Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

That's exactly what they want Maggy. I predict that a tiny number of familiar names will ignore you're warning and carry on until dude's thread is closed. Then they'll move onto another if they stay true to form.

They don't realise that derailing threads to the point where a moderator has no alternative but to close it bores the vast majority of members who click on a thread because it looks of interest. They think that they are being clever and look good, if they did but know it it's quite thd opposite.

---------- Post added at 13:33 ---------- Previous post was at 13:13 ----------



Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to disagree with the opinions of others. However, the way that you have done this is not by debating the issues, but by blatant baiting and trolling.

You may feel smug that you have escaped disability up until now and that you can entertain yourself by running rings around neuro diverse people, but the majority of people will become disabled in their lifetime through accident, attack, disease or old age. If this doesn't affect you personally, then it's highly likely that it will affect one of your loved ones. As an example, it's predicted that about 50% of people will get cancer and that a similar number will get dementia.

How would you feel if one of your loved ones was affected by one of these conditions and someone were to follow them around the street making the sort of remarks that you have in thr manner that you have? Would you not think it wrong and that there life was challenging enough as it was?

If they had dementia and kept forgetting things and asking the same questions over and over and over again, would you start to publically criticise and belittle them and, if they became upset and complained, would you tell them that their illnessrs/disabilities were no excuse for their behaviour and attempt to gaslight an already vulnerable person into believing it was them that was the problem and any distress caused was entirely their own fault?

Have a think about what you're doing and do the right thing, you don't have to backtrack publicly on here if you're afraid of losing face have a quiet think about it on your own.

There's nothing to be ashamed of in making mistakes either. It takes a man to face up to them, let alone apologise for them and this is how we learn to become better people. I truly believe that it is this that is the meaning of life and why we come here on temporary visitation.

---------- Post added at 13:54 ---------- Previous post was at 13:33 ----------



I'd say it depends upon the person, the condition and it's severity.

Mental illnesses and disabilities can cloud a person's view of the world and what is right or wrong. Some sufferers know what they are doing, but don't fully appreciate the seriousness of their actions ie they could be treating it like a game, particularly if they see the world through the eyes of a child or have developmental problems.

Some adults feel inadequate compared to other adults and only feel confident with children that they can more easily relate to, whilst some simply view what we would call grooming as chatting to a friend like we used to when we were juveniles.

Add in, often unmet, adult sexuality to the mix and it's a recipe for disaster.

Some people may know exactly what they are doing and are attempting to use their condition as a smokescreen, but if any action is taken against them, mental health professionals will be assessing them to ascertain the correct position.

From what i've seen of these groups (and some are much more professional than others), the accused is usually asked if they have any mental or physical conditions, probably as part of the duty of care process. If they then go on to say that they have a mental illness/disability, the less professional groups start to say XYZ condition doesn't lead to a sexual attraction to children. The YouTube comments are then often filled with comments such as 'I have the same condition and I don't innapropriately speak to children online'.

I have some real life insight into this as a former member of our staff was seriously sexually abused by a man when he was a child. As is so often the case, his life fell apart as an adult due to various addictions and he confided all this with me. He is on the mend after receiving councilling and help to quit his substance addiction.

My point in sharing this is that someone else who had been abused as a child could go on to say that his addiction was his own fault and that the abuse that he'd suffered was being used as an excuse, their reason being that they hadn't turned to drugs.

Neither of these two situations are that simple for an unqualified person to assess.