Re advert for charity

Posted by: DAVOhorn on 31 January 2009

Dear All,

There is a horrible advert on the radio at the moment here is Sydney.

It is for the Smith Family which provides help for fiscally disadvantaged people or THE POOR.

Why does this advert offend me?

Well

A very nicely spoken child and mother are discussing school. The child says in beautiful English that she is asked why she is different to her school mates and why do they tease her?

the inference is is that as she is poor her school clothing marks her out as poor and her reading is worse than her school buddies etc etc.

Now being poor does not make you thick/stupid and does not mean that you would be behind academically your school buddies.

Now the ad would be more believeable if the mum and kid were obviously SCROTES with poor english foul and offensive use of language such that the poor academic ability would be more believeable.

So nope this ad is offensive if well meaning.

regards David
Posted on: 31 January 2009 by Adam Meredith
quote:
Originally posted by DAVOhorn:
A very nicely spoken child and mother are discussing school. The child says in beautiful English that she is asked why she is different to her school mates and why do they tease her?


Perhaps she is from a disadvantaged banking family and is looking for a little charitable support? Who could begrudge her that?
Posted on: 31 January 2009 by Bob McC
Meanwhile Labour rallies round the bastions of privilege in the UK
http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=3501
Posted on: 31 January 2009 by DAVOhorn
Dear Avole,

The point i was objecting to within the advert was the presumption that poor equates with stupidity. As the kid is identified as being behind his peers in his reading and writing skills in this advert.


This i identified in my post as what i was objecting to.

Not their poverty.

As i am sure you may be aware many born with a silver spoon in their mouth are not always OXBRIDGE MATERIAL.


So accusing me of a prejudice that is not in my post i find objectionable.

As a piece of useless info my education at a Public School in the UK was paid for by the Hong Kong Govt as part of my Fathers employment package. It was not my parents wealth that gave me this education.

Also my school offered full scholarships to gifted children from less well off families.

Intelligence is a gift from mother nature not a reflection of wealth. One of the failures of modern society is that wealth enables one to maximise ones abilities and poverty prevents many gifted people access to a good education .

regards David

The term scrote was used in the 1980's to define in the media a person of lower socio economic with a preference for crime and pestilence. Hence my use of the term to differentiate between my point and possible prejudice. So your response i believe defines your prejudice not mine.
Posted on: 01 February 2009 by DAVOhorn
Dear Adam,

It would appear that many Public Schools are having a hard time such that The Labour Govt is seeking ways to keep these schools open so that the overstretched State Sector is not overwhelmed by kids leaving the Public Schools and screaming to be allowed to attend State Schools.

Now two of the schools are in Bristol, and i wonder if my old school is affected by this.

We have a similar problem here in Sydney and also with many leaving their private health insurers and returning to the Public System which is totally unable to meet this increasing demand.

So it seems it is an ill wind affecting increasing nos. As i am in health care i wonder if my employer will be affected by this reduction in people using private health and insurance as providers of health care.

If adversely affected my stay in aus is totally dependent on my employer so if my employer goes Mammaries Up i will have to return to Blighty and the lack of jobs there.

So it gets increasingly interesting.

regards David