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but after a complaint from the daughter of a mental health patient, the current winter edition of the booklet has been withdrawn.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.
Published here in The States under the title "Christmas Carols for the Typical Democrat Underground Poster."
So what offends the PC crowd more- mocking the mentally ill, or acknowledging Christmas?
For crying out loud Mentally Ill folks APPROVED IT!!!
If they are capable of laughing at themselves, why the hell should anyone else be whining?
Liberals are idiots...
I had a boss once who claimed I insulted a fellow employee, the employee had no objection to what I said, did not take it that way, and it was never intended in the way this 3rd party person interpreted..... But still she raised a stink.... I told her to get bent. Needless to say I left that company quickly.
Heh, heh!
It was the summer of 1966 and I was working almost prone on top of a Cadillac engine under the hood when “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha! Ha!” came over the car radio and I started laughing so hard the Cadillac owner thought I’d found something that was going to be expensive to repair and he had to physically drag me off his car and I went right on laughing as he tore out of that gas station never to return.
The `song’ was instantly banned and I didn’t hear it again until youtube.com came along.
Love these titles! My favorite is “Jingle Bells Jingle Bells Jingle Bells.......”
;^)
“Mental Health Hot Line”
Heh, heh!
Like the donations can which read,
“Support Mental Health Or I’LL KILL YOU!!”
;^)
I always liked the one kim peterson used to play with the line, “Walking round in women’s underware”.
How about “Bill’s son Bob sells rings.....
or how about Trudy Woods, certainly a remarkable girl,
the only one known to have run over a river as in the song,
“Over the river ran trudy woods....”.
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