'Policing benefit bashing in the forum: valid debate or hate crime?' blog discussion

rickbonar

As long as it's legal what's the problem.

Mind you I find remarkable that these critics happily accept bent politicians - and there are a lot of them along with bent bankers that can carry on regardless; yet these people worry about someone doing a £10 a week job on the side of their dole payments.

disciple3d

S sense of proportion is needed. Yes, people cheat the benefits system. People cheat you out of money in lots of ways, they waste money everywhere, for many various reasons, most of which will seem wrong and pointless to you. People do lots of things I don't like every day. If they are breaking the law, and it annoys you, then report them to the appropriate authorities. Otherwise, stop whinging and get on with your life. Or whinge to your local MP, they are used to it!

I work full time, and have never claimed benefits. Do I think everyone who claims benefits is evil, and that it's my mission in life to end the only thing that is *destroying* our country? No. I really don't care that much. It is up to the DSS to assess that, it is not my job. If it's not working well, then they are the ones who are in the position to tell. The tabloid articles about it are probably junk, as is most stuff you read in the Daily Mail. Full of angry people and shoddy editorial policy.

What bothers me is the incessant whinging about what other people do. The best way to change the world is by example. You can't change other people unless they already wish to change themselves. So, please stop bloody going on about benefit fraud and scroungers. I seriously think I will commit a much more serious crime otherwise! If the benefits system didn't exist, the Daily Mail would be whinging about something else.

So to all moaners - It is not benefit fraud that is making you unhappy. Do something fun and inspiring, and stop whinging for a change. Then you will feel happier, knowing that it's someone else's problem, and that you don't need to police the benefit system on the DSS's behalf.

Read a book, listen to some new music - the world is a bigger and more amazing place than you imagine - don't let the hate rule your life

rapido

It's slightly off topic, but this forum is full of abuse.

Just the other day, I pointed out an inaccuracy of another member's confident statement of fact, only to get relentlessly bullied by and receive abuse from about half a dozen other Moneysavingexpert members.

To MSE's credit, they removed the abuse within a few hours. However, it's not the first time. It's made me think twice about spending much of my time helping and giving free advice about many very technical issues on MSE forums.

So I'm not really going to bother unless the abuse stops.

-rapido

disciple3d

Rapido, there's a lot of angry people in the world. It seems to me that some people feel like they've been hard done to, and decide they will take it out on other decent members of society, whether it is their fault or not!

I'm sorry you've been having issues - I've not posted really in the past, but the forums always seemed like a friendly place in general. I guess the site's popularity brings in all sorts of people though. The sort you'd cross the road to avoid, as well as the ones who are lovely and easy to get on with.

I could be imagining it, but I'm sure this country used to be more tolerant, less angry and hateful about everything. But I am probably getting old and remembering the past inaccurately

rapido

disciple3d wrote: »

I'm sorry you've been having issues - I've not posted really in the past, but the forums always seemed like a friendly place in general.

Thanks disciple3d.

You have no need to apologise, none of it is your fault!

-rapido

djohn2002uk

rapido wrote: »

Unsurprisingly I did not receive any apology from "djohn2002uk", so you can make your own mind up about this member.
-rapido

You got no apology because there was nothing to apologise for as was shown by the other people in the thread agreeing with me.

rapido

djohn2002uk wrote: »

You got no apology because there was nothing to apologise for as was shown by the other people in the thread agreeing with me.

Just because other people supposedly agree with you (in a completely different thread, not the one where you posted offensive comments), that makes what you did right?

-rapido

dickydonkin

rickbonar wrote: »

As long as it's legal what's the problem.

Mind you I find remarkable that these critics happily accept bent politicians - and there are a lot of them along with bent bankers that can carry on regardless; yet these people worry about someone doing a £10 a week job on the side of their dole payments.

Two wrongs don't make a right I'm afraid.

The reality is that we have no choice but to 'accept' bent politicians as they seem to be immune from the laws of the land that apply to anyone else and that has been the case for for hundreds of years, although one can make the Politicians pay for their indiscretions at the ballot box.

As for benefit cheats, Joe Public can do something about them by simply 'shopping' them - as distasteful many may seem that course of action to be.

Freddie_Snowbits

The problem with benefit, is the word, people benefit from it.

dv4

Whilst I agree with Martin's general stance on this difficult issue, I did just want to pick up one point:

Martin said something along the lines of he would not tolerate comments which were abusive about an individual - and of course that is right.
However one of the very distressing things which has apparently become normal and acceptable in British society is that people seem to feel it is OK to say anything they like about disabled people as a group - which is very distressing for those of us who are disabled (especially as our impairments - whether physical or mental - are not a matter of choice).

Both these group comments and comments about disabled individuals can amount to a disability hate crime, for example, harassment on the grounds of disability - including certain kinds of comments - is illegal under the Equality ACt 2010. So perhaps the MSE staff could also remove those remarks which are particularly vicious about disabled people as a group as well as the individual ones?

Also: on some boards when someone complains about a posting, it is made invisible until it can be checked by a moderator, which would at least help with the long delay before the moderator can remove the posting. Is it possible the MSE boards could be made to work that way?