It may be my failing memory, but I thought there used to be a link to draw Avsim's attention to a topic which could be inappropriate or offensive.

Such an instance occurred today with a topic title using a term which would be considered offensive by disabled people.

It's use in the UK would be be an offence, and could involve prosecution, but there is currently no easy way to advise Avsim of this.

far right, report post...but honestly you don't need to. You would not be arrested in the UK for calling someone a SP*****. Yet.

anyway, pretty sure the mods will see it them selves and make their own decision.

1 hour ago, Biggles2010 said:

It may be my failing memory, but I thought there used to be a link to draw Avsim's attention to a topic which could be inappropriate or offensive.

Such an instance occurred today with a topic title using a term which would be considered offensive by disabled people.

It's use in the UK would be be an offence, and could involve prosecution, but there is currently no easy way to advise Avsim of this.

It means something different across the pond and is used in a wide variety of ways, and isn't considered offensive unless maybe directly referring to someone with CP. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spastic

Edited April 5, 20206 yr by CaptainBanages

Yes, use the "REPORT" button, but please be judicious.  I saw the post and didn't give it a second thought!

It probably isn't the best choice of words but frankly I think you're being a bit precious.

30 minutes ago, DavidP said:

It probably isn't the best choice of words but frankly I think you're being a bit precious.

If you look at the examples in Webster's Dictionary, in North America it can be a completely acceptable adjective to describe something irregular, sporadic, spotty, and erratic and wouldn't necessarily be found offensive unless the word was used in a context with the intent to offend. I've asked to have the title changed.

Thanks for all the responses. A couple of hours ago the report button was not appearing. Likely because the website was very slow for a while. Working normally now.

I should make clear that I am not disabled,  I was not personally offended, and was only referring to the appropriateness of the topic title from a UK perspective. It is clear the word is still used in the US and Australia in the way it was in the UK some years ago. but here, the use of words like that has been made socially unacceptable. Recent UK legislation covers a whole range of things that might cause offence, which can result in prosecution, and other EU countries have adopted a similar approach.

I generally don't like political correctness, but sometimes it has a point.

 

Edited April 5, 20206 yr by Biggles2010

I'd suggest you get over it. You're making a mountain out of a molehill.

2 hours ago, charliearon said:

Yes, use the "REPORT" button, but please be judicious.  I saw the post and didn't give it a second thought!

Because some of us genuinely think of others and their feelings, and some - like you - don’t. 🙂

Doug, AVSIM is a US forum, not precious little UK. There's 3000 miles between us separated by a common language. 

I would hazard a guess that Charlie, as a moderator, would actually think of others and their feelings especially when policing an AVSIM forum.

I own a SPAS-12 shotgun (airsoft because I'm in the UK!!). I think you can imagine the names I get called thanks to the acronym of the shotgun... (it stands for Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun by the way).

Is it because I'm the wrong side of 50 that I think PC has gone too far? Maybe

Speaking of PC, Yes, I did once flag up an aircraft repaint in the library because it's advertising slogan was offensive to me. We had a discussion about it on AVSIM - some sound arguments were made why it wasn't considered offensive and we moved on.

To be brutally honest, taking offence to that sort of thing just ends up making matters worse most of the time and creates new pejoratives; the use of the word in the UK has absolutely led to that, and here's how.

When I was a kid, it was a common insult in the school yard to call someone a 'spaz' (although in truth I never liked anyone doing that, because I personally thought it was a bit mean and tasteless - yup, I was that kind of kid who actually thought about others - but it was nevertheless common to hear it, so I never really bothered objecting to it, as being so commonly in use, it would have been pointless). Anyone from the UK of my age will also remember that a well known sufferer of cerebral palsy featured on a few kids Tv programs, but kids being what they are, an entire string of new insults were derived from the guy's name, so if you are not from the UK and ever hear someone being called a 'Joey' as a pejorative, now you know where that comes from. And you do still occasionally hear these despite that originating literally decades ago.

Because of that and the connotations of it, the Spastics Society (the UK Charity for the benefit of people with cerebral palsy) changed its name to Scope, since it has widened its scope of disabilities it supports. But kids being what they are, guess what new insult there is in the playground these days? Yup, 'Scoper' - which is your up to date version of calling someone a 'spaz', as people used to do when I was a kid.

So you won't really change anything by being offended and it is as well to be aware that what is offensive to you may not be offensive to someone else, and indeed possibly not considered offensive at all in a country other than your own.

 

 

Edited April 6, 20206 yr by Chock

REALLY OP - With almost every country in the world fighting this intractable virus war, unPC terms is the main thing on your mind right now?

19 hours ago, Doug47 said:

Because some of us genuinely think of others and their feelings, and some - like you - don’t. 🙂

 

Edited April 6, 20206 yr by cimgrp501