Group lobbying to outlaw the word "midget" from television

[terry78]

http://www.yahoo.com/s/1097525

 

[Wiseman]

This is getting out of hand

 

[cerealkiller182]

They should only outlaw the exchange of dialog:

"Arn;t you a midget"

"Don't call me a midget. It's little person."

"Sorry I didn't know"

Its almost as worse at this point as two hostages saying:

"Reach into my pants"

"This is no time for getting freaky."

"To get the knife stupid."

Seriously, enough is enough

 

[Prison Mike]

having the word banned is bit much, but at least they're making people aware of this mistake.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

How can people be so short tempered?

 

[Metamorpho1977]

Aren't we bigger than this?

 

[Spider-Who?]

I'm going to be the bigger man and not stoop to your guys' level.

 

[Sarge 2.0]

I don't particularly like the word myself but there's absolutely no reason why it should be outlawed from television.

 

[BestGirl]

When did midget become an insult? When I was young, I thought it was the legit way to refer to a little person. AAMOF, "little people" sounds more patronizing to me than "midget."

 

[Majik1387]

How is midget an insult but dwarf isn't?

 

[StorminNorman]

Short people got no reason
Short people got no reason
Short people got no reason
To live

They got little hands
Little eyes
They walk around
Tellin' great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes
On their nasty little feet

Well, I don't want no short people
Don't want no short people
Don't want no short people
`Round here

Short people are just the same
As you and I
(A fool such as I)
All men are brothers
Until the day they die
(It's a wonderful world)

Short people got nobody
Short people got nobody
Short people got nobody
To love

They got little baby legs
That stand so low
You got to pick em up
Just to say hello
They got little cars
That go beep, beep, beep
They got little voices
Goin' peep, peep, peep
They got grubby little fingers
And dirty little minds
They're gonna get you every time
Well, I don't want no short people
Don't want no short people
Don't want no short people
'Round here

 

[Sarge 2.0]

When did midget become an insult? When I was young, I thought it was the legit way to refer to a little person. AAMOF, "little people" sounds more patronizing to me than "midget."

"Midget" began as a term used in sideshows and circuses. Not exactly a positive connotation.

How is midget an insult but dwarf isn't?

Because "dwarfism" is the actual medical term for the condition. So calling someone with dwarfism a dwarf is simply a matter of syntax.

Not that I believe any of these terms should be banned or that one is "more insulting" than the other. I believe that only the person who is being labeled can decide which term is preferable and which is insulting. No one else is in any place to do so.

 

[theberserker]

Hobbit...?

 

[CelticPredator]

Gimili's....?

 

[Addendum]

"Bridget the little person" or "Bridget the dwarf" doesn't have the same ring to it that "Bridget the midget" does

 

[Metamorpho1977]

Just wait one day a midget psychic is going to get arrested and escape then the headlines will read "Small medium at large"

 

[Sarge 2.0]

Just wait one day a midget psychic is going to get arrested and escape then the headlines will read "Small medium at large"

Somehow I don't think you came up with that joke.

 

[Gilpesh]

Short people got no reason

If you're going Randy Newman on this thread... you should have at least got the youtube video.

 

[Majic Walrus]

How is little people less offensive?

 

[Metamorpho1977]

Somehow I don't think you came up with that joke.

No, but it was funny and I thought it was a good fit for this thread.

 

[The Lizard]

How is midget an insult but dwarf isn't?

Because dwarves get +1 to armor class, as well as reflex bonuses.

 

[Sarge 2.0]

Because dwarves get +1 to armor class, as well as reflex bonuses.

...

That was a better answer than mine.

 

[katie_girl09]

When did midget become an insult? When I was young, I thought it was the legit way to refer to a little person. AAMOF, "little people" sounds more patronizing to me than "midget."

I agree. To me, anyway, "little person" sounds very patronizing. And in a couple of years people will be complaining about that too (because a new phrase will be invented). For example: remember how we used to say "handicapped" and now its slowly become "disabled"? Just one of those things, I guess.
And to be honest, I find "dwarf" worse than "midget". I guess its because that reminds me of Snow White even though it is a medical term. But if they wanna be called little people, that's what I'll call 'em.

 

[Sarge 2.0]

How is little people less offensive?

I agree. To me, anyway, "little person" sounds very patronizing. And in a couple of years people will be complaining about that too (because a new phrase will be invented). For example: remember how we used to say "handicapped" and now its slowly become "disabled"? Just one of those things, I guess.
And to be honest, I find "dwarf" worse than "midget". I guess its because that reminds me of Snow White even though it is a medical term. But if they wanna be called little people, that's what I'll call 'em.

But like I said, since - ostensibly - you guys don't have dwarfism, who are you to decide which label is more or less offensive than another? This kind of thing is relative and up to the individual being labele to decided which terms they personally prefer. That's also exactly why the word shouldn't be banned.

 

[Addendum]

When I hear the word "dwarf", I always think of the racial class from Dungeons and Dragons