Political correctness

[Emma_B]

Where I work we often have wacky races with the wheelchairs, often in public. Amber and I always win, the others either get tired (staff doing the running) or scared (children being pushed)!

I get so upset when words like spastic and retard are used. But, the point I was making about the word spastic earlier is that it was originally a medical term, used to describe a certain muscle condition or state, spastic paralysis. Of course now, the word has been taken and used as an insult and is completely unnacceptable. The same applies to retarded, which is still used in America I believe.

On a side note, the official term, here at any rate, is Children with Special Educational Needs, or SEN. That is used in all the government policies etc. But, a long time ago (before it was even called learning difficulties, but after the term spastic became offensive) they used to call those children ESN, Educationally Sub-Normal. How awful is that?

[~Lynd~]

There is a big thing here at the moment about young people with severe disabilities who need a carer having nowhere to go but nursing homes and how unaccetable it is.

Some of them have wifes and family who can't cope by themselves so have no choice but to put them there becourse the person can't care for themselves.It's really sad that young people who have minds have to live with old people just becourse they need a bit of help.

[Mez83]

In that respect New Zealand is pretty good. We have 'villages' where people can go and live if they need care. It's kind of like a retirement villiage with a hospital attached, but the people living there have a lot more freedom. I think it's a really good system.

[~Lynd~]

Do they have their own village?If so it sounds ok.Evn a home situation may not be bad,bedcourse you have some company but not with a bunch of old people.And what about those with families?

[Mez83]

Yep they have their own villiage. I don't actually know if village is the right word to use. They have seperate units etc and they're all different sizes. So if you've got family you can take them with you. The only thing you need to leave the villiage for is shopping and stuff, but if you're not comfortable doing that, you can eat at the village kitchen.

If you don't want to live in the villiages, it's easy enough for someone to get a flat or something. This has only happened in the last few years or so. There was an article in a magazine awhile ago about a couple with Down Syndrome who had found themselves jobs, saved up for a house, funded their own wedding, and they were living by themselves with minimal help just to prove to people that they could fend for themselves even though people thought they couldn't. It was such a sweet story. They'd worked so hard for it too.

[Oxidizer]

There was a programme on last Summer here (UK) called 'The Strangest Village in Britain' it was about people with disabilities and unstable people. It was filmed in a place called Boton (have no idea where it is). The residents were pretty off the planet - it was kinda funny - but not in a bad way. It was the things they were saying, like 'I just slipped on those icebergs outside' when she was referring to ice. This conversation reminded me 'bout it

[~Lynd~]

Yep they have their own villiage. I don't actually know if village is the right word to use. They have seperate units etc and they're all different sizes. So if you've got family you can take them with you. The only thing you need to leave the villiage for is shopping and stuff, but if you're not comfortable doing that, you can eat at the village kitchen.

If you don't want to live in the villiages, it's easy enough for someone to get a flat or something. This has only happened in the last few years or so. There was an article in a magazine awhile ago about a couple with Down Syndrome who had found themselves jobs, saved up for a house, funded their own wedding, and they were living by themselves with minimal help just to prove to people that they could fend for themselves even though people thought they couldn't. It was such a sweet story. They'd worked so hard for it too.

That sounds good!They should have something like that here.They only have one home here i think were a group of young disabled people who need care can live,and i think that is or has closed so they will need to go to nursing homes.

I would have been one of those people.I'm fostered and when i moved family becourse the other long term one i'd had went bad,my mum[or whoi say is my mum]told me i was booked into a nursing home when i was 16.She told them they could unbook me,i'd not be going to any home,becourse this was the first type of family i'd ever really had.So now i live by myself in my own unit.I left home when i was 19.I can't imagine me in a home,i'd have give them hell as i don't even need a carer!

[Mez83]

That's another thing with people trying to be PC. Some people seem to think that if someones in a wheelchair, they need help! It's really not the case...at all. I get really dirty looks for not helping my Grandmother sometimes, but if I did everything for her, she'd just get grumpy. I often feel like saying "She's in a wheelchair, she's not hopeless". If she needs my help, she'll ask me.

[~Lynd~]

I hate when people assume i can't do something,and don't ask just do it for me.Or they patronize and are like'' are you sure you can do it,blah bah blah.And people who do services andwant to know more about me then a non wheelie.

I do admot to sometimes trying to do things for myself sometimes that are just impossible though and get cranky when i need help sometimes,i'm very stubborn sometimes.

There are ways around most things though.

[-Chris-]

I heard on Today tonigh (I think it was) not long ago, a Australian themepark was changing the name from "fairy penguins" to "little penguins"... That could still offend people though, why dont they leave it as it is.

Also, a book we read in primary school that said "My daddy gave me a smack" had to be changed to "my daddy told me not to do it again"

This is ridiculous!