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News Credits: 2 · by **Neurie** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:36 pm

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/weird ... -22711513/

Aparrantly according to the artical this isnt the first time that word has caused international tension, Tiger Woods used it shorterned to Spaz and receieved a fair amount of criticism to the point his spokes person had to make a public appology.

News Credits: 4 · by **SlyTF1** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:40 pm

Got damnit. I just wish people would stop trying to defend people and realize the reality of life. If some one is spastic, they can't help it, theres nothing you can do. Its a damn fact. Its true. If it hurts your feelings, that's your damn personal problem. The truth is supposed to freaking hurt. If some one insults me about somthing thats true, I'm not going to get mad, because it's freaking true. Damn.

by **Jazz_Man** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 2:22 am

oh didums a toy is called spastic lets call the paparazzi all the news reporters and make the biggest deal in the world about it(!)

News Credits: 10 · by **Mykltron** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 6:20 am

I was going to say that it was untrue to say we were locked in a 'war of words' as people seemed to be of the same opinion until ^those last two posts^. Geez guys, chill. If they re-released him in the UK under the name Nigger the American whites would have a similar reaction and black people would probably react the same way as the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) and charity Scope did to Tiger Woods. If a British runner was quoted as saying he ran as well as a Jungle Bunny it would be the cultural equivalent of Tiger Woods using the word Spaz.

Please note, I am not racist or anti-black. If I've used non-correct terms it's through ignorance not contempt. I didn't use the N-word to address or describe anyone.

News Credits: 11 · by **kirbenvost** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 3:22 pm

Mykltron wrote:I was going to say that it was untrue to say we were locked in a 'war of words' as people seemed to be of the same opinion until ^those last two posts^. Geez guys, chill. If they re-released him in the UK under the name N***** the American whites would have a similar reaction and black people would probably react the same way as the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) and charity Scope did to Tiger Woods. If a British runner was quoted as saying he ran as well as a Jungle Bunny it would be the cultural equivalent of Tiger Woods using the word Spaz.

Please note, I am not racist or anti-black. If I've used non-correct terms it's through ignorance not contempt. I didn't use the N-word to address or describe anyone.

Jungle bunny? I have never seen that term used before.

I dunno, isn't the n-word just as offensive over there? Hasbro obviously dropped the ball in researching the name thoroughly, but I think the point is that they didn't know because the word isn't universally offensive. Who knows, maybe with the backlash they'll change the name. If they're even paying attention.

Point taken though. As you are offended by the figure's name, I am offended by the n-word.

News Credits: 589 · by **Seibertron** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 3:41 pm

Having been unaware that the term "spastic" is offensive overseas, I'm still baffled at the reaction to this. The word means something totally different in the North America. I've never even heard it used in the context of concern, though I am not belittling that is of concern to people in Europe.

For those of you unaware of the differences in the word's meaning in the United States and in the United Kingdom, please check out the article on Wikipedia regarding this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spastic#Ev ... ted_States

by **Windsweeper** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 3:57 pm

I still can't believe how insensitive some people are being, almost 2 the point of being offensive. The fact is that the populations of several countries take offense to this word and while others here may not understand why, they could at least try to be respectful.

I'm just hoping the thing gets renamed as Dragstrip.

News Credits: 1 · by **Mr O** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 4:06 pm

It's clearly a word that bears various meanings. It was used as an insult at my school, as was the word slag, but we're not in school now. It's not intended to be taken in an offensive way and so shouldn't be; the 'N' word on the other hand is quite another matter, but beside the point.

News Credits: 589 · by **Seibertron** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 4:55 pm

Windsweeper wrote:I still can't believe how insensitive some people are being, almost 2 the point of being offensive. The fact is that the populations of several countries take offense to this word and while others here may not understand why, they could at least try to be respectful.

I'm just hoping the thing gets renamed as Dragstrip.

I think some people might be coming across as being insensitive because it's weird to find out after so many years that a word might be offensive to other people. It's kind of like finding out the words "energetic" or "crazy" or some other normal word is offensive. I wouldn't take anyone's comments to heart if they're not from your country. I'm still baffled how we weren't aware that this was considered offensive. I'm obviously not alone if Hasbro named a Transformers product "Spastic", not to mention the slew of products over the years that have been called "Spastic" or "Spaz" over the years and especially since once of the connotations in the US is similar to being a nerd or geek (i.e. "he's such a spaz" or "I'm such a spaz" where you could easily replace the word with "dork", "nerd", "dimwit", etc).

Here's another article of interest regarding the word Spastic or Spaz

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/language ... 03020.html

I'm trying to find a video of classic Steve Martin on Saturday Night Live back in the late 70s or early 80s when he played "Chaz the Spaz".

News Credits: 68 · by **Counterpunch** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 5:43 pm

Comparing the n-word to "spaz" is a poor comparison. One was created with the intent to be demeaning the other was created with a non-offensive intent.

A more appropriate comparison would be with the word "fag".

Also, I have no intent to clarify the nature in which we discuss these words. Clearly this is a matter of simple discourse and not an opportunity to use ugly words in glib fashion.

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