Did you find it offensive?

Question

I was shocked to hear a character on eastenders call people with down syndrome mongrels last night. Is it any wonder that there is so much discrimination in the world, did anyone else find this offensive?

Answer 1

Of course it was offensive. America has done a terrible job of dealing appropriately with citizens who are developmentally challenged or delayed. We warehoused them in institutions for years; then moved them into group homes where some had wonderful lives; others were neglected or abused, and all the while state level workers with the mentally disinfranchised, made the highest wages of all state workers. Some earned it; many sat on their thumbs and raked in the money.
We have a long, long way to go to accept those with mental challenges as citizens with equal rights, equal treatment and equal representation before we can have any good feelings about ourselves.

Answer 2

I didn't see the episode, but I probably would have taken offence at the epithet. Mongrels are actually crossbred animals, dogs for instance. Down's syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the brain; a common physical trait that accompanies it is a web across the inner eyelids, which makes for easy identification; true Mongoloids (current inhabitants of Japan, Korea, the Indochinese Penninsula, and mainland East Asia) have specific facial traits that don't apply to the majority of persons with Down's.

Answer 3

The term Mongoloid/ Mongol is outdated and was always inaccurate term to describe people with Down syndrome. It accurately describes people from Mongolia, Asia.

Over 2 centuries ago this is the term that was used because the eyes of most people with Down syndrome have epicanthal folds. This is actually caused by the difference in the type of bridge their nose has. An Asian face is usually flatter in silhouette as is the face of a person with Down syndrome.

Then a man named Langston Down investigated and came to understand what Down syndrome was and it was named after him. Some inaccurately call it Down's syndrome, but that would only be accurate if Langston Down had the disability and it was named after him - not just because he identified the chromosome that caused it. (Like Lou Gerhrig's disease was named tht because Lou Gerhig had it.)

So the proper name is Down syndrome.

People show their ignorance and thier choice to hurt the feelings of people with Down syndrome when they say they are mongoloid, mongols, down's or any number of inaccurate labels.

My son is first and foremost a person. He and I say he is labeled with Down syndrome or he has Down syndrone or is a person with Down syndrome - he is not Down syndrome.

So was it offensive - yes - was it used for effect - probably. Should it have been? Only if there was a discussion of how inappropriaet it was afterwards.

Answer 4

I've heard many people in New Orleans call Down Syndrome kids that. I consider it offensive because when they say that word, it sounds as if they must think DS people are aliens from outer space or something.

Answer 5

Hello,
I do not watch that program.
Discrimination is what some people feed off of, and think it is so funny to call people names etc.
Ya it hurts. I would rather people call me names though then my son. The look on his face when someone calls him a retart, or crazy or whatever makes me fighting mad. At least I have some experience on this earth and can handle the situation a little better, I think?

Answer 6

I didn't see the show but they may have said "Mongol"

""Mongolism was formerly employed to describe people with Down syndrome. For the song by Devo, see Mongoloid (song).

The term Mongoloid is a variation of the word "Mongol", meaning "Mongol-like". It was coined as a racial category to describe the distinctive appearance. Today it is most used in discussions of human prehistory, historical definitions of race and in the forensic analysis of human remains. ""

When I was a child the word "Mongol" was the usual term for people suffering from "Downs Syndrome'

The term "Downs Syndrome" was unheard of.

Its just the same as years ago the Native Americans were referred to as "Red Indians"

Times and words change.

Words that were once the norm are now offensive.

Words that once were offensive seem to be in every day use.

Answer 7

Damn right its offensive. I've run into jerks liike this on occassion. They are bigots, jsut as much pond scum as any redneck member of the KKK. In fact--there's a good chance tey ARE.

They strike me as a goodarguement for creationism--because obviously THeY never evolved from lower life forms!

Answer 8

Yes it is offensive. But being disabled its on often.I have been called names when people think I can't hear and being refered to as a "gimp" and other names.
I simile at these types of people which pisses them off.

Answer 9

It is offensive, because of the total lack of respect for people (and their loved ones) who live with a very difficult situation. Surely, the writers could have prepared something more suitable than that.

Answer 10

When I was growing up in the 50s & 60s people like that were called Mongols, not mongrels. Downs is so much kinder. But back then people called a spade a spade.