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It depends really alpin. Lenny Henry developing tourettes during one of his Premier Inn adverts would be funny. Best of both worlds! 😀
For maximum comic effect it would have to be a white man blacked up playing Lenny Henry....and then developing tourettes...obviously.
(runs and hides also....)
because tourettes is funny & no one cares...
deluded - Member
All this ‘taking offence’ is amazingly narcissistic - we’re so self absorbed with our own feelings - like children who must be prevented from upset and insulated from other peoples views. I consider it creeping linguistic fascism. If we're not careful all communications will be rendered inexpressive, banal & stilted. Yes our sensibilities will be unruffled, but Jesus wept it will be boring.
As is often pointed out, it is perfectly rational to point out that someone is being offensive without being offended oneself. Cameron didn't offend me with this remark. He did however offend plenty of people with a disability with which they have to get through life. There's nothing wrong with pointing that out is there? It's quite annoying to be accused of being hysterically offended if one points out that someone is being an offensive cock.
However, I still think this is a storm in a teacup so to speak - if anything it says more about Cameron's character than anything else. I do enjoy Balls doing the flatlining gesture at Cameron during PMQs - because it winds him up. When Cameron begins to lose his cool, we get to see the nasty little prick that lies behind the thin waxy veneer. See also the "Calm down dear..." and the constant jibing with "brothers" jokes at Miliband. I can just imagine the type of prick he must have been before he had to manufacture the veneer with which he fools much of the public.
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Lots of ranting and swear words by DD = me being outraged and offended.
*faints on floor, but then roused with a dose of the vapours and a lace fan*
Lots of ranting and swear words by DD
You think that's ranting? That's me being perfectly calm matey. 🙂
Cameron in "being dickhead" shocker. Balls can hardly claim that he's not though can he?
And that cartoon, balls must be the biggest bully in politics now brown has scarpered ( ok, I know he hasn't scarpered).
Following all the "victimisation" claims from the abbot supporters, who are all now baying for blood. They are all now doing [i]EXACTLY[/i] the same thing; political points scoring to suit their own prejudice.
He did however offend plenty of people with a disability with which they have to get through life
Did he? - I haven't seen a single Tourettes sufferer come forward saying that so far - I've seen plenty of people coming forward being offended on their behalf, and a fair few telling us that it could offend someone that they know/love - but no reliable reports of a single actual sufferer actually saying they were offended.
Funny that!
Yeah I'm sure he regularly makes disabled type jokes especially as its been a good few months since he buried his severely disabled son!!
Z11 i think youd be offended if dave had said ed balls is like you!
What, is Ed Balls a violent fantisist as well? 😀
I think Cameron actually got a bit mixed up. It's not that Ed Balls has Tourette's, it's that talking about Ed Balls makes people speak as if they themselves have Tourette's, **** that he is.
Zulu-Eleven - MemberWhat, is Ed Balls a violent fantisist as well?
i think a lot of people become violent fantasists when thinking about ed balls
or cameron, or most mps tbh
I haven't seen a single Tourettes sufferer come forward saying that so far
Well you ought to pay more attention to the radio in the mornings then Zulu - though I understand you're feeling the weight of being a downtrodden slurred race after last weeks fun and games; you're probably not quite on the game. Because the girl who runs this [url= http://www.touretteshero.com/ ]website for Tourettes sufferers[/url] was on the radio this morning and she seemed pretty pissed off with his comments. You should have heard the interview, she's learned to substitute swear-words tics with "biscuit" - must have been bloody difficult. You and Dave would probably have had a good old laugh at it though.
A quote from her blog on Cameron's comments for you, because I doubt you'll bother your arse to read it:
The reality is that Tourettes is a complex condition which can be both physically and socially disabling. The assumption that it’s only about swearing makes it even harder for the 90% of people who have it but who haven’t ever ticced an offensive word.
let's face it, regardless what Cameron says anytime about anything, and I include the step by step details for curing cancer, he'll still be a **** in most peoples eyes.
On the other hand, not everyone takes offence at every comment they hear ever which is magnified cause they don't like someone
he'll still be a * in most peoples eyes
They all will. People aren't stupid; they know that Dave, Ed and Nick are military grade *s of equal measure. The next ones probably will be too.
For Zulu who hasn't been paying any attention today:
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b0195h8r ]Fast forward to 1.21[/url]
🙄
Darcy - I saw her article in the Guardian
is there a quote that actually says she was offended?
Typical comment from the usual Tory hating lefty STW.
Darcy - I saw her article in the Guardianis there a quote that actually says she was offended?
No use trying to untie yourself Zulu - I'm not playing your ****y little quote game that TeeJ falls for all the time. Read the blog. Listen to the interview and you tell me yourself how you think she feels, you poor downtrodden white man.
the girl who runs this website for Tourettes sufferers was on the radio
So on the plus side that looks like a positive outcome - when did Tourettes sufferers last have a chance to raise awareness in national media?
Typical comment from the usual Tory hating lefty STW.
This is hilarious!
"My initial response was confused..."
confused, not offended.
sort of shoots your point on the foot really darcy...
I'll leave it there.
So on the plus side that looks like a positive outcome - when did Tourettes sufferers last have a chance to raise awareness in national media?
You'll have to explain that one a bit further - are you saying that it's great that a disabled person gets to raise awareness in the media because the Prime Minister has made a joke about the disability? Please say that's not what you're saying...
Mr Mojo - come off it - compare this to the rightwing ranting about Abbot - shows the hypocrisy of those ranting about abbot a bit more clearly don't it?
There they were - Zulu et al shouting out Abbott is a racist but apparently this is a bit of fun and the lefties are making too much fuss over it 🙄
Have you read the blog yet Zulu? Come on now, I know you're a bit embarrassed about this...let me help you:
Of course a weak apology has been issued. But it’s too late David. You’ve revealed a hateful attitude towards disability. Your ‘Off the cuff’ comment was a desperately cheap joke and no-one’s laughing.
I'll leave it there.
No, no, come back and tell me why you think she's not pissed off about this. Are you revealing something about yourself as well here? Jesus, your desperation to defend Cameron beggars belief sometimes.
Please say that's not what you're saying...
Ok, here goes. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that there has been one positive outcome, which is a raising of awareness of the condition. Or would you rather people remain ignorant of conditions like this? Keep it hidden so that no-one needs to be worried? The way conditions like this used to be dealt with?
Zulu et al shouting out Abbott is a racist
I think you'll find that what "we" were saying, is that the people claiming what Abbot said was not racist, were by and large hypocritical given their own castigation of people like Alan Hansen for using the word coloured, and that the real problem with the Left, was double standards.
and anyone who claims what abbot said was not racist or offensive, is on rather a weak bat trying to complain about what Cameron said. Either both of them made comments that were offensive, or neither of them made comments that were offensive - either/or, you can't defend one, without defending the other.
Darcy - still no magic quote then?
he is the Prime Minister, not the President.
we shouldn't [u]just[/u] be voting for him and judging him on popularity and his public gaffs - but for what he does, what he says he will do and what he stands for.
he's said so himself.
he's still a **** though.
Cameron made an error, Abbot made an error. Both apologised and you can make you mind up on speed and sincerity etc. Shows you how hard it is to be an MP.
I think throwaway lines often reveal a lot of truth though - and that is where I think DA's error was "slightly" worse than DC's. It showed a clear underlying resentment of white people which is frankly racism. DC was more insensitive and mistaken but without the accompanying malice. Surprising that he should be so insensitive given his family history. Neither were sensible though and glad that both apologised.
But frankly both were molehills in the grander scheme of things! We are too quick to take offence.
Zulu, read the blog and you tell me whether she sounds confused or offended. Why are you so desperate to defend someone making a joke about a disability? Stick to the point in question and actually defend what Cameron said. Argue with TeeJ all you like about racism (not that you'd know anything about it anyway as we showed last week).
We are too quick to take offence.
No, we are too quick to think we are offended when we are told that we should be offended, when really we should 1) think about whether we should be offended 2) not be so easily offended.
Unfortunately the situations in which we take offence and the point at which we become offended is constantly shifting based on people becoming more and more impressionable and persuaded by the barrage of opinion they are subjected to in the press/ media.
tmh has it
Why are you so desperate to defend someone making a joke about a disability
Because I support freedom of speech, which includes the freedom to offend, and the freedom to ridicule and take the piss out of anyone.
OOI - take away the personalities involved - how could you describe having to sit/stand opposite a person with similar characteristics/behaviour as Ed Balls in a pc and acceptable manner?
Zulu - if someone said, 'look at that guy, walks like a cripple' would you say that was offensive and if so/if not how does that compare with DC's comments?
LOLz at Zulu - that is the one of the few insightful things you've ever said about yourself. I think I have a much clearer idea of what kind of a person you are now. Jeez.
how could you describe having to sit/stand opposite a person with similar characteristics/behaviour as Ed Balls in a pc and acceptable manner?
Quite easily.
(Pokes head round door. Sees Z-11 get comprehensively [i]pwned[/i] (auto-pwned, even!). Chuckles. Wanders off to see what's going on elsewhere)
[i]IHN - I am certain it was scripted. I do not believe he ever makes a non scripted remark.[/i]
Seriously? How would he know what questions may come up? Does he have a scripted answer for every question he may ever be asked? Well, if nothing else he must have an incredible memory.
Having watched the dating video now I'm home, I think it's actually pretty disgusting (assuming it's real) and at best it's in pi$$ poor taste. It's one thing making a silly comment like CallMeDave's, it's quite another to overtly mock someone like that.
Zulu - if someone said, 'look at that guy, walks like a cripple' would you say that was offensive and if so/if not how does that compare with DC's comments?
Yes, its offensive - as was camerons comment, just as Diane abbots comment was Racist
was offence intended - question of fact
Was anyone offended? question of fact
is it a problem if anyone is offended? no
Should we single people out and bully them with personally offensive comments to delibaretly upset them? no, that would be deliberate oppression and bullying, thats not the same as making comments in public that could cause someone offence, that are directed against a particular person or group.
I don't demand people should be sacked every time they offend someone -Just like I don't call for Franke boyle to be sacked every time he makes an offensive joke, and just like I don't think that Diane Abbot should be sacked for making a comment that, like it or not, was racist, any more so than I think Alen Hansen should have been in trouble for using the word coloured - for me to do so would be applying double standards.
DD - yes? It was a serious question!
Any number of ways thm.
"I find him incredibly annoying. He keeps making that flatlining gesture every time I get up to speak. I wish he'd contribute something positive instead of making the same old gestures over and over again."
And to be honest, hundreds of other ways.
We know why Balls does it. It winds him and Gideon up. Sometimes (and you may not believe me, but I really do believe this) it makes him lose his cool and he shows that there's somebody who finds it quite easy to be nasty, patronising and personal underneath the exterior.
do these threads ever evolve into higher level discussion about root cause of these problems, some social commentary or solutions? or do you rely on others to spoon feed you your opinions?
all you do is tear strips off each other and argue over trivia and semantics.
I'm out.
It just doesn't flow though does it!!
TV, Twitter, Interviews etc - just shows that they are all minefields. Who would want to be an MP?
Zulu-Eleven - Memberis it a problem if anyone is offended? no
Take care in the work place then Z11. The legal stance in that area is quite clear whether anyone likes it not.