I consider myself to be pretty politically correct person however i always called a chinese takeaway a chinky and as far as i have ever known it was an abbreviation of chinese take away in the same way chippy is an abbreviation of fish and chip shop. It was only when my wife pointed out that it was offensive did itoccur to me that it was offensive.

At the end of the day its not really about what you think of the word it how others percieve it and you havevto respect their views.

Don’t get me started on Buddhists; I’m a terrible zenophobe.

Get out.

(-:

That wasn’t really what I was getting at; I’m not disputing that it’s assumed to be pejorative irrespective of context, I’m trying to demonstrate that it’s ridiculous that it is.

You are confusing what it should mean and what it does mean as you are with the swastika.

It menas what it does because of what Hitler did with it and we cannot pretend this has not changed what the symbol means to people now.
Ditto we cannot just pretend **** is not just an abreviation of Pakisatani a sit means so much more.
You seem to be arguing that words [symbols] dont mean what they mean

If he’d used the word “mong” in his stand up routine, no one would have batted an eyelid. Why are people complaining because he used it on twitter?

Because there was no context to it. If he had walked out on stage and pulled a face and said “Look at me, I’m a mong”, Without some routine around it many people would have batted an eyelid. The use of such a term needs to be carefully considered.

I consider myself to be pretty politically correct person however i always called a chinese takeaway a chinky and as far as i have ever known it was an abbreviation of chinese take away in the same way chippy is an abbreviation of fish and chip shop. It was only when my wife pointed out that it was offensive did itoccur to me that it was offensive.

well, then it seems that you weren’t and now you are.

Toby Young things Garvais should be able to say/tweet the word mong. Therefore, he shouldn’t.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyyoung/100112315/ricky-gervais-is-a-loathsome-twit-but-hes-entitled-to-make-jokes-about-whomever-he-likes/

Offense is a personal thing therefore you should keep it to yourself. Personally I like what Doug Stanhope had to say on the matter

I remember a similar amount of ‘outrage’ after Frankie Boyle took the piss out of kids with learning disabilities a year or two back. People remarked then, and I have to agree with them, that you cant cherry pick what to be offended by or not, but I still feel a little uncomfortable with it. As I said earlier on this thread, as the parent of a little lad with a learning disability, I have bigger thinngs to worry about than a smug comedian with an over inflated sense of self. However, seeing the amount of grief my son gets on a daily basis, I cant help but wish mr gervais would realise that what he sees as a bit of a laugh will only perpetuate the belief that it’s somehow alright to use terms like ‘mong’.

What’s more offensive?

You’re a mong.

You remind me of Ricky Gervais.

The world’s gone mad.

Makes me happy that he’s obviously so immensly popular, and it annoys the numptys.

Come on Ricky, say something about bikes!

Well, I went mayd years ago, so there’s no hope. 😥

I’m more offended by the use of the words;

Sessioned
Awesome and
Stoked

Anyone using them should be taken out and Gadaffi’d

(Which, if society’s not gone over that particular ‘them and us’ cliff yet, should still be offensive to someone here)

in other news the World Wildlife Fund has banned the use of the name “beaver” for Castor canadensis as it can be seen as perjorative.

They will now be referred to as “vagina squirrels”

Anyone see the Monty Python thing on BBC4 last night? In it the John Cleese character asked what is wrong with causing offence.

it depends why you cause offence. If the life of brian offends christians but makes a point then that is ok.
if i call someones wife an ugly trout with the face of a donkey it is less obvious what “right” i have to do this.
If i compare someone to a term for a learning difficulty with racist overtones again it is a much less noble reason
remember bill and ted and be excellent to each other [ air guitar solo].
sometime s you cause offence when making a point sometimes you just cause offence.

I think the forum rule of ‘never say owt to someone online you woon’t say to their face in Real Life™’ is quite a good one to go by generally really. One which I certainly stick to on here.

Sadly I apparently still manage to cause a disproportionate amount of offence. 🙁

Maybe a career in comedy just isn’t for me…

Oh whell.

Oh, I don’t know. I think you’re bloody hilarious.

(-:

he not as good as you though 😀

Well, Gervais and F.Boyle envy my notoriety…

I dunno what’s going on these days, I think in a lot of cases it’s just plain attention seeking on behalf of the hand wringers, seriously do you think for one moment the actual downs syndrome sufferers themselves are at all offended by Gervais’s remarks, wether or not it was aimed at them. No, it’s those tasked with the job of caring for them, or those parents who are sensitive to the stares and probably over sensitive in some instances.

Sayings used to go sticks and stones.. etc.

And whatever happened to

“I may not like what you say, but I will defend your right to the death to say it.”

Thousands died to support that particular mantra.

And now, you can get called racist, banned from places like this for the silliest of remarks by small minded power crazed folk.

All of it is hypocrisy we offend each other in all sorts of ways without even realising it at times, yet protect particular groups in the name of God knows what sort of harmony.

Basic human tribalistic tendency will always select some group or other for ironic diversion quite why now it’s become a criminal offence one can only assume is down to lack of real enemy action as a diversion.

Either way stuff like this sucks.

derekrides

so you think its ok to use words for diasbilities as insults?

seriously do you think for one moment the actual downs syndrome sufferers themselves are at all offended by Gervais’s remarks

Dunno. Why don’t you ask some, come back to us with the answers?

And now, you can get called racist, banned from places like this for the silliest of remarks by small minded power crazed folk.

Some of your remarks are very silly though derek, be fair. 😀

elfin you can’t use “silly” it’s derived from the ridicule of those who are weak minded. You may as well just have called him a “mong” or “joey”

I’m very disappointed in you, I though you were the moral pillar of this ‘ere forum

Silly they may be, but no offence intended to anyone here as i recall, and no doubt had it been one of you two ‘longer termers’ no action would have resulted.

I don’t care what anyone says about anybody, i subscribe to Helvetius (the man who quoted the defend your right to say it line) people call me all sorts of things, it doesn’t hurt, it does me no harm.

You can call me Gay, Faggot, Ugly, Uncool, i can react to the contrary should I so wish, but some self appointed judge jury and executioner calling me racist and banning the use of a public forum because of his own personal and very probably contrived offence, I find personally very offensive.

So as to your question do I think it’s lame?

Is my ironic comeback to your spelling disability..

sorry Derek you can’t use “Lame” either as it’s derogatory to those who are less mobile than others

downs syndrome sufferers

You do not suffer disability – you live with it. 🙄

You can call me Gay, Faggot, Ugly, Uncool, i can react to the contrary should I so wish, but some self appointed judge jury and executioner calling me racist and banning the use of a public forum because of his own personal and very probably contrived offence, I find personally very offensive.

You find it offensive when people call you racist?

Free speech. Not always a GoodThing.

why call it a disability at all? we are all just people, some are slightly different than others,surely that is all part of the rich pattern of life? this obsession with labelling and categorisation is half of the problem as soon as someone has a “label” it’s easy for them to cease to be seen a person and just be seen as “the disabled”

Free speech. Not always a GoodThing.

ALWAYS a good thing otherwise we are no longer free.

tazzymtb – Member
sorry Derek you can’t use “Lame” either as it’s derogatory to those who are less mobile than others

Er yes, full irony was intended…

CharlieMungus – Member

You find it offensive when people call you racist?

Er funnily enough I do, as I frequently entertain and ride with Muslim, Slav, Afro Caribean, Indian, suitors of my daughters as part of my family and frequently bear witness to genuine acts of racism against them and by them at times.

I hope this forum doesnt repersent the views of the rest of society i hate to think where we are going to be in 20 years, not allowed to tell knock knco jokes because they are offensive to people with no hands.

Soem people need to get out the Sweeney and professionals box set and get a life.

Now where is my Jerry Sadowitz DVD

knock knock jokes are also offensive to the homeless as they have no front door…SHAME ON YOU!

why call it a disability at all? we are all just people, some are slightly different than others,surely that is all part of the rich pattern of life? this obsession with labelling and categorisation is half of the problem as soon as someone has a “label” it’s easy for them to cease to be seen a person and just be seen as “the disabled”

Well, ‘disabled’ is a reasonable term as some folks have a limitations on their avilities to function in the world as it is designed for the majority. Now we can argue about the source of the disability, the social model says that it is society which disables people. E.g. Someone in a wheelchair is disabled by stairs, not their inability to walk. After all if we designed access for wheelchairs then being in a wheelchair does not stop you from any function so there is no longer a disability

tazzy, I meant that sometimes it means you have to listen to utter bollocks.

Otherwise, stop being silly! 🙂

Er funnily enough I do, as I frequently entertain and ride with Muslim, Slav, Afro Caribean, Indian, suitors of my daughters as part of my family and frequently bear witness to genuine acts of racism against them and by them at times.

Sticks and stones, Derek. Racist is just a name, i don’t know why you let it bother you. It’snot meant to be offensive, it’s just a descriptive term which reflects how people feel about you. Don’t be so sensitve. I am however encouraged that you would defend our right to call you racist, because that’s what you are.

stevewhyte – Member

I hope this forum doesnt repersent the views of the rest of society i hate to think where we are going to be in 20 years

I bluddy well hope not as well- I dispair at how insensitive, unthinking and bigoted many of the poster are

DD I’m terribly offended now and will gently weep into my pillow all night 😥

CharlieMungus – Member
Er funnily enough I do, as I frequently entertain and ride with Muslim, Slav, Afro Caribean, Indian, suitors of my daughters as part of my family and frequently bear witness to genuine acts of racism against them and by them at times.
Sticks and stones, Derek. Racist is just a name, i don’t know why you let it bother you. It’snot meant to be offensive, it’s just a descriptive term which reflects how people feel about you. Don’t be so sensitve. I am however encouraged that you would defend our right to call you racist, because that’s what you are.

It wasn’t the action of name calling that offended me, it was the three day ban by the faceless hand wringer without recourse or question that offended me.

TandemJeremy – Member

I bluddy well hope not as well- I dispair at how insensitive, unthinking and bigoted many of the poster are

I try my best. 😆

Oh, sorry, just that when i asked if you found it offensive to be called that name, you said that you did. I’m sorry i’m a little bit foreign and sometimes struggle with the nuances of the English language. So you mean you are offended if someone treats you negatively because they think you are ‘one of them’?