On the legitimacy of stigmatizing language re mentally ill on DU
Last edited Sat Apr 13, 2013, 01:13 PM - Edit history (2)
cross-posted here because I am reasonably sure the thread in GD will be taken down.
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The DU 3+ community has reached a point where WE must draw the line on the expansive control by thread nannies who deprive DUers of their yeoman rights to speak in insulting terms with impunity.
In this oppressive climate it is not only political speech that is deprived, but it is also political identity. Without useful disparaging terms it has become increasingly difficult for the politically energized to express loyalty and support for 'US' and 'WE', because OUR Inherent GOODNESS AND SUPERIORITY cannot be communicated unless it is contrasted with vulgar terms of derision.
The entire industry of political chat-rooms bulletin boards and blogs is at stake. Without names that the lowest among see and understand as disparagements there can be no sharing of the jocular chauvinism that defines us as good and loyal supporters of US.
We are already a noun, adjective, and modifying clause deprived community where the word police have taken away useful words that clearly reflect on classes of real people like 'b***h', 'f** or 'f****t*, 'h***e', 'm**k', 'r*****ds', 's**c', 's***s', etc.
We have left at our linguistic disposal only the use of vulgar colloquialisms of our innocent youths, learned via the grade-school socializations that first gave us appreciation of the power of the US vs THEM relationships that we later came to understand as the chauvinism and bigotry essential to advanced American political discourse.
This is a critical time in the protection of free speech. While we were sleeping, toking, or otherwise chatting about kittehs, the nanny battalions of word n***s were insinuating themselves into the very heart of political speech, working to rewrite the rules of the Associated Press Style Manual, in order to deprive us access and use of the communication tools necessary for our political fights. :
http://www.ap.org/content/press-release/2013/entry-on-mental-illness-is-added-to-ap-stylebook
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Do not describe an individual as mentally ill unless it is clearly pertinent to a story and the diagnosis is properly sourced.
When used, identify the source for the diagnosis.
<snip>
Do not use derogatory terms, such as insane, crazy/crazed, nuts or deranged, unless they are part of a quotation that is essential to the story.
Do not assume that mental illness is a factor in a violent crime, and verify statements to that effect. A past history of mental illness is not necessarily a reliable indicator. Studies have shown that the vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent, and experts say most people who are violent do not suffer from mental illness.
This assault on free speech cannot stand! DUers are united in this cause. It is no sin to be overzealousness in the defense of our linguistic heritage.
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Our political adversaries see their advantage in stifling our speech. No less than our evil opponent the Governor of New Jersey has proclaimed in the name of that once great and competitive state:
Stigma hurts everyone living with mental illness, along with their families, friends, colleagues, and the communities in which they live. It is a primary barrier to the achievement of wellness and recovery as well as full social integration, and appears as distrust, fear, stereotyping, and discrimination. The prevalence of mental health stigma seriously undermines an individual's ability to get the help they need because of their fear that their confidentiality will be breached.
The discrimination that is associated with mental health stigma presents a myriad of challenges for those living with mental illness. For instance, because of discrimination it is too often difficult, if not impossible, for individuals with mental illness to secure housing and employment. Because of misconceptions and falsehoods, non-violent symptom-related behavior can lead to unfair incarceration. Furthermore, the lack of parity in health care results in inadequate access to health insurance benefits and equitable coverage and treatment for persons with mental illness.
When stigma and discrimination take hold, the consequences can be tragic. Individuals, just like you and me, who would otherwise hold the promise of a happy and fruitful life, are instead forced down a path of isolation and despair. The effect of stigma on our communities is devastating. More than 50 million adults - nearly 25 percent of the U.S. adult population - live with mental disorders or substance abuse disorders on an annual basis and as many as 18 million Americans are affected by depression annually. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States for ages 15-44. These figures must not be ignored.
Success rates of treatment for mental illnesses are high. The NIMH cites that successful treatment of illnesses such as schizophrenia (60 percent), depression (70-80 percent) and panic disorder (70-90 percent) surpass those of other medical conditions (heart disease, for example, has a treatment success rate of 45-50 percent). The high costs to society of untreated and under-treated mental illnesses are well documented. Providing equal and appropriate coverage for all illnesses makes good economic sense; when mental illnesses go untreated, social costs begin to escalate.
The cost of untreated mental illness is staggering. NIMH estimates that the annual cost of untreated mental illnesses exceeds $300 billion primarily due to productivity losses (missed days of work and premature death) of $150 billion, health care costs of $70 billion, and societal costs (increased use of the criminal justice system and social welfare benefits) of $80 billion.
If mental health stigma is permitted to prevail, it will prevail at the continued expense of the communities in which we live. This expense is not only economically unsatisfactory - it is physically, social, and fundamentally unsatisfactory.
This seemingly empathetic statement is really a judo-like move, an insidious soft-edged wedge to use our own compassion against us. To weaken us and to make the Congress of the United States Republican FOREVER!
Fellow DUers! Join Me!
INSIST that THE OPPRESSION OF THE AP STYLE MANUAL SHALL NOT BE APPLIED TO OUR FORUMS AND GROUPS.
PROTECT THE RIGHT TO USE DISPARAGING LANGUAGE IN THE DEFENSE OF OUR PARTY AND ITS PRINCIPLES!!!
There can be no overzealousness in the defense of our native language as it is spoken in locker rooms and gutters across the continent, where REAL Americans speak to display their membership in US by defining ourselves as the opposite of the evil and diseased THEY.
REAL DEMOCRATS support the language of the most common of the people! Support The Language of FREEDOM!
need I say?
= new reply since forum marked as read
Just use this group as a learning experience. 
