Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#1
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-12683456
Let's please not turn this political as I know where it will go straight away, but a political candidate said if:
"Britain would have less litter if blind people had pointed sticks."
Can nothing be said light heartedly?
Been nice knowing you :)
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#2
That comment was not the worst one, he made several other inadvisable remarks from what was reported on the news the other day.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#3
It might have been amusing in the right context, read here it is not particulary funny.
Offensive, no of course not and anyone who feels offended by such a comment really needs to get a life.
I have said it before but people are far to quick to take offense or to 'manufacture offense', often on behalf of other people. Besides, there is nothing wrong in being offended every now and then, you at least know you are alive!
I sincerely hope that I offend many of you now and again, no need to thank me because I am pleased to say a lot of you offend me too!
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
#4
The crack about blind people was offensive.
People who fling litter anywhere other than in a litter basket, even if it is 2 yards away, are not blind, where-as blind people have been collectively offended in the despicable remark.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#5
the main problem seems to me what people in high positions say when they make statements on the aptly named "twitter" site.
a mixture of politicians, footballers, cricketers and others don't seem to realise that they have enemies that will use any ill advised comments against them.
the jokes if told in a pub would get laughs from some and not from others.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#6
I am amazed that these people in public life continue to be very stupid PR wise. How many more lessons do they need...this stuff is not acceptable in a public figure anymore. We have seen it over and over again recently, yet plonkers continue to offend, and you have to call them plonkers because they just dont learn the very very obvious lesson.
There were blind constituents on TV last night very offended about this. And if blind people are offended by it, then it ends there. Much the same way as you cannot make anyone disabled the butt of your jokes. Not if you want a public life anyway.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#7
Sad and pathetic sensitive little souls.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#8
Barry
i'm pleased you have your sight
and not disabled
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#9
it is sometimes assumed that disabled or handicapped people do not have a sense of humour.
this is totally wrong, when the character in a wheelchair in "little britain" hit our screens the po faced fraternity were up in arms despite the fact that he was a hero to the children who actually were wheelchair ridden.
i saw the blind bloke doing his bit on the television, apparently he is a serial moaner and has little support amongst blind people that want to be part of society.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#10
True story
When Band Aid popstars were rehearsing their track 'Feed the World' Ray Charles was quoted as saying that if they didn't get it right on the next take that he would make Stevie Wonder drive them home.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#11
exactly my point, everyone wants to be part of the mainstream whatever their handicap.
they do not want to be pitied or patronised.
#12
One of the funniest sites and podcasts ever. Try it out. Loads of lovely offensive stuff straight from the horses mouth...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#13
Quite true - I think the blind are generally more sensible than to be offfended by post #1.
Those who are offended are either total fools or precious little darlings who need to grow up. Keith - whatever rubbish you said in another thread you really are in thrall to pc twaddle.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
#14
So who then, Barry, were the offended people that PaulB referred to?
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#15
You clearly need to ask PaulB that Alexander.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#16
baz;
you speak as though you post sense all the time
far from it mate
but everyone to there own
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#17
Yes disabled or blind people have just the same sense of humour as you or I in general terms. But not if they are the butt of the often cruel jokes. The laughing stops then. Jokes are very subjective anyway. Some attempts at humour fall very flat. But if I had a disabled daughter for example I wouldnt be laughing if her disability was the stuff of jokes.
Some of this can lead to general nastiness in society and it can lead anti social types who are not too bright into taking jokes seriously and persecuting those more unfortunate than themselves....as we have seen on our news programmes quite often recently. Even disabled soldiers from Afghanistan have had this kind of abuse.
So if a politician putting himself forward to serve his community also serves up this kind of stuff he has no place in public life. This guy was standing for Labour and was a former mayor. But he must be fairly dimmmmm...when you consider the sackings and uproar recently over public people doing the same thing and then as a consequence getting fired pronto. Then to still do it - dim.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#18
So what was cruel about the 'joke' in post #1 PaulB?
You could accuse it of not being very funny, but cruel, no.
Me, I love mother in law jokes, blonde jokes, yes and Irish jokes too..... Cruel many of them can be but are not intended to hurt individuals and some of the best tellers or Irish jokes are the Irish....
It is all about a sense of proportion and perspective.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#19
but if it offends a blind person you make the joke about?
or if you were to have a family member who were blind
maybe a different outlook?
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#20
No - Keith. The joke in post #1 was clearly not aimed at a specific person.
Making fun of specific individuals can be a different matter but even then it depends on circumstance/intent and the nature of what is done.
To have a blanket ban as some pc adherants would have is not only daft it would mean the end of all comedy.
Comedy is about making fun of people, individuals and types of people as well as situations. 'Till Death' was a dig at rascist bigots (though they were so thick they did not realise it), Only Fools poked fun at uneducated 'sarth Londoners', even the most bland of comedies such as Terry and June is poking fun at a particular type of person and as for 'Mrs Bucket'.....