Traditional: But Christmas carols were given a radical make-over by a health trust in Salford
Posted on 12/20/2007 11:37:36 AM PST by Stoat
Traditional: But Christmas carols were given a radical make-over by a health trust in Salford
A bad taste top ten of Christmas carols poking fun at mental illness has been slammed as "degrading" and "insensitive" after it was published with the backing of a social services department.
The booklet contains a list titled "Christmas Carols for the Mentally Disturbed".
It then names psychiatric conditions and suggests festive songs which would suit the illness.
They include: Schizophrenia - "Do You Hear What I Hear?"; Multiple personality disorder - "We Three Kings Disorientated Are"; and Paranoid - "Santa Claus Is Coming To Get Me"; and Dementia - "I Think I'll be Home for Christmas".
Attention Deficit Disorder - "Silent Night Holy, oooh look at the froggy - can I have a chocolate? Why is France so far away?"; and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells."
The magazine, called Marooned, is produced by users of the Cromwell House mental health facility in Eccles, Salford.
That unit is staffed by Salford Council care workers and others employed by the Bolton, Salford and Trafford Mental Health NHS Trust.
Issued four times a year, it is for users of mental health services and is produced by an editorial board made up of users with staff on hand should they need advice.
It was distributed in Salford's psychiatric clinics and drop-in centres but after a complaint from the daughter of a mental health patient, the current winter edition of the booklet has been withdrawn.
Zinette Camille, who has a family member who suffered with mental illness for 19 years made a formal complaint after picking up the magazine at the Meadowbrook psychiatric unit in the grounds of Hope Hospital.
Zinette, from Cheetham Hill, Manchester, said: "I could not believe what I was reading. I was astonished that it could be so insensitive.
"I was angry that they could belittle people in that manner. I phoned up the council to express my concerns and someone at the magazine asked if I would like to write in and say why I found it offensive.
"They said the magazine was for server users and that they had not had a problem running it for 15 years.
"I said their response was not really good enough and asked whether it was not vetted by someone in authority.
"It is very degrading, and the offending page says 'Christmas Carols for the Mentally Disturbed' - people with mental health issues have a disability - they are not disturbed."
A spokesperson for the magazine's editorial board said: "No offence was intended by the feature and we apologise sincerely for any distress caused. The magazine will now be recalled and the article removed.
"We have spoken to Miss Camille and have invited her down to meet the editorial board which is made up entirely of mental health service users.
"We have also said that we would be happy to include her response to the feature in the next edition of the magazine - an invitation we would extend to any other readers who have opinions on the piece or any other articles."
A spokesman for Salford City Council said future editions of the magazine would be subjected to closer vetting.
Richard Colwill, spokesman for mental health charity Sane said: "Whilst no one wants to cause offence it would be a shame if people cannot poke a bit of fun at themselves particularly at this time of year.
"Laughter can be the best medicine but of course we are sorry to hear some people have been upset by the booklet."
The ten Christmas Carols as featured in Marooned: 1. Schizophrenia - Do You Hear What I Hear?
2. Multiple Personality Disorder - We Three Kings Disorientated Are
3. Dementia - I Think I'll Be Home For Christmas
4. Narcissistic - Hark The Herald Angels Sing About Me
5. Manic - Deck the Halls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and...
6. Paranoid - Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me
7. Borderline Personality Disorder - Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire
8. Personality Disorder - You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why
9. Attention Deficit Disorder - Silent Night, Holy, ooh look at the froggy - Can I have a chocolate? Why is France so far away?
10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells.
Wasn’t this a Fraiser episode..?
And did they even record the carols or just make up the names? I’d like to hear the carols.
Yall see Larry the Cable guy”s (I wouldn’t call it ) Christmas Special? I thought it was really lame but the ending could hsve been very funny if it had not been so “today”
This is actually clever. Especially coming from a pretty much rag-tag bunch of mental health workers who photocopy a couple of pages 4 times a year for no one in particular.
Santa is the way he is due to an eating disorder. He’s not jolly, but really crying inside.
In future editions, I hope this publication addresses the psychological affliction that is global warmism. The cover could have a picture of drowning bi-polar bears...
Are there any Christmas carols for the obsessively humorless?
Uh...”You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch....”
That’s funny. I’m saving’ it for later, when they come for me a rubber suit :-)
I heard this stuff on the Bob & Tom show the other morning. What the hell is wrong with people? Don’t they get humor any more?
A midget walks into a bar....
he couldn’t buy a drink and left. His friend asked him what happened.
“The bartender said I was a little short....”
The woman that complained clearly has issues. She needs to be institutionalized until she can be diagnosed and treated.
is that from “Hung for Christmas” album?
That’s a very funny story.
I was an associate in a large NY law firm, and we were dealing with a difficult client in western Canada. As is the style in Vancouver, the executives of the firm would put their nicknames in quotes in the middle of their addresses, so I was writing a letter to (let’s say) S.H. “Dick” Smith.
I copied the partner in my firm on the letter, and I got it back in interoffice mail, with the “Dick” circled in red and his query, “Is this his real name?”
Only someone truly crazy would be offended by these. I always like the joke about the dyslexic philosopher contemplating the existence of Dog. Only some religious nut would be upset by that.
I don’t know where it came from, but I agree with the hanging part.
Funny list ... too bad the whiners have to spoil all the fun.
ROTFLOL!
How did you find outrage and humorlessness in my little comments? I'm just sick of a culture that thinks humor should involve crassness and deliberate insensitivity, that's all.
A certain level of manners is a sign of civilization. Perhaps you would see this objection more clearly if one of these songs were "Billy the Retarded Elf."
I take it you don't sing "O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING" very often.
Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.
And THEN it gets politically incorrect:
Awake from guilty nature’s sleep,
And Christ shall give you light,
Cast all your sins into the deep,
And wash the Æthiop white.
Charles Wesley
Here are my entries so far this year - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1940145/posts
I often wonder what little kids make of Harley’s new “Santa” commercials:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/gifts/gifts_main_ext.jsp?locale=en_US&bmLocale=en_US
[personally, I dig ‘em, big time]....;D
Now that’s funny!
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