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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.

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.

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(!)

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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".

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.

Oh dear. Hasbro has got some explaining to do. I cannot see this toy going on sale in Australia as the PC Brigade will carry on. It's only a word harden the F up.

My brother is disabled and for the majority of his education that word was a constant source of torment.

Although I do appreciate there are colloquial differences, a little bit of sensitivity goes a long way. In my opinion, Hasbro could have easily avoided this whole drama by simply adopting a little diligence and care.

why are there people who have no life but to find anything that may offend a few idiots and make a big deal about it???
and ta few idiots better not mess up this sweet g1 homage figure

MightyMagnus78 wrote:My brother is disabled and for the majority of his education that word was a constant source of torment.

Although I do appreciate there are colloquial differences, a little bit of sensitivity goes a long way. In my opinion, Hasbro could have easily avoided this whole drama by simply adopting a little diligence and care.

That's the thing, it's not a sensitivity issue.

If American's are using the word "Retard" or "Crip" or "Slowmo", then they're being purposely offensive.

Actually, Americans or anyone not in the UK.

"Spastic" or "Spaz" has a legitimate and frequently used meaning in most of the rest of the world that is so far from being offensive to the group of people in question that the rest of the non-UK world is just like, "Really?".

Now, I think the figure should be altered in name for the UK release, that makes sense.

Counterpunch wrote:

MightyMagnus78 wrote:My brother is disabled and for the majority of his education that word was a constant source of torment.

Although I do appreciate there are colloquial differences, a little bit of sensitivity goes a long way. In my opinion, Hasbro could have easily avoided this whole drama by simply adopting a little diligence and care.

That's the thing, it's not a sensitivity issue.

If American's are using the word "Retard" or "Crip" or "Slowmo", then they're being purposely offensive.

Actually, Americans or anyone not in the UK.

"Spastic" or "Spaz" has a legitimate and frequently used meaning in most of the rest of the world that is so far from being offensive to the group of people in question that the rest of the non-UK world is just like, "Really?".

Now, I think the figure should be altered in name for the UK release, that makes sense.

Agreed, however, in essence we now live in a global community. Surely it is prudent for a multi-national company such as Hasbro, to ensure every precaution is taken to avoid these types of misunderstandings, thus reducing the risk of potentially causing any unintentional offense.

kirbenvost wrote:

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.

Ihear it once in a YT vid, where a guy was pissed off at Toys R Us. He meantions it once when he accuses Toys R Us of being racist for having jungle gyms outside of the store. The vid's called "Angry black man at Toys R Us".

jlogano20 wrote:why are there people who have no life but to find anything that may offend a few idiots and make a big deal about it???
and ta few idiots better not mess up this sweet g1 homage figure

So what you're saying is that the people in those countries (and it's not just the UK) where the word "spastic" is a derogatory term, are all idiots?

Burn wrote:

jlogano20 wrote:why are there people who have no life but to find anything that may offend a few idiots and make a big deal about it???
and ta few idiots better not mess up this sweet g1 homage figure

So what you're saying is that the people in those countries (and it's not just the UK) where the word "spastic" is a derogatory term, are all idiots?

It seems that way. There are some people here being very insensitive.

kirbenvost wrote:I dunno, isn't the n-word just as offensive over there?

Not in areas I've lived. Maybe in run-down city areas with lots of black people. KKK didn't really happen here. I shall ask my black friends when I see then what they think about it.

Mr O wrote: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.

What the insensitive members of this forum may care to consider is that the charity The Spastic's Society changed their name to Scope because of the way the word Spastic was dragged down into the dirt by regular use as an insult.

Counterpunch wrote: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.

Not so. My theory was that, as many French people settled in the south (EG New Orleans, from the French town Orlèan), the N word was an Americanised pronunciation of the the French word for black people - nègre. Afterwards if became perjorative. According to Wikipedia I was close:

wiki wrote:The word originated as a term used in a neutral context to refer to black people, as a variation of the Spanish/Portuguese noun negro, a descendant of the Latin adjective niger, meaning the color "black".

Add to that today's obsession with equal rights and political correctness and, well, maybe comparing the two isn't totally fair but for us Brits it's not THAT far off.

Has anyone bothered to point out that regardless of the offence it might cause that it's a rubish name for Transformer? I mean come on what next 'Chav','Skank' maybe 'Wanker'? Oh and how about the original faux-pas Slag!

It is offensive to many people and calls by the unoffended for people to 'get over it' are as insensative as Hasbros negligence in not concidering their global audience when naming the toy.

Oh and this is funny:

Mr O wrote:It was used as an insult at my school, as was the word slag, but we're not in school now.

.....and where do you think most of the people who will see/own this toy are...you guess it at school, where you tend to find children, you know those little people who toys are aimed at?

Tankor99 wrote:Has anyone bothered to point out that regardless of the offence it might cause that it's a rubish name for Transformer? I mean come on what next 'Chav','Skank' maybe 'Wanker'? Oh and how about the original faux-pas Slag!

It is offensive to many people and calls by the unoffended for people to 'get over it' are as insensative as Hasbros negligence in not concidering their global audience when naming the toy.

Oh and this is funny:

Mr O wrote:It was used as an insult at my school, as was the word slag, but we're not in school now.

.....and where do you think most of the people who will see/own this toy are...you guess it at school, where you tend to find children, you know those little people who toys are aimed at?

Way to take me out of context. As long as you find it amusing that's great and next time you're hunting kids maybe you could sit in on an English lesson.

they where supposed to call him crankcase for some reason they changed it

Mykltron wrote:

Counterpunch wrote: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.

Not so. My theory was that, as many French people settled in the south (EG New Orleans, from the French town Orlèan), the N word was an Americanised pronunciation of the the French word for black people - nègre. Afterwards if became perjorative. According to Wikipedia I was close:

wiki wrote:The word originated as a term used in a neutral context to refer to black people, as a variation of the Spanish/Portuguese noun negro, a descendant of the Latin adjective niger, meaning the color "black".

Add to that today's obsession with equal rights and political correctness and, well, maybe comparing the two isn't totally fair but for us Brits it's not THAT far off.

Like most other people who don't live in the US and/or are not African American, you clearly do not understand the difference between the word "Negro" and the N-word.

We aren't talking about a word that was co-opted by a 1980's television show here, we're talking about an entirely different thing here. Of course there is a Latin root to it all and of course there is some derivative from past languages, but the word was used entirely to set aside a group of people and set them aside in a derisive way.

When those slaves were brought to the Americas, they were not seen as Africans or as any name specific to where they came from, they were bundled into one word that defined their new station.

Again, the situation with that word and "spaz" is entirely different and there is NO comparison between the situation.

Mr O wrote:

Tankor99 wrote:Has anyone bothered to point out that regardless of the offence it might cause that it's a rubish name for Transformer? I mean come on what next 'Chav','Skank' maybe 'Wanker'? Oh and how about the original faux-pas Slag!

It is offensive to many people and calls by the unoffended for people to 'get over it' are as insensative as Hasbros negligence in not concidering their global audience when naming the toy.

Oh and this is funny:

Mr O wrote:It was used as an insult at my school, as was the word slag, but we're not in school now.

.....and where do you think most of the people who will see/own this toy are...you guess it at school, where you tend to find children, you know those little people who toys are aimed at?

Way to take me out of context. As long as you find it amusing that's great and next time you're hunting kids maybe you could sit in on an English lesson.

Cool it guys, let's keep this friendly. I think he made a fair point about who the toy is aimed at.

Have we seen the bio for this one yet?

I would be very interested in seeing if his character is described as "clumsy" or "oafish". If I understand correctly, that would fit in contextually with the US use of the word?

Failing that Hasbro have screwed up, at least from our side of the ponds perspective.

As an aside, I can't see them going to all the trouble to rename, re-trademark and repackage, given the way the Europeabn market is treated at the best of times, this'll be skipped.

People are too sensitive over childish insults and that reaction only strengthens the word's power. I don't think Hasbro should have to research what every word means in every country just so they won't offend someone who decided to let bother them. What will happen if someone decides that Soundwave if offensive to deaf people, or Bulkhead is offensive to people with ample craniums?