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MP with CP mocked in parliament...

12 replies

smashingtime · 08/02/2011 11:23

Talk about leading by example - even our politicians think it is ok to make fun of disability. Made me feel sick to read about this today...

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/feb/08/charity-anger-mps-paul-maynard-disability?intcmp=239

(sorry can't do direct link!)

OP posts:
Littlefish · 08/02/2011 11:25

Link

smashingtime · 08/02/2011 11:28

Thanks!

OP posts:
NotRocketSurgery · 08/02/2011 11:29

hm - I guote

"Harris, who was not present at the time of the incident, said he understood people were jeering until they realised there was "another issue".

He said: "Nobody knew about Paul's disability. If anyone did know about it and still made fun of him that is absolutely appalling and unforgivable.."

...so the implication is that it is ok to mock someone who talks 'funny' if you don't know that they have a disability ???

doh

donkeyderby · 08/02/2011 12:00

if it is true - and presumably TV cameras can prove it - those MP's should be sacked. Imagine making racist insults? Would that be tolerated?

SparkleRainbow · 08/02/2011 12:03

I agree donkeyderby. I hope it was caught on camera, I haven't heard the tv news today are they following it at all? Angry

cornsilk · 08/02/2011 19:53

wait till you've read this idiot's views on mocking disability Angry

smashingtime · 08/02/2011 20:29

I guess we couldn't have expected the Guardian to stand up for a Tory without trying to make a political point Angry

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SparkleRainbow · 09/02/2011 11:05

Yep he is another numpty. Doesn't anyone in the corridors of power think that if they spent a little more time behaving like the growns ups they are supposed to be, and less like children (actually no school would tolerate such beavhiour from children) they might actually get something done. Isn't the attitude, well it has always been like this, and it is character building just a pitiful excuse for not takng responsibility. What weak and pathetic arguements made to justify stupid ignorant and immature behaviour from people elected by the country.

benito · 09/02/2011 11:43

Heh, don't knock the Guardian! I read it every day and I think those views do not sit well with it's general approach to these issues. They surprise me but they seem to be the dated views of a seasoned political commentator who perhaps needs a bit of re-training.

I think he as a point about the Mexican thing though. I was disgusted by the Beeb's pathetic response to that - not at all connected to it being a show that makes them loads of money.

But, back to the issue. I do think that disability issues are not taken anywhere nearly as seriously as race or gender. This is seen in our schools all the time where schools have switched on alot more to inclusion in terms of race/gender but are years behind in terms of disability.

Perhaps, it was a mistake to merge the disability commission and the human rights and other commissions. But having said that, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission is so utterly rubbish and leaden (and rife with cronyism)that it fails to do anything effective for any group.

I mean Trevor Phillips? Come on, he's just a Blairite lovie and media hack. He knows nothing about promoting equality with legal measures.

meltedmarsbars · 09/02/2011 11:45

There's a good article in the Times today saying this is the opportunity to finally knock on the head the "Parliamentary" style "debating" system we have in the Commons.

It is bear-baiting, not debating.

smashingtime · 09/02/2011 12:10

I am also a seasoned Guardian reader benito and definitely not a tory but feel this commentator was just making the situation political rather than concentrating on the bare faced discrimination that had taken place!

My dd has slight CP and some difficulties with her speech and I cannot bear to think about the discrimination this may cause her.

Just for contrast - a local charity whose leader made a racist comment recently during a meeting has now had all its funding pulled. Just goes to show issues of race are taken far more seriously than disability....

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benito · 09/02/2011 12:39

I agree smashingtime. I just think what he says is actually out of line with the tone of the paper and that you actually would expect the Guardian to stand up for a Tory and anyone else who was treated in this way.

That would be my expectation. I suspect as he is political editor, he just gets to say his piece but he is out of step with modern thinking on this and I feel he's embarrassed the paper on it.

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