Jim Rodgers on Radio Ulster this morning

[Evil Genius]

wooops, think he meant to say all human beings

Nope, would disagree.  I heard what he said and to say something like that has to be in your head somewhere.  F**king disgrace....is he the current Lord Mayor?

So do you consider that Rodgers doesn't actually believe the disabled to be "human beings"? I suppose it's possible, but in the absence of any other evidence, I'd have to say it's more likely down to inarticulacy than naked prejudice.

[pintsofguinness]

BUT then to clinch it he finishes sentence off by saying "its not only a problem for the disabled, but human beings also!"

f**king hell!

What did he say when the interviewer pulled him on it?


To be honest I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and say he must have misspoke. 

[ziggysego]

Is it available online?

I want to hear it for myself, for I am going to email the UUP about it.

EG, I in no way think he's prejudice towards disabled people. I do however think he's a fool.

[Chrisowc]

Did anyone ring in and complain, the only way to deal with a tool like that is mass public uproar.

Mass public uproar?

A numpty has made a numpty of himself.  Simple as that.  Save your uproar for something worthwhile.

[Billys Boots]

Save your uproar for something worthwhile.

Like supposedly responsible people voting for him?

[AZOffaly]

Save your uproar for something worthwhile.

Like supposedly responsible people voting for him?

No supposedly about it. They are definitely responsible

[Imposerous]

I heard the interview this morning and while it was clumsily expressed it wasn't meant the way it's being interpreted here.  In fact, he said the public acess was not only difficult for "wheelchairs", but also human beings.  He did not say wheelchair users.  If anything, he was pointing out that the acess was so narrow for able bodied people then it must be so much worse for wheelchair users.

And Seamus McKee picking up on the erroneous interpretation was, to me, facetious rather than clarifying.  He tried to make Rogers sound like an ass (admittedly, no help needed, but on this occasion I'm with the mayor!).

[Chrisowc]

Save your uproar for something worthwhile.

Like supposedly responsible people voting for him?

AZ 

You think there should be mass uproar because people have voted for Jim Rodgers?

[Red Sky]

Did anyone ring in and complain, the only way to deal with a tool like that is mass public uproar.

Mass public uproar?

A numpty has made a numpty of himself.  Simple as that.  Save your uproar for something worthwhile.

So belittling disabled people is acceptable in your view?  You're some craic!!!!

[Evil Genius]

Did anyone ring in and complain, the only way to deal with a tool like that is mass public uproar.

Mass public uproar?

A numpty has made a numpty of himself.  Simple as that.  Save your uproar for something worthwhile.

So belittling disabled people is acceptable in your view?  You're some craic!!!!

Well, belittling disabled people is unacceptable in my view. But following the post by "Imposerous" (specifically the distinction between "wheelchairs" and "wheelchar users"), I'm more inclined than ever to give Rodgers the benefit of the doubt. I reckon it was an unfortunate tip of the slongue...

[AZOffaly]

I'm sure it had to be a slip of the tongue. How could anyone say, or privately think, that wheelchair users were not human beings. This smacks of 'political' opportunism to take it to any level other than, 'jaysus, what an eejit to say that'.

[AZOffaly]

Never underestimate the warped mind of that bitter little cnut.

I'll have to bow to your superior knowledge on that one hardstation, I don't know him at all. I find it hard to imagine though.

[Billys Boots]

I reckon it was an unfortunate tip of the slongue

I'd agree with that - it's a symptom of public office that one needs to fill airspace with noise, I imagine he was trying to say something meaningless and failed (miserably).

[balladmaker]

I heard the interview this morning and while it was clumsily expressed it wasn't meant the way it's being interpreted here.  In fact, he said the public acess was not only difficult for "wheelchairs", but also human beings.  He did not say wheelchair users.  If anything, he was pointing out that the acess was so narrow for able bodied people then it must be so much worse for wheelchair users.

He actually said "It is not just a problem for people in wheelchairs, it is a problem for human beings as well".  I took a mental note of it trying to understand what he was on about.  I was shocked to hear him say it, then when picked up on it by the interviewer, he knew he had messed up big time and started blithering something else at which point the interview was terminated.

[Chrisowc]

Did anyone ring in and complain, the only way to deal with a tool like that is mass public uproar.

Mass public uproar?

A numpty has made a numpty of himself.  Simple as that.  Save your uproar for something worthwhile.

So belittling disabled people is acceptable in your view?  You're some craic!!!!

No, belittling disabled people is not acceptable.  Where did I say that?

I have already said I believe this to be a gaffe with my reference to Coleman Balls in an earlier post.