Hilarious Disabled People

I believe that modern PC culture promotes a negative hypersensitivity that encourages social exclusion of disabled people. I also believe that modern PC culture encourages the disabled to be defined by their disabilities rather than their abilities. I also believe that modern PC culture encourages a negative culture of victimization within the so-called 'disabled community'.

There are many reasons that I am against modern PC culture and I believe that it is important to rally against it. One of the things that I do is use the word 'retard' and other words that the PC community wants to ban. Of course I do not use the word retard to make fun of disabled people - but as a light insult to someone that I am disagreeing with.

So recently I was labelled as being "uneducated" and a "sociopath" for using the word retard as an insult. I was kind of offended to be honest because in my opinion the word 'uneducated' can be a classist as well as ableist insult when used in the context that is was when directed at me for using the word 'retard'.

I come from a working class background and I have no university education so for me the insult 'uneducated' is classist and offensive. I also suffer with the disability of dyslexia so for me the insult 'uneducated' is an ableist insult. I do find classism and ableism to be offensive but of course I would not want the word 'uneducated' to be banned or think that making the word 'uneducated' into the 'U-word' would do anything to prevent classism or ableism. I find it offensive that my spellcheck doesnt even know how to spell the words classism or ableism but it is just not healthy or constructive for me to overreact or to allow the intent of the person using these insults to get me down or to allow me to see myself as a victim or as someone that is defined by my background or my disability.

So like I said the classist and ablist insult 'uneducated' did offend me and to be honest it did get me down a little - not so much because of my lack of education or dyslexia - but more so due to the fact that my lack of education and my disability was being used to dismiss my opinion. There is a saying within the so-called disabled community that is - "Nihil de nobis, sine nobis"/"Nothing About Us Without Us" ( some of us speak Latin ). What this means is that disabled people should be included in disability policy making.

Far too often the disability workers community and disability advocates do not include disabled individuals in disability policy making and this is why the so-called disabled community have embraced the 'Nihil de nobis, sine nobis' slogan. It is often the case that the worst kinds of ableism exists within the disabled workers and advocates community due to their belief that they know better than the rest of us - and especially us disabled people - due to their common belief that they are morally and ethically superior humans that have been put on the earth to act os protectors and defenders of us helpless and worthless disabled or uneducated types. Until recently the opinions of the disabled were either dismissed or ignored all together.

Everyone deserves to have an opinion and it is a terrible thing when someones opinion is dismissed or ignored just because they are disabled or lack an education. This is not just true in relation to disability policy but for all areas of society. The disabled and the uneducated do deserve to have an opinion and to just dismiss them as worthless is highly offensive because every humans perspective is unique and does has value. Of course I am not suggesting that someone that has an intellectual disability or that is uneducated is going to comprehend retarded potentials in electrodynamics or contribute a great deal to theoretical physics - but you never know - and all people do deserve an a opinion.

So when I was feeling a little down about having my opinions on PC culture dismissed due to me being "uneducated" I happened to think of my favourite comedian - Steady Eddy. Steady Eddy was a very popular comedian here in Australia in the 90s. Sted has cerebral palsy and he made a name for himself by making jokes about the disabled. Back in the 90s we didnt really have PC culture like we do today and it was really nice. You could say the word retard and not be afraid that someone was going to label you an uneducated sociopath. So I watched some of his early comedy on youtube and it really cheered me up. I wrote down part of one of his routines for you guys. -

"How is everyone? I just got back from America. I found out something really interesting about myself, Im no longer disabled. ( Australian crowd laughs, claps and cheers ) Apparently now Im 'physically challenged'. ( crowd laughs ) Sounds like a bloody game show doesnt it. ( crowd laughs ) Can you imagine Ian Turpie standing there going - "And welcome to Physically Challenged!" ( crowd laughs ) "Steady Eddy, come on down!" ( laughs ) ( Steady Eddy pauses as if waiting ) ....... "Come on mate - the shows only half an hour long." ( laughs ) But this political correctness is a load of crap. It is. Can you imagine if political correctness made it to Australia? Can you imagine it?"

More from the routine -

"And how about Christopher Reeve - youve heard about Christopher Reeve? He he fell off a horse and broke his neck. I bet you he's not feeling too super at the moment is he? ( laughs ) But it got me thinking - that accident is really going to stuff up the start of Superman 5. ( laughs ) Can you imagine the beginning? Look up in the sky! ( laughs ) Its a bird! Its a plane! ....... No hang on. .... Bloke in a wheelchair. ( laughs, claps ) And imagine what would happen if he went to save someone and his cape got caught in his spokes. ( laughs ) So just remember this, the next time that you want bag a disabled person and p you know put em down - just remember this - ... Superman is now one of us." ( crowd laughs claps cheers )
-Steady Eddy/Aussie comedian

Australians loved Steady Eddy and in my opinion he did a great deal to encourage the idea that a disability does not define an individual - and with that - he promoted inclusion. I also loved how Steady Eddy promoted the idea that people shouldnt walk on egg shells around people that have a disability and the idea that it is not healthy or constructive for the disabled to be hypersensitive or for them to see themselves as being victims.

But it is not the 90s anymore thanks to America - and their PC culture that is promoted around the world due to US cultural hegemony. Now days the word retard has become - the R-word. Now we have to walk on eggshells around the disabled and encourage them to be hypersensitive victims that must be protected from the uneducated among us. If someone made a harmless black humour joke about Christopher Reeve these days - disabled or not - they would have to be concerned about being lynched by a rabble of educated PC Nazi fascists.

continued -

So I am reading a little more on the topic and I came across what many have described as the biggest controversy in Australian academia. Back in 2012 a Queensland University of Technology ( QUT ) Phd, student, Micheal Noonan was publicly attacked in the media by two academics from QUT for his thesis - 'Laughing at the Disabled'. Part of Noonans thesis was a comedic film - Down Under Mystery Tour' - that featured two intellectually disabled guys. Noonan showed part of his film at his confirmation seminar and these two academics disagreed because they felt that the two men featured in the film were being exploited and humiliated - so they decided to attack Noonan and his thesis through the media by writing an article titled "Philistines of relativism no longer at the gates".

To me it is interesting that these two academics that were so very offended by Noonans thesis choose the word 'Philistine' to attack him. I am uneducated and I do not have a particularly great vocabulary but from what I do know the word 'Philistine' has been used to dehumanize and dismiss the person that it is directed at. To me it seems very similar to using the word 'uneducated' to insult a person. If a person is 'uneducated' and 'ignorant' then the 'educated' can pile all of the vile hate and micro-aggressions onto that individual that they like and apparently this is justified - because the subhuman 'uneducated' person is 'uneducated' after all and deserving of hate and insults and dismissal. I guess it is a bit difficult to call a Phd. student 'uneducated' to dismiss them and their opinion so these two academics choose the word Philistine to justify their personal attack on him and their dismissal of his thesis.

So QUT suspended these two academics for six months without pay. Of course a rabble of do-gooding PC students, staff and members of the public protested the universities decision. The two academics and their do-gooding PC rabble claimed that the university was punishing the academics for daring to stand up for the disabled - and they also claimed that the university was preventing the academics right to free speech - which is actually ridiculous since the two were attacking the free speech of Noonan by attempting to prevent him from completing his thesis - "Laughing at the Disabled".

So this poor guy Micheal Noonan was attacked as an evil and offensive 'Philistine' by this PC rabble despite the fact that none of these people had read his thesis or seen the film. The academics had only seen parts of the unfinished film when they judged it as offensive and unacceptable exploitation of the disabled. All of these PCs demanded that Noonan release the film to prove that it was not offensive but he refused because the film and his thesis were unfinished - but to the overreacting PCs Noonans refusal to release the film was proof that he was guilty of exploiting the disabled.

Now the worst thing about all of this is that these academics and their PC mob did not bother to ask the two intellectually disabled men how they felt about the film. It turns out that the two men considered this film - and a previous Noonan film that they had featured in titled 'Unlikely Travelers' were the best things that had ever happened to them. These guys did have intellectual disabilities but both of them had jobs and were independent enough to go to the pub and drive a vehicle. The two academics and their PC rabble just assumed that they didnt need to ask the opinion of the two men that they were apparently crusading for. So imagine how those two guys felt about all of this. And then imagine what this whole thing was like for the parents of these two men.

The academics and their PC rabble claimed that even if the two intellectually disabled men had given consent to be the stars of Noonans film that was part of his thesis - their consent was not informed consent. These guys can drive a car and go to the pub and order a beer - but apparently they are not capable of agreeing to feature in a film that is designed to break down stereotypes that society has given to disabled individuals. And like I said - the mens parents were aware of the film - and the previous film that they were in and they were all for it - but then all of a sudden they read in the paper that two academics and the PCs of Australia believe that they are guilty of allowing their sons to be victims of exploitation at the hands of an evil Philistine Phd. student. This is the danger of PC culture and the reason that I refuse to stop using the word retard.

So when Micheal Noonan has finished his thesis and his film he released 'Down Under Mystery Tour' and surprise surprise - it was fine and Noonans intentions were proven to be honourable. This poor guy - and the two men that have intellectual disabilities that starred in the film - and their families - were attacked and demonized due to the hypersensitivity and disability stereotyping that PC culture promotes. The Australian Catholic Disability Council had this to say about Noonans film - "Five members of the ACBC ( Australian Catholic Bishops Council ) agree that the project has the potential to advance greater understanding - and to increase inclusivity of people living with a disability". Micheal Noonan is a good guy and he was trying to do something positive for people that are living with disability - but crusading PC culture almost prevented it. It turns out that people with intellectual disability are capable of being funny after all.

Now I am uneducated and I also suffer with the silent disability dyslexia - so you may be quick to dismiss what I am saying here - especially if I have made any spelling errors - so here is something that I read on "Laughing at the Disabled" from an educated person that I hope you will consider -

"It is inaccurate to speak of “the disabled” as a class or a community, as if disability provided a cultural and historical unity with some evolved mass sensibility. A person with a disability is going to be defined or socialised by their family, peers, work, institutions and television – just like anyone else. The public perception of a disabled community is generated by workers in the disability industry and is an illusion that describes their work issues and environment more than the real lives of people with disabilities.

The exception is the deaf community who resist the notion that they have a disability, just a different language, culture and community.

This disability worker generated illusion of a “disabled community”is that which informs government and community group policy and programs for this class of people “the disabled” " - Jonathan Richards/Paradigm Oz

I agree with Richards that this so-called 'disabled community' is a myth that has been created by and for the disabled workers and advocates community. These people do not speak for all of us that suffer with a disability just because they promote and are promoted by US cultural hegemony. Just because the Special Olympics claims that we cannot use the word retard does not mean that they speak for all disabled individuals or that they are right. Not all gay people agree with or support the Sydney Gay Mardi Gras - not all black people agree with or support the concept of 'Affirmative Action' and not all disabled people agree with or support the Special Olympics and their official views.

continued -

So just like I refuse to allow the PCs to ban the word 'retard' I also refuse to allow them to ban the word '(SNIP)'. Apparently the PCs are fine with black people using the word (SNIP) but us non-black humans are not allowed to use it in any context which is utterly ridiculous and causes great works like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to be censored or even banned. There is nothing racist about Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the great book is a great example of why we must reject the idea that the word (SNIP) cannot be said - unless by a black person.

I use the words retard and (SNIP) not to come off as being an 'uneducated' 'sociopath' hiding behind the veil of disagreeing with PC culture so that I can offend so-called 'minorities' but because I honestly do disagree with PC culture because I see it as being negative and dangerous. I do feel this way so I was happy to also read this from the above article written by an educated person. -

"In conclusion

I would like to suggest a close parralell between community attitudes and policy regarding disability and Aboriginality. Too often Aboriginality has been perceived by policy makers as a disability that needs to be overcome rather than a cultural framework on which to build. But this article is not about that." - Jonathan Richards/Paradigm Oz

I think he means parallel. And clearly there is a parallel. These educated do-gooder PC types see themselves as being above people that have disability and above minorities and above the so-called 'uneducated'. We are the helpless and these educated do-gooder PC types have been sent to save us apparently. High on their agenda is banning the words retard and (SNIP) apparently. They want them to be the R-word and the N-word instead. Lets all give them a big clap shall we? Pat yourselves on the backs PCs. Thank God for the PCs. What would we do without them? .....Jesus Christ. And what about the word spastic? The S-word won't work will it?

"If interest groups want to pour resources into cleaning up unintentional insults, more power to them; we surely would benefit from greater kindness to one another. But we must not let "retard" go without a requiem. If the goal is to protect intellectually disabled individuals from put-downs and prejudice, it won't succeed. New words of insult will replace old ones." - Christopher F Fairman/The Case Gainst Banning the Word Retard/Washington Post

Christopher F Fairman is right. The very reason that people that that have intellectual disability were called retarded in the first place was because before that they were referred to as "idiot", "imbecile" and "moron". you ban one word then another will just take its place. Banning words is not the way to stop people from using words with negative intent. Already people are using 'special needs' as an insult. You can call disabled people - 'people with special mental needs' if you like - or you can try ' differently abled' - but the fact is that whatever word you use - someone is going to be offended whether it be a PC or a person that has a disability. Banning words solves nothing and all it really does is give these words a negative power that they do not deserve and encourages an unhealthy, unconstructive and negative hypersensitivity among PCs and members of the so-called 'disabled community' that reinforces stereotypes and prevents important debate on important topics.

Here in 2019 I could not agree with Steady Eddy more - political correctness is a load of crap.

youtu.be...

a reply to: deknubed

Let me get this straight.. what I got from this is..

You like to call people retarded as "light" insult, and you don't like that people tell you it's offensive.

Yet, you are offended that people call you "uneducated" and you are offended that you've been called a sociopath.

I don't know what you want us to say man...

That's retarded

a reply to: deknubed

So recently I was labelled as being "uneducated" and a "sociopath" for using the word retard as an insult. I was kind of offended to be honest because in my opinion the word 'uneducated' can be a classist as well as ableist insult when used in the context that is was when directed at me for using the word 'retard'.

Whats there to be offended by?

you throw out an insult, do you seriously expect a complement in return?

It's a gray area that a lot of minority and majority groups face when interacting with each other.

When is a joke more than a joke? And when is a joke "just a joke"?

If you can definitively answer that question you will single handedly advance race, sex, religion and disabled relationsions.


I'm sure you would agree it can't be all that great a feeling to hear people use your disability (something you take gravely serious) as a light hearted joke. But at the same time you don't want to be make a big deal out of something that doesn't have to be. It can be quite a mixed bag of emotions.

How about this ... instead of people telling you what you should or should not say (making a big deal out of a little joke) .... you just take it upon your self, your choice, to not use the word "retard" as a joke because there are other ways to get your joke across that don't potentially make other people feel bad about themselves.

You don't have to see it as succumbing to the oppressive PC culture. Instead view it as you doing a little thing that might help someone else feel better about themselves.

originally posted by: Lucidparadox
a reply to: deknubed

Let me get this straight.. what I got from this is..

You like to call people retarded as "light" insult, and you don't like that people tell you it's offensive.

Yet, you are offended that people call you "uneducated" and you are offended that you've been called a sociopath.

I don't know what you want us to say man...

That's retarded

Touche'...we'll put

a reply to: Lucidparadox

Ha.

Well I could just as easily use the word imbecile to insult a liberal that I am disagreeing with but I find that the word retard is more likely to trigger them and bring out the hate that is in all of their hearts - and when you do trigger liberals into insulting the uneducated you are exposing that hate that is in all of their hearts as well as outing them for the absolute hypocrites that they all are in relation to the uneducated and everyone else that they see as being below them. Liberals want to believe that they are good people and for others to believe that too - and these do-gooders present themselves as wanting to help the poor/uneducated but the fact is that they hate the poor and uneducated. Look at how the liberal media will tell us that most uneducated people are Trump supporters and most educated people are Democrat supporters - what they are saying is that only a stupid person would vote for Trump - anyone with any intelligence would vote for the Democrats. The identity of the educated liberal is to reject working class culture and working class people - they truly hate us - yet they claim to be our saviours - they want to help the poor right? Well unless they are white of course - no affirmative action for poor whites right - being poor is their own fault! Liberals think that poor whites are only poor due to them being stupid, lazy or both - minorities on the other hand are poor due to white privilege. You can call anyone a retard or imbecile - there is nothing classist or ableist about them but to use the word uneducated as an insult most certainly is classist and abelist and its very unfair because a lack of university/college education has zero to do with an individuals intelligence or the worth of their opinion.

what the # is happening to ATS....its getting worse.

Someone please go wake up Bill!!

a reply to: InhaleExhale

Well if I call you a retard or let's say imbecile - I am simply saying that I think you are stupid/wrong - but the insult uneducated implies that I must be wrong if the insult came from an educated person and I think that there is something very wrong with that because a lack of education does not make my opinion any less valid than someone that has a higher education. Like I said above - the liberal media loves to tell us that the majority of Trump supporters are uneducated and what they are saying is that we are stupid and that we should be dismissed because all the intelligent people disagree with us. Know what I mean?

a reply to: DanDanDat

Thank you for your thoughtful reply - I will consider it. But like I said above - I think that if we avoid words like retard then some other word like retard will just take its place and we will be giving these avoided or banned words more power than they deserve. But yeah I'm not out to offend retarded people. I'm out to offend liberals.

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
what the # is happening to ATS....its getting worse.

Someone please go wake up Bill!!

Just step back and realise that most people are extremely out of touch with reality, it helps me browse the forums.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

It was hilarious. Come on. M-O-O-N - that spells Molly Ringwald? You dont like Molly Ringwald humour? What is wrong with you?

How about Parker Lewis humour? If you want to see Parker Lewis lose then The Stand is the movie for you. Parker Lewis loses bigtime in The Stand.

a reply to: deknubed

Well if I call you a retard or let's say imbecile - I am simply saying that I think you are stupid/wrong

But that is not what you said earlier in your OP

you said you said it as an insult, its what I was replying too and what I quoted you saying.

How can one possibly think when they insult someone they wont receive the same in return?

Idiots who need to insult others must be stupid if they think they will get away with nothing in return and are lucky they still have their teeth after insulting someone if its face to face.

Do you think you can hit or punch a person and not receive one back in retaliation?

but the insult uneducated implies that I must be wrong

yes and?

so its the same as what you say to them isn't it?

One person says uneducated to say you are wrong you say retard to call them wrong.

If you cannot take it, then maybe don't dish it out.

but the insult uneducated implies that I must be wrong if the insult came from an educated person and I think that there is something very wrong with that because a lack of education does not make my opinion any less valid than someone that has a higher education.

You said you called another a retard as an insult.

Giving ones opinion and calling someone a retard to be insulting are 2 different sports in my books,

one is an intellectual game of chess when its used to debate the other can turn out to be a barbaric physical sport.

If you play the sport that can turn into a full contact fight not sure how you can get upset when your opponent uses the same tactics you try using against them.

Like I said above - the liberal media loves to tell us that the majority of Trump supporters are uneducated and what they are saying is that we are stupid and that we should be dismissed because all the intelligent people disagree with us. Know what I mean?

NO

I don't fall for that left or right BS. Those caught up in it may or may not have an education but show the same either way, a lack of critical thinking.

and that has nothing to do with what you said and what I quoted and replied too.

I see you failed to answer a very simple question or 2 I asked.

I'm out to offend liberals.

WOW

you even post this in another post

Well I could just as easily use the word imbecile to insult a liberal that I am disagreeing with but I find that the word retard is more likely to trigger them and bring out the hate that is in all of their hearts - and when you do trigger liberals into insulting the uneducated you are exposing that hate that is in all of their hearts as well as outing them for the absolute hypocrites that they all are in relation to the uneducated and everyone else that they see themselves as being below them.

Do you see yourself as a hypocrite or would you say you were not one?

If you do see yourself as one I would that find hard to believe, one who recognizes their own hypocrisy would not be insulted after using words that can be interpreted as offensive to insult another.

They would expect it in return, actually most thinking people would expect something in return if they insult someone.

Its why some actually do, they do so to trigger others and you have said its why you do it, so you must have something seriously wrong upstairs to find it offensive when you get a reaction when you do it purposely to get one.

a reply to: deknubed
Your opening post has little to do with free speech, ableism, disabilities, intelligence or education level — and everything to do with grasping at an excuse to use the word “retard” and other such insults to be cruel for the sake of cruelty.

I’ll rephrase a bit you shared to drive the point home.

I am uneducated and I do not have a particularly great vocabulary but from what I do know the word “retard” has been used to dehumanize and dismiss the person that it is directed at. To me it seems very similar to using the word 'uneducated' to insult a person. If a person is 'uneducated' and 'ignorant' then the 'educated' can pile all of the vile hate and micro-aggressions onto that individual that they like and apparently this is justified - because the subhuman 'uneducated' person is 'uneducated' after all and deserving of hate and insults and dismissal.

See how that works?

The same is true of the use of racial slurs, you seem so eager to want to hurl about with abandon and without consequence. Yet, you become offended at the use of “uneducated” knowing full well it is meant to “dehumanize and dismiss the person” to which it’s aimed.

Odd that.

The truth is, you can’t have it both ways. Instead, maybe you should consider trying not to add to maladies of this world by not looking for excuses to toss about insults, slurs and other random bits of maliciousness for the sake of cruelty.

It really isn’t that difficult. Perhaps, you can instill a little empathy and understanding in your life while adding more positivity to this world. That would be a win-win.

a reply to: deknubed

Im not going to speak for the "PC crowd," I think they are nuts and am outspoken about it.

I think a lot of the gravity of your post is taken away by the constant use of "retard." I feel like there are more pertinent points that can be made. Im not offended by the word though..

I think the issue, as with many subjects, is people getting offended on behalf of others.

But, the reality is that for many of us cripples, we are difficult to deal with. Not that we are difficult people (I am, but thats besides the point ), but more that it requires special effort to maintain a relationship and that extra effort pretty much has to come from the non-disabled person, by definition.

If I want to spend time with a friend, they need to come to me. I cant really go to a bar, or amusement park, etc. What can you do? I dont blame people for growing apart in this context.

I do believe that technology drastically changes things for crippled folks, but its a work in progress. Thankfully, many of the things that help also benefit normal people.

All that said, I feel that at least some aspects of "ableism" are accurate. We simply cant do the things that most take for granted. And, I think its unfair for both "sides" to expect the normal person to even remotely understand what its like. Conversely, cripples are not "worthless" inherently, and I think youll find most of us can laugh at ourselves more readily than the vast majority of people. Because, without that.. It is all to easy to fall into darkness.