Tokyo-Saint

Also, you seemed to have missed a couple of key words. I said IF the forum was used by memebers with disabilities that ARE offended then.... Kraken has put the strongest argument forward so far. He has very close contact to someone who MAY (not estabilished beyond reasonable doubt yet egg) be offended by these words. He has also put forward a very well reasoned argument that no number of head in hands symbols will negate. I am not in the military and I reserve the right to question things. If after a discussion ( this is a discussion forum after all), we all agree, then great.

My argument is for freedom of questioning, if that " falls on it's arse" we are all doomed.

Haringey's name was changed in 1962 http://h2g2.com/approved_entry/A842942 Now, not officially because of any political correctness though that is what is commonly believed by many of its residents. Possibly not the best example of political correctness but I notice you didn't pick me up or comment on the other examples. As I have said, I don't really use either of the words, however reserve the right to until I decide otherwise. For example, if I were to use the spazz smiley, it would be no more or less an attack on people with mental illness than if you were to call your wife a nutter for doing something 'quirky'. I have repeatedly said that I could see the OPs point. If the forum is used by people who have a disability that are offended by the word, there is certainly an argument to stop using the word. However, just because the op has put this forward, it is not above questioning and by questioning it, neither me or anyone else asking questions about it are either ignorant or being aggressive towards the subject. For example - The first key question should have been, are these words still used or have they been used as an insult against the subjects in the past 20 or 30 years? A teenager for example might call a friend a gook, meaning a kind of geek. Now in the 70s this might have been really offensive to a person from Viet Nam as in that time it was a commonly used insult. However, it hasn't been used for a generation in that way and it is doubtful that anyone from Viet Nam would find it insulting today as they have never heard of it as an insult, let alone an insult against them. Now, someone straight out of Uni with 6 months English teaching in Hanoi might find that offensive on their behalf and might have a go at the teenagers about using racial slurs. They are offended on the other peoples behalf. That is the reasoning behind the first question. I think before we start introducing rules, it is fair to ask questions and raise arguments both for and against. However, if the argument for a ban is a head in the hands smily and a "I will look down on you", you will not get very far IMO. There are many other questions, however if it is just a declaration of what we must all do or not do and not open to any discussion other than "well said" or "anyone who questions the OP is an idiot" well I am out.

I prefer the ones with the afterlife, they are so much more comforting.

I've already explained that to you. Religion has been pushed upon people for years.

But he had fantastic potential ability and developed into a wonder kid and eventually a legend. A great story we can all relate to.

I have to make a full and frank apology to Bearsy. I have now seen all of him and her and believe it may be one of the best programmes ever. I was caught up in emotion when he slated peep show (still a great show) and said it is superior to him and her. I was wrong. Season 2 ep 5 of him and her is one of the best scripts ever. "where have you been hiding him? He's lovely" "oh I haven't been hiding him, he's been in prison" "what?!?" "yeah, he's a sex criminal....got out yesterday....oh but don't worry, he's on the register"

Fractions I believe.

Glasgow, you're such a smelly racist.

That's the worse way of using the word. This way is insulting and when used in this way, I am with huffer. I couldnt believe it was still used in this way until now. Jesus...

Does that involve an orange with a candle stuck in it?

I think the route of this is generations after generations of having religion rammed down their throats. If religion wasn't imposed upon people, people wouldn't be such vocal atheists.

I won't believe anything Peach says until there is a blog on it and I hear him on talksport again. Then and only then will I believe the Gaston Ramirez deal is off.

Silent night, Bear's loves a hole that is tight, Spud is calm, Bletch is bright, Like Savile bear loves then tender and mild puts rhohypnolin in their drinks Prays on virgins as they sleeeeeeeeeeeep, Prays on virgins as the sleep.

Watch out for the blue ribbon apparently.

jingle bells, jillyanne's pussy smells, bletchey's run away, oh what fun it is to tell everyone Bearsy's gay, hay!

I found it! It is real. For a moment I thought is was one of those big church peodo things and we were told to hold an orange to distract us while the priests picked out who they wanted. What a relief, I hate rejection.

They didn't have Jeremy Kyle back in those days with his lie detectors and DNA tests, that was half the problem.

Jesus is in football manager, I've signed him!

Yeah, did you do it as well? Maybe we are in the same cult bear.

We had cocktail sticks with saltana in oranges, I remember that much. A goat may or may not have been sacrificed. I can't remember as I think I was trying to work out what Methodism meant. I had only been to catholic church in Scotland before that. This new church was like an ikea version of the ones I had experienced previously. In Scotland it was taken far more seriously, massive stain glassed windows, smoke and mirrors, chanting, that sort of thing.

As a school child, I went to a 'Christingle' at St Bonniface in Chandlers Ford, never heard of such a thing since. Did I join a cult?

I am more a crusading Christian than a forgiving one. If you are not with me, you are against me and if you are against me, I will kill you. That kind of stuff.

No offence was meant Huffton and I did say I saw your point, however the discussion developed. As you may have read, I am generally against censorship of any kind. Out of interest and serious question, you said that these terms are used to mock or insult people with learning disabilities (I am paraphrasing but hopefully not too far off), is this a current problem or a historical one? The reason I ask is I cannot imagine anyone mocking or insulting people with learning disabilities in the modern age and definitely not with these words. The meaning of these words has changed so much in the last 30-40 years. Is it still a current problem, if so who is using it to insult these groups of people?

Not good enough bear, mods take him away!