IMO certainly boarder on harrassment and discrimination.

When certain posts or posters have been reported, some have been removed, yet a lot haven't.

And while I agree with free speech, these types of comment or reaction to these comments, are not an education for those bigoted posters. Nor do those whose lives are touched by disability wish to be used to educate those posters.

Disability Harassment

is unwanted behaviour based on disability,
impairment or additional need. Such behaviour may include comments that are patronising or objectionable to the recipient or which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for people with disabilities. Disability harassment includes inappropriate reference to disability, unwelcome discussion of the impact of disability, refusal to work with and exclusion of people with disabilities from social events or meetings.

but noddy it doesn't work......

Shoesy I understand your point. How about this -

Every time a message is deleted by MNHQ for disablist comments, MNHQ send that poster an email advising them on why the word they used is unacceptable. This would add impetus to our point as it is coming from "the bosses" rather than posters of equal status'.

MNHQ just need a series of standard worded emails ready to send out, same as they do when they reply to a "report" notification, when they reply saying "thanks blah blah we've deleted it".

This is in addition to an explanation on the thread "Message deleted by Mumsnet for XXX reasons"

Another idea - when posters sign up to MN, they get a message with a list of unacceptable terms/phrases and advised of the actiosn MNHQ will take if they choose to use them.

Another idea - a sticky on Talk to list them incase anyone needs reminding.

No NH, I think it's essential for people not to feel obliged.... there has to be a lvel that people can think OK I am needing to take a break from this immersion in the sn and walk away withoput feeling tehy are rbeaking an obligation. SN comes with enough doom stats about poverty, depression etc- there should not be any additional obligation.

Of course many of us will always choose to educated but usually breaks will be needed sometimes and self care is always a primary importance.

Only person on my AIBU thread so far is my good friend shoesy: typical!

It does work. The people who are trolls or deliberately provocative have no place on MN posting on ANY topic and I think should be completely blanked across the board. For people like me who have learned masses it does work. I am at how uninformed I was initially and still have a long way to go.

I feel very bewildered now: I'm with Maryz "I would like MNHQ to do something but I'm not sure what."

I should probably have namechanged on the AIBU thread really as have a bit of rep as SN mafia / etc.

but noddy you are a decent person, the times I have tried to "educate" and watched others doing so, the abuse we get, why should we do it, mn hq don't care and most posters don't,
even a poster who is well known for working with sn, made comments like thought police and get of your high horse.
so yes people learn, I learn when I read threads about autism, but allowing people to be offensive just so someone else can learn something is just well......wrong

Youc an;t blank teh trolls because MN is too good a palce for tehm to place propaganda: for every person who has the gall to type the crap you can bet tehre are several lurking thinking the troll has a point, and who need to see it challenged.

I won;t do it becuase I am disatncing myself a little from MN right now becuase of this but the Sn lot should ahve set up a challenge-the-rot rota years ago so we all knew who woudl do it and when and not have to bother the est of teh time.

Pinot - I agree with the public deletion. I think that would give the other posters a 'warning' as to what is or is not acceptable.

There's no point in saying that it would also flag up the trouble making posters because all they would have to do is name change.

The ongoing battle to educate is hard bloody work and at times, I read a thread and feel like pulling my own eyes out so I don't get drawn in.

i wonder if just MN posting OTW on dubious postings might help? it would flag to the person that they are under surveillance from on high and reassure people arguing with them that HQ has concerns too?

putting OTW would help, but as long at some time they take action iynwim, and it has to be public, when mn was small people soon knew if someone got told off or banned, but with the size it is now mn hq have to be a little more public.
I do worry by hightlighting it though that any thread will then be hijacked, you only have to remember daftpunk and how that went

WRT the wankers namechanging - thats why an email from MNHQ to their inbox would help drum it into them that they are going to be chastised no matter which nickname they hide behind.

OTW?

very true. and you wouldn't want lots of crowing about 'now you're OTW'.
hmm. it is difficult, i think. because at heart i really hate the idea of going with mob outrage (and i have most definitely observed that recently re freakshow comment) but i can also totally see the points raised on here.

you know what, bottom line is that i can't believe that people can be so wantonly unkind... i don't get it. but i do see it on here, deffo.

Perhaps it is time to remove the namechange facility -- or restrict it to a single alternate for confidentiality. That would create an atmosphere where people were accountable for what they post.

oh god. good idea threadie but kinda miserable at the same time.

Steiw its for extreme laxzng around.

I put this on my thread; i think it bears repetition. ' Is funny how oftentimes the same people who argue that they can use the words they want for personal freedom are the same ones arguing our children should not get state money for reasons of eprsonal responsibility when they are older and have succumbed to the depression Sn so often results in.'

O do think that any thread reported for disablism / racism / homophobia etc where the poster has less than 20 posts or has name changed should be an automatic delete

otw is one to watch. it's what hq put on threads their end if they want staff to keep an eye out.

There was a poster before who wa well known where MN and I discussed and they implicated a name change ban (many will know whom I am referring to)- that worked well

Gransnet apparently doesn't have a namechange facility, and MN is now a mass talksite, not the small value-rich support community that it was. I'm not sure that preserving a namechange facility on a mass site is really such a good idea.

Thanks Aitch.

We use a hobby talk board; the owner does not allow name change and blocks hate words replacing them with acceptable alternatives. You can spot the people who tried to use them quite easily but those people know that come season they will have to look you in the face and tends to elarn to self mod.

mind they also block fuck etc which really pisses me off