BBC harping on about censoring 'Fairytale Of New York' for the umpteenth time!

[Pamplemousse]

You forgot to mention us Aspies and people with disabilities in general were often treated like crap and outcasts of society, which gradually (and thankfully) started to lessen from the early 90s onwards.

[...]

The charity 'The Spastics Society' changed its name to 'Scope' back in the early 90s (I think). And quite rightly so!!

1994. And in my mate's part of North London, "spackers" became "scopers" overnight.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Back then in 96 I seem to recall smoking almost being de-rigueur amongst many teenagers, and barely anyone seemed to bat an eyelid at the time.

A few years later I started trying cigarettes. My Dad became so frustrated with trying to stop me that he just let me carry on.

If I found out my son was smoking I'd remove his computer, console and toys. He would be grounded ... in his bed. I would probably feed him so many truths on cigarettes in the form of books, videos, cancer stories etc. If my Dad had done that with me I'd have quit immediately. On the positive side my Dad had us sometimes stay at my uncles for a weekend when we annoyed him. They were drug heroin and crack addicts. Seeing drugs and what they do first hand made me never touch any drug apart from cannabis. He knew what he was doing, and later told us he was ensuring we seen that s**t first hand. He never touched drugs himself and didn't want us to either.

But on the flip side I watched my Grandad die from alcoholism. That didn't stop me turning into an alcoholic myself.

[NoraB]

You forgot to mention us Aspies and people with disabilities in general were often treated like crap and outcasts of society, which gradually (and thankfully) started to lessen from the early 90s onwards.

Except that my autistic son is 11 and the lovely parents of neurotypical children did their utmost to have him expelled. 'Witch-hunt' was the term the headteacher used..

People are ignorant and judgemental @rseholes when it comes to autism - even now.

I got my diagnosis in 2016 and a few weeks later my step-daughter removed herself from my life taking my step-grandson with her.

[Lencoboy]

Except that my autistic son is 11 and the lovely parents of neurotypical children did their utmost to have him expelled. 'Witch-hunt' was the term the headteacher used..

People are ignorant and judgemental @rseholes when it comes to autism - even now.

I got my diagnosis in 2016 and a few weeks later my step-daughter removed herself from my life taking my step-grandson with her.

That's pretty disgusting that your stepdaughter and step grandson disowned you because you were suddenly diagnosed with a previously 'hidden' disability.

I agree that people are still ignorant and judgemental today, especially the brigade who wish to bring back school corporal punishment, give parents/ husbands carte blanche to whack errant children/wives with belts, footwear, kitchen utensils, etc, with impunity over seemingly trivial matters, bring back borstals and mental institutions, bring back the death sentence, scrap the smoking bans because they're adamant passive smoking never did past generations of non-smokers any harm.

The typical Farageites.

[NoraB]

That's pretty disgusting that your stepdaughter and step grandson disowned you because you were suddenly diagnosed with a previously 'hidden' disability.

I don't know for certain because she's never answered my messages asking why she rejected me (after ten years of knowing me) - so I can only presume that my diagnosis changes things for her. My step-grandson was a few months old at the time - he didn't have a choice in it.

I agree that people are still ignorant and judgemental today, especially the brigade who wish to bring back school corporal punishment, give parents/ husbands carte blanche to whack errant children/wives with belts

Smacking has been banned in Scotland now and the whole of the UK will surely follow? I was smacked as a child - it was the norm - but it never hurt as much as withdrawal of privileges.

[Lencoboy]

I don't know for certain because she's never answered my messages asking why she rejected me (after ten years of knowing me) - so I can only presume that my diagnosis changes things for her. My step-grandson was a few months old at the time - he didn't have a choice in it.



Smacking has been banned in Scotland now and the whole of the UK will surely follow? I was smacked as a child - it was the norm - but it never hurt as much as withdrawal of privileges.

Well you were obviously lucky in the sense that your being smacked as a child hurt less than withdrawal of privileges.

When I was a kid, especially at the residential school I attended, slaps were often doled out to kids willy-nilly, and often for seemingly trivial matters, such as accidentally dropping things, soiling themselves or vomiting on the spot when refused to let go to the toilet by staff, and of course, in the case of us Aspies, for stimming, as if it was crime of the century back in 1986.

In fact, I was even sent swimming as a punishment with the Thursday group at the big pool which was hosted by that sadistic barsteward who ducked me under the water in my usual Monday swimming group which was in turn as a punishment for 'grassing' him up to my parents about his rough treatment of us pupils, especially in and around swimming pools, baths and showers. I really hope karma strikes you hard one day you evil man Mr Norton!!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Whilst on a similar topic, I wonder how the Oasis song 'Cigarettes And Alcohol' would be received if released as a brand new single today?

I seem to recall in the run-up to the festive season back in 1996, just over a year after their mega-blockbusting 'Morning Glory' album, they released two CD box sets with each containing all of the CD singles from each of their first two albums, and the outer packaging of each set was a parody of B&H cigarette packets, one was silver and the other gold.

That would be virtually unthinkable nowadays, but also of course, CDs are mostly considered old hat and uncool to the yoof of today!

Back then in 96 I seem to recall smoking almost being de-rigueur amongst many teenagers, and barely anyone seemed to bat an eyelid at the time.

I don't think people would care that much given drinking culture is still part of UK society. It is dropping off in younger generations but the pubs are still packed with them and students seem to enjoy the nightlife.

Maybe the cigs would be replaced with an e version as an update? But I doubt either would create some backlash to a band that was in your face. Much more contentious stuff is covered isn't it?

NWA were the big thing when I was at school. Controversial means clicks now too.

[Lencoboy]

I don't think people would care that much given drinking culture is still part of UK society. It is dropping off in younger generations but the pubs are still packed with them and students seem to enjoy the nightlife.

Maybe the cigs would be replaced with an e version as an update? But I doubt either would create some backlash to a band that was in your face. Much more contentious stuff is covered isn't it?

NWA were the big thing when I was at school. Controversial means clicks now too.

Perhaps you're right Terry, that a lot of 'controversial' stuff has now already been done to death and probably will never have the same impact it once had, neither for nor against.

I reckon NWA must have been one of the 'drill' music equivalents of the late 80s-early 90s era. G'N'R, Metallica, Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine, etc, were the edgy rock acts of the late 80s-mid 90s era, and of course Prince also had his edgy moments during that same era.

As for the young drinking culture, it does generally seem less prevalent now compared to say, 15-20 years ago (and before), and I remember there were numerous moral panics ripping through society during the first half of the noughties about the so-called 'binge drinking' epidemics, epitomised in docs such as 'Booze Britain', 'Bouncers', etc.

[NoraB]

Well you were obviously lucky in the sense that your being smacked as a child hurt less than withdrawal of privileges.

That's because my parents didn't put much power behind the smack because, in their hearts, they didn't want to hurt me. My mother and her sisters got a belt across their backsides when they were children (albeit little sods according to my Nan). Shocking now right? But punishments like that were acceptable then and the further back in history you go, the worse it gets.

When I was a kid, especially at the residential school I attended, slaps were often doled out to kids willy-nilly, and often for seemingly trivial matters, such as accidentally dropping things, soiling themselves or vomiting on the spot when refused to let go to the toilet by staff, and of course, in the case of us Aspies, for stimming, as if it was crime of the century back in 1986.

Makes me angry just reading about it Len...

In fact, I was even sent swimming as a punishment with the Thursday group at the big pool which was hosted by that sadistic barsteward who ducked me under the water in my usual Monday swimming group which was in turn as a punishment for 'grassing' him up to my parents about his rough treatment of us pupils, especially in and around swimming pools, baths and showers. I really hope karma strikes you hard one day you evil man Mr Norton!!

Just goes back what I've said about abusive people seeking to work with vulnerable kids...

[Lencoboy]

That's because my parents didn't put much power behind the smack because, in their hearts, they didn't want to hurt me. My mother and her sisters got a belt across their backsides when they were children (albeit little sods according to my Nan). Shocking now right? But punishments like that were acceptable then and the further back in history you go, the worse it gets.



Makes me angry just reading about it Len...



Just goes back what I've said about abusive people seeking to work with vulnerable kids...

Definitely.

I wonder how many abusive people still work with vulnerable kids now in these more enlightened times, compared to back in the 80s (and before), especially considering abuse was far easier to administer and to get away with back then.

Quite a few of the punishments I was on the receiving end of at that particular residential school were bizarre, especially being made to go swimming with that odious Mr Norton, and also be bathed by him, both as a punishment for giggling when other kids deliberately said or did things to make me laugh, which was a form of bullying in itself!

Mr Norton wasn't a teacher per se, his role was a residential social worker (group leader) in the residential dept at said school. Mine was a female, who admitted to not believing in corporal punishment when I once asked her why she never smacked us, but she was still more than willing to get Mr Norton to dish out the good hidings and other oddball treatments of us errant kids, even as late as mid-1988 when I left said school, two years after CP was made illegal in all UK state schools. She even seemed to give him permission to dunk me under the water in the swimming pool within full eyeshot of herself!

These days I often have fantasies in my head about having punch-ups in a boxing ring with Mr Norton at my age now (43), and me knocking the barsteward for six, even though I don't normally like violence and aggression!