Life is riddled with a procession of minor impediments

[Grugz]

And the film is 'Gentleman with Anger Management Issues'.
Not as snappy.

" mentally handicapped" isn't "snappy" its an offensive term no decent person would use in these enlightened times just as I would expect other archaic terms for conditions,race and sexual orientation to not be used.

[A.Cow]

Finally went to see Mad Max last night and was sat in front of a mentally handicapped teenage girl who talked, clapped and shouted all through the film. Naturally it spoiled my enjoyment of the movie and now I feel bad because of feeling bad about it, if that makes any sense at all  .

its actually" girl with learning difficulties " and she had as much right to see the film as you did.

Sorry, but it's never as simple as that.

I work regularly with young people who, for whatever reason, cannot control aspects of their behaviour.  They will cross the "acceptable" line (that society draws by consensus) and cause disruption to those in their vicinity.  However, because these young people are visibly different, society cuts them more slack and adjusts its tolerance levels.

It's inescapable, though, that there are points where disruption goes beyond that which can (or will) be tolerated; when the equal opportunities of others are suffering.  In these cases we have no choice but to segregate and to find an alternative way for them to have their right without infringing others' rights.

In the case of Rog69's cinema experience, I fully understand his dichotomy and refuse to condemn him.  He can, at least, take heart in the fact that the young lady enjoyed herself and his sacrifice enabled him to witness that joy.

[Grugz]

" there are points where disruption goes beyond that which can (or will) be tolerated; when the equal opportunities of others are suffering.  In these cases we have no choice but to segregate
"

  Mate, I have worked with adults and children with special needs of varying degrees since I was 17,which is a long time, we have a young man with special needs in our extended family .  those comments I have highlighted are  offensive .

   there is a government white paper called "social role valorisation" I recommend you read it ,basically its about normalisation and treating everyone equally ,there is also a "disability discrimination act" . Talking about segregation and going beyond toleration is laughable ,make those comments about gay people or people of a different colour or religion if you dare.
   I don't know where you do work but I hope that they don't share this view on segregation.

 
   

[Fungus]

And the film is 'Gentleman with Anger Management Issues'.
Not as snappy.

" mentally handicapped" isn't "snappy" its an offensive term

I didn't say "mentally handicapped", plus it was a (relatively poor) joke on mealy-mouthed politically correct terminology.

[Grugz]

fair enuff

[The Legendary Shark]

'Granma! You can't say "nig-nogs" any more. It's offensive!'
.
'Offensive to who?'
.
'To the n... to the black people.'
.
'What black people?'
.
'All of them!'
.
'All the black people are listening to us?'
.
'Don't be silly, Granma. It's not about that - it's about understanding and respect for other people.'
.
'All right, Love, I'm sorry I said "nig-nogs."'
.
'Good. Thank you."
.
'And I promise I won't say "nig-nogs" again.'
.
'Granma!'
.
'He, he he. What do you want for your tea?'
.
'Ooh - fish fingers, please!'
.
***
.
'Twas ever thus.

[Theblazeuk]

Grugz, no one said she didn't have a right to see the movie. Rog is literally saying that his enjoyment of it was spoiled by noise and disruption but that he understands that the noise and disruption was not something that could be avoided. And that he feels bad. He was being honest about it. Getting up on the high horse doesn't help anyone.

Terminology skipped over as no one is certain or happy with any of the terms.

[Grugz]

he could have moved seat, it was the terminology that bothered me and especially the response from acow.  It wasn't getting on my high horse, I saw a bigoted view of people with special needs and flagged it up as is my right, you don't have to agree with me ,you can go to the local day centre and stand at the gates pointing and laughing if you want to, doesn't make it right though does it?

[JamesC]

Surely the term 'learning difficulty' doesn't cover all types of 'mental handicap' though?

[Theblazeuk]

No one is doing that though. The bigoted view is in your imagination, the only evidence you have of this contradicts itself.

Seeing problems where there are none helps no one. If it's fallen to the level of saying 'as is my right' then, there, that's my right to say too - that there's enough real bigotry around that inventing people going to day centres to "Stand at the gates pointing and laughing" is frankly, an insult in itself. Self-defeating, destructive and dependent on a straw man Slaine would be proud to set fire to.

[Grugz]

No one is doing that though. The bigoted view is in your imagination, the only evidence you have of this contradicts itself.

Seeing problems where there are none helps no one. If it's fallen to the level of saying 'as is my right' then, there, that's my right to say too - that there's enough real bigotry around that inventing people going to day centres to "Stand at the gates pointing and laughing" is frankly, an insult in itself. Self-defeating, destructive and dependent on a straw man Slaine would be proud to set fire to.

talking about segregation isn't bigoted?
if there are no problems as you say then its ok to make a post highlighting a person's special needs as the reason it spoilt his film enjoyment,why not just say "a teenage girl" full stop.?
and the standing at the gates was a sarcastic comment if you couldn't see it.

     

[Richmond Clements]

talking about segregation isn't bigoted?

I may be wrong, but I have just had a look down thread, and the only person talking about segregation is you.
Let's all take a step away from the subject and come back when our heads are cooler, eh?

[Grugz]

it was "a.cow" who said it in his post,but you must have missed that, I said my piece and am happy to leave it, I just felt very strongly about something and  chose to highlight it.

[The Legendary Shark]

Just writing "teenage girl" with no descriptors wouldn't really convey the heart of the story - which is feeling bad for feeling bad. I don't think the phrase "mentally handicapped" was a particularly bigoted choice of words, given the context. Uninformed, maybe, but no more than that - and we're all uninformed about some things. That said, I thought it was a perfectly reasonable story told in a perfectly reasonable way. Can you imagine, for instance, how the much-missed Mr Godpleton might have related the same experience? We got off lightly, trust me.
.
I can see why the phrase "mentally handicapped" might cause offence - the word "mentally" is ever more synonymous with the word "madly" and "handicapped" is just one up from "crippled" - but isn't "learning difficulties" insulting, or at the very least condescending, as well? The teenage girl in question might have no trouble at all learning things, she may be a genius; her actions and outbursts might well stem from another root entirely. She might have "biological difficulties" or "spiritual difficulties" or be a method actress researching for a play. The point is, we don't know. We don't know so, really, any label is just that; a label, a bit of narrative shorthand to prevent a two-paragraph web-post from becoming a five page short story.
.
It is difficult, though, not only to keep up with politically correct terminology but also to find the correct descriptors for people we encounter but don't know, especially those people who fall outside the general norm. With athletes and artists it's easy, we set them up as aspirational figures to emulate and admire. We don't mind thinking about, being with or taking an interest in these people. But when presented with a still, thin figure in a wheelchair we really don't want to look. The athletes represent the best we can make ourselves, so it's easy to look. The others represent what most people feel is the worst we can become. At any moment, any one of us could suffer an accident or incident of sufficient power to render us similarly positioned - and we don't want to think about that. But we should. "There, but for the grace of God, go I."
.
Anyway, after all that I really don't have an answer as to whether "learning difficulties" is any more or less offensive than "mentally handicapped" or how, or even whether, we should label each other. I am, however, reasonably certain that the post about the spastic in the cinema* was not at all bigoted.
.
* satire.

[ZenArcade]

Yep, finding the proper terms to describe people's traits can be fraught: how about 'a bunch of annoying wee shites' for the posters on here. Z