would a black person be offended if someone white who's got tourettes syndrome called them the 'N' word?

Answer 1

Anyone would be offended, because Tourette's is a CONTROLLABLE disorder. Having Tourette's does not excuse someone from controlling their language.

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Answer 2

Yes

I remember seeing a kid on a talk show with Tourette's. He was cussing during the whole show. He cracked a smile at one point and the audience was sent into a tirade of judgement. They used the sequence of cussing and then smiling as their evidence against him. The lesson is that the kid could only make it through the most understanding of situations if he showed nothing but sadness at all times. Since he is always cussing, he can never smile. I'm saying that sarcastically. What a person with Tourette's has to eventually do is realize you cannot avoid harsh judgement and offense.

Sometimes Tourette's can be controlled for a short time, but this is not always true. This leads some to believe that a person with Tourette's could control it if they tried hard enough. This is true for me--not everyone--and I could go into a completely blank state and not tic for a period of time, but a completely blank state is no way to go through life.

My husband has a hard time not being offended when he holds my hand and it sets off a bout of hand tics. The tics are triggered the worst by a situation that says--"don't do this specific thing right now"--just thinking about not doing it sets it off. I would give anything to be able to hold his hand for an hour. Try not thinking about monkeys when you read this sentence.

My Tourette's is not verbal and never included cussing, but I fidget a lot. People don't understand what they are seeing and form their own explanations. Any explanation given after the "first impression" is like telling someone they are wrong and judged prematurely. They will not be swayed from their first impression--especially if they've already confronted you over it.

The only thing someone with caprolalia (vocalizing tics with words) can do is carry cards to hand out to explain it. It may convince someone the Tourette's explanation is not a spur of the moment lie. Nevertheless, this can only be expected to work some of the time and problems will still occur.

Answer 3

i have to ask tthe answered-shawn o .... how does one person make tourettts a totally controllable disorder. Theres a reason its called a disorder- because it is a medical problem. truth is, yes some people can control thier symptoms. But others suffer from a much stronger affliction and cannot control it as well. Tourettes is a serious thing for the people with it. dont put them down because they arent as able to control it.

as for the question- i doubt that if the person realized that the offender had this medical problem that it wouldnt offend them and if it did then they are stupid and need to be shot. if the person didnt know, then yes, they probably would be offended , and should have it explained to them if they come up and say something. Tourettes is a under-reported problem more people than is realized have. I beleive that this should recieve more global- local, attentiion on heatlh shows, news and television. how often do you see someone "sufer" from tourettes on a tv show? drama, comedy or otherwise? Not often, if ever. i cant think of one that does....

Answer 4

People with Tourettes are not the out of control maniacs commonly shown in TV or movies. Although there are documented cases of motor and vocal disfunction, the odds that this would happen involuntarily are infinitesimally minimal. So to answer your question about being offended, yes. You see, the word would not be used involuntarily unless it was already a part of a persons learned vocabulary. Now the response to that offense depends on a persons upbringing and education.

Answer 5

I would hope not, since people with Tourette's Syndrome have little control over things like that. Although I don't think that's quite how it works -- my understanding is that the content of what they say doesn't have to do with the person they're speaking to. It's just that they say the same things over and over.

Answer 6

Huh...I don't know...I would definitely be offended if I DIDN'T know that they had Tourettes...however once I was made aware of the problem, I would try not to let it bother me...I don't know anyone with Tourettes though...so I don't know if I'd be OK with them screaming B*ITCH at the top of their lungs for three and a half minutes either. (Thumbs up for a really thought provoking question by the way!)

Answer 7

#1 The word is only offensive to thoughs who do not understand where the word derives from, Don't take what you read in the dictionary as fact, The word is Niger spoken of a people of a dark race, A scholor: Black Man. spoke to a reporter, White Man. years before you were born, about nigerian Families, the reporter spoke the name roughly and wrong and in turn the second (g) came into play, not out of disrespect, just the wrong way to pronunciate. So for all who don't know, the word spoken correctly in fact is speaking of a people nigerian born. learn and be happy. if anyone gets upset over that, shame shame shame on the uneducated.

Answer 8

If you or the person with tourettes explains it people usually wont be offended.

However, the person with tourettes did learn that word from somewhere, this may be where the offence comes from.

Answer 9

i saw a program on t.v. (i think it was called "tourette's rewired")....anyways a guy on the show had tourettes and part of his illness was saying the "N" word a-lot....he worked in a hospital with some black people.....his coworkers knew about his illness, but were still offended and the guy ended up losing his job until he could get treatment (brain surgery)
....so....YES, they would get offended

Answer 10

Interesting question. I don't know, I am not black.

I would assume if they knew the person had tourettes, they would not be offended, but if they didn't know sure, they might be.