I didn't watch the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games; I had the broadcast flagged to auto view, but the first comment on the programme was this programme contains flashing images - a warning to people, like me, who suffer from photosensitive epilepsy that this is a programme that would be injurious to our health. In other words – fuck off –your disability hasn't been catered for!
It wasn't an unfortunate oversight; the warnings about excluding people with epilepsy were made way back in 2007 when preparations for the games were beginning! I'm almost glad that my disability isn't deemed good enough for a fortnights worth of unionjakery!
What a fuxxing joke, good lord.
ReplyDeleteOn the paralympic channels (450+ on Sky), the schedule image is the most ghastly thing I have ever seen. At first I wondered if it was designed in that way as it was somehow better for people with limited vision. But then I realised if that was the case they wouldn't have the moving background as well.
ReplyDeleteWell, they should have sorted things out so there'd be no flashing lights. It was probably just a thoughtless oversight, but I understand there is also a lot of direct prejudice about epilepsy . I'm glad I haven't expeienced it.
ReplyDeleteI've no interest in sport anyway. I did notice that a John Tyler expressed upset about some unintentionally offensive remarks your friend Jac o' the North made about Paralympians. He seemed to think they were repesntative of Welsh Mationalists. I assured him they weren't by blog.I was not as tactful about Jac as I should have been.
Jac became belatedly aware of this, and invited me to say what i objected to in his blog. I did. It was old fashioned unintentonal disablism. If he had not invited me to do so, I would not have said anything. He said he did not mind people disagreeing with him. So I thought he was not too sensitive.
Now he has sent me an e-mail accusing me of being obsessive and of pursuing him! I never expected my erudite but slightly impassioned mesage to get past moderation. But I must reassure Jac I am not mentally unstable and he needn't fear that I am persecuting or stalking him.
I amm aware that even this message may look to him like persecution. It will be the last. Jac, it was you who invited me to tell you what I didn't like about your post. I didn't volunteer anything. You can sleep safely in your bed . I will not contact you or ever read your blogs again.
Marianne
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I think I've developed an insight into why the above mentioned incident happened. I put up comments in an ad hoc way and forget about them. But as all my comments about Jac o'the North have been negative, he may have perceived a sustained campaign of persecution,a personal vendetta.If my comments on Alwyn and MM were personalised, I would be seen as having a schizoid attitude to them in the vernacular sense. I've exppressed both agreement and diagreement. It's true I've been exasperatd enough by Jac o' the North to descend to name calling. This was impolite. I never did this with Alwyn or MM. That's because, while I sometimes disagreed with them, I did feel that in their very diffrent ways, they were fundamentally good people. i'm not saying that Jac o' the North is not, but his public persona does not convey it.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, his persona is really that of a hard man. It would not occur to me that he needed exceptional gentleness as there was no indication that behind the tough facade was a delicate little mimosa blossom who would wilt if I said 'boo!'One thing that makes me feel very sad and depressed is that not only did I not convert Jac o' the North from his unreconstructed anti-cripple prejudice ut in his emotional reply, he actually insulted me in an overtly disablist way.That's the measure of my failure. I've failed big time, and I feel ludicrously guilty about it.
I'm also worried that I've driven him to a breakdown if not to suicide. I don't want to be resonsible for that. My partner, however, takes the view that he is just intolerant and paranoid.In his opinion, people who express controversial views in public fora, must be prepared for at least some flak.They should take some responsibility. Even I think it's a bit much to express offensive opinions and then play the victim if anyone disagrees.
I trust Jac o'the North has friends and neighbours to check he's ok. My partner thinks this is just what he is like, and if he was not being paranoid about me, it would be sometning else. but I don't want to spark off a personal crisis.At the graves of the youths murdered by the state during the 1911 railway strike in Llanelli, in Jac's presence, the minister at the centenary event, spoke of how we should live for the things thy died for ie justice and equality. We should go forth seeking the equality of all. It seemed a pretty good idea. I didn't know that it had harmful side effects, that in striving to do so, I would be harming a delicate soul. Morality is not simple. It is complicated,
Marianne Y Fenni
Yet further to my above comments, someone wrote to the Metro to say that he had previously looked down on disabled people but the Paralympics had changed his mind. Let's not get too upset about the first part. It's a result. It's a positive result.
ReplyDeleteSadly, the games had no such effect on our friend mentioned above. O ene of his fears was that if people saw disabled athletes, they might fancy them and have their wicked way with them! This seems to be based on a belief that they must all have been virgins up to that point, and perhaps even that they were kept in nuclear bunkers to prevent their shagging anyone. Of course, it is inconceivable that they might be in relationships or even married.
Furthermore, as the distinguished blogger referred specifically to amputees, this suggests a belief in Lamarckian evolution ie that acquired characteristics are hereditary. This is demonstrably fallacious. Jews and also Muslims have been circumcising their male offspring for countless generations but they're still usually born with foreskins.Who's ever heard of a soldier coming home from the First World War, after losing a leg, and fathering child similarly maimed? If it did happen it would be coincidental.
This level of ignorance may be lamentable but it is, perhaps, not unusual. We really need citizenship lessons in schools to help children to see that there is no need to fear people with superficial and accidental differences. I'm happy to say that my three sons are strong, sturdy and look as if they could swim the Atlantic.
Marianne
Furthermore, as the distinguished blogger referred specifically to amputees, this suggests a belief in Lamarckian evolution i