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Braintree: "Tosser" campaign upsets ex-councillor

3:00pm Friday 10th February 2012 in Braintree

Braintree: "Tosser" campaign upsets ex-councillor Braintree: "Tosser" campaign upsets ex-councillor

A cheeky anti-litter slogan is “pandering to yob culture”, according to an ex-councillor.

Braintree Council’s close to the mark campaign slogan ‘Don’t be a tosser’ has won praise from many residents.

It has been described as a hard-hitting headline by the council and will be displayed on bus stops, refuse vehicles and at petrol stations.

But former Braintree east ward Tory councillor Jennifer Smith has voiced her disapproval at the use of the word tosser.

Mrs Smith said: “It shows how standards have dropped for this to become acceptable."

Comments(22)

Bhudeeka says...
3:34pm Fri 10 Feb 12

i agree with the councilors on this one vile wording

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The Yellow Peril says...
3:47pm Fri 10 Feb 12

I think it's rather clever. If you think that people who litter our streets are complete tossers then it couldn't be more appropriate. Well done whoever thought that up.

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sKorch says...
4:23pm Fri 10 Feb 12

I agree with Bhudeeka, the word should not be bandied around in the public domain as it is offensive..
I prefer the word "Litterbug" to describe people that drop litter (from cars or otherwise)

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brain1 says...
5:47pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Typical of this council to try and bring everyone down to their low level.
How can we expect our children to use correct and decent grammar when this bunch use this language. It is not necessary just to get a cheap headline

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Rayning says...
12:36pm Sat 11 Feb 12

I find it appalling! It is certainly not the sort of terminology I want my son hearing, let alone reading.
How am I supposed to tell him its unacceptable when it's plastered everywhere by our own council?

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Bit_Bytr says...
12:59am Mon 13 Feb 12

I agree with those who find this offensive. I might use the term myself but not in front of polite company and not in front of kids. It reminds me of when the word "plonker" was unacceptable along with "shag". In twenty years I saw it go from barroom banter amongst the lads to emblazoned across the side of VIrgin Atlantic 747s!

There is another blatant example of the slow but inexorable degradation of the language: French Connection UK had enormous billboards off the M4 eastbound coming in from Heathrow: they were advertising spectacles and in the bottom right cornet was emboldened "FCUK". Like everyone else I did a double take - but failed to buy their product once I realized the ploy. It was an eye-opener, regardless.

Another, maybe less offensive expression on the back of many cars, is "Save the ta-tas". OK... That is for Breast Cancer Awareness, something near and dear to my heart (if I'm lucky!) but still... A bit risqué.

In its time, thirty-odd years ago, 'Are You Being Served' certainly served up its fair share of double-entendres, but, in the main, they demonstrated cleverness, intelligence and innuendo, not raw, crass unadulterated bawdy vulgarity.

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Bit_Bytr says...
1:00am Mon 13 Feb 12

Interestingly, even the Mary Whitehouse in the Brainless and Witless let those words through! Yet, it won't let through the word "****" (s m u t)! LOL Daft innit?

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The Yellow Peril says...
8:40am Mon 13 Feb 12

Well I'm sorry but it's your smutty minds that make the word offensive, not the word itself. So we all know what a tosser is, it is someone who tosses something (whatever that may be - to you lot something rude). If I throw something, I am a thrower. It's just a word and I am sure, Rayning, that your son will hear far worse things as he grows up. The rest of you, get some humour!

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Rayning says...
9:35am Mon 13 Feb 12

I am sure he will too, but it is much harder to explain that it is unacceptable when it has supposedly come from a respected source.
While I don't wish to argue with you, I have to confess to never having heard someone who throws something referred to as 'a tosser'.

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The Yellow Peril says...
10:43am Mon 13 Feb 12

No because it isn't the norm is it. It is a clever play on words and not a word we are used to hearing in this context. It almost makes it better to be used in this way rather than the way that we are more used to it being used. It's not very offensive in my mind - you hear far worse in the pub - and dare I say the playground.

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Rayning says...
11:11am Mon 13 Feb 12

I hear what you're saying and taken in a very literal sense it shouldn't be offensive at all but I think the intention from BDC is very clear.
I'm sure worse is said in pubs, and possibly some playgrounds but as I said before it's far easier to explain to your child in those situations that yes, some people to use words like that but we don't because it's vulgar, not acceptable etc etc. Much harder to explain it coming from a body they should respect

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brain1 says...
2:22pm Mon 13 Feb 12

It is people’s perception of the use of the word that is important and certainly it was being used in this instance in a most derogatory way.

What is wrong with calling them litter louts that is what they are and this is much closer to people’s perception than the description being used by our council.

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The Yellow Peril says...
3:33pm Mon 13 Feb 12

Because Little Louts sounds like something from a 70s sitcom and the Council was looking for something new and modern to catch the attention of people in 2012.

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The Yellow Peril says...
3:34pm Mon 13 Feb 12

I meant LITTER louts of course, not Little Louts! Doh!

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Bit_Bytr says...
4:37pm Mon 13 Feb 12

I am not persuaded by your argument, I'm afraid, YP. Sorry. Not to be hypocritical but to address the 400LB gorilla in the room: I think it IS derogatory, smutty and one can NOT help but relate it to the commonly accepted usage - one who practices the sin of onanism with unabated zeal (aka a 'w a n ker'. There. I said it.)

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Tolkny says...
6:34am Tue 14 Feb 12

I agree and would prefer terms implying masturbation not to be used in a mostly reputable organ like the Witham and Braintree Times.

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Ahh you shouldnt have says...
11:08am Wed 15 Feb 12

Noun: tosser tó-su(r)
1. (informal) a masturbator

2.Someone who throws lightly (as with the palm upward)

3. Insulting term of address for people who are stupid, irritating or ridiculous


So unless you think it as vulgar it isn't.

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The Yellow Peril says...
11:24am Wed 15 Feb 12

Nicely put, "Ahh you shouldnt have"

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Bit_Bytr says...
12:47pm Wed 15 Feb 12

OK! I'm persuaded!

I dug around (never thinking I had a need) and found myself laughing at what I found. No less the President of Ireland among many others have tossed out the fourth most serious perjorative (ref. Auntie Beeb) in public conversation. Interviews on the BBC have been edited (before the watershed) when containing the word. However, it's now moved beyond simple association with "jerking off" and demonstrates disdain for someone who shows off or brags in an excessive and embarrassing way…

No one I know like that.

Sheesh. What a tosser. I need to try and keep up, no?

;-O

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The Yellow Peril says...
4:29pm Wed 15 Feb 12

Do has "Ahh you shouldnt have" now changed your mind?

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The Yellow Peril says...
4:39pm Wed 15 Feb 12

Sorry about my stupid response. You have said that you are persuaded already! That's what happens when you read and type comments and speak on the phone at the same time - never mind the typos (Do, I meant So) - Dohhh

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Bit_Bytr says...
5:20pm Wed 15 Feb 12

LOL to both Mr. Happy and YP!

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