Are people really this ignorant?

[jbmacomber]

It's heartbreaking enough to me for kids to deal with diabetes, how sad this person while yelling didn't stop to consider the affect on the very ones she was supposedly trying to "protect". And yes, what was she doing in there?
As far as ignorance goes, until I read it in here even I thought T2 was all your own fault, like for myself knowing it was a risk factor from family and babies over 9lbs., and being overweight, but not ever thinking about it seriously. Had the "Oh it won;t happen to me " mindset, and still blame only myself for getting it.

[Caravaggio]

From the sound of it, it may be that that woman is not so much as ignorant, but rather either malicious, self-righteous and judgmental, or very very angry and miserable. It is possible that (a) that woman was just diagnosed with diabetes, and feels herself to blame but doesn't want to do so and so lash at someone else, (b) someone close to that woman was just diagnosed with diabetes, blames that person but can't and so lash at someone else, or (c) someone close to that woman developed complications (or worse has died from complications) brought about by uncontrolled diabetes. Whatever the reason, there is no justification to lash out at complete strangers, especially when that woman used the children as her excuse to release her anger, guilt or misery.

But the mother gets my admiration for setting an example to her children of not stooping down to that woman's level. We need more people (especially parents) like her.

[Jan74br]

It's heartbreaking enough to me for kids to deal with diabetes, how sad this person while yelling didn't stop to consider the affect on the very ones she was supposedly trying to "protect". And yes, what was she doing in there?
As far as ignorance goes, until I read it in here even I thought T2 was all your own fault, like for myself knowing it was a risk factor from family and babies over 9lbs., and being overweight, but not ever thinking about it seriously. Had the "Oh it won;t happen to me " mindset, and still blame only myself for getting it.

Don't blame yourself. I get into that mindset too. "Oh I knew I had pancreatitis as a child, I should never have eaten a single carb my whole life and maybe I'd have avoided D". It is very easy to get there, but it is not accurate nor productive.

[SCC]

Grrrr. I guess on the way home and afterward there are discussions about rude and ignorant people.

[TommyC1]

Hey, nuts come in all flavors.
It's shame that the kids had to hear it. But might provide a teaching moment for them.

[briargate]

@ Jan - Some people love to make theselves feel better by criticising others, I've had that response several times. I have to pull my self by my leash and drag myself away before words start spilling forth from my mouth.

[daniela1219]

Yes they are. There will always be someone stupid saying those kind of things. The mother was a bit TOO patient, IMO. The woman made the kids cry. That's enough reason to tell her to GTFO.

[daniela1219]

I wouldn't even try to explain her about diabetes. Why bother? She wouldn't understand anyway. I'd be happy with her just leaving the kids alone and taking her ignorant self somewhere else.

[foxl]

Stupid, or mentally ill?

[Subby]

I don't mind ignorance of diabetes so much: I'm ignorant of many, many things, most people are. I really don't know exactly how much attention I would have paid to the details of types of diabetes, if I was not one or did not closely know diabetics.

It's the generic arrogance, aggression and lack of respect that gets me in this story. I could imagine some mental illness here, it just seems like pretty extraordinary behaviour.

Hah, jinx in the mental illness, Linda, I didn't see your post.

[Jan74br]

On a cute note, I was bolusing in a restaurant on Saturday and this kid, must have been about 6, yelled out "Mommy, that lady is taking a vaccine!"

Just to add something positive to a thread about horrible people.

[Chanson13]

. . .a woman came up to her and said, i assume they have diabetes?

I heard this for the first time yesterday: "The only thing we should assume is that we don't have all the information."

A good rule to remember.

[deafmack]

Yes people are this ignorant and I even have family members that have said some pretty ignorant things to me. It doesn't matter the type of diabetes a person has. The person did nothing wrong to get diabetes regardless of the type. My Mother told me if I ate like my Brother I would not have diabetes. Well exactly one month after she said that my Brother was diagnosed. Since he was diagnosed she has stopped commenting on my having diabetes. Personally this woman had no right to lambast the woman and her two children like she did. People can say some pretty mean things at times and some pretty stupid things at that. Believe me I have had the same kind of stupid things said to me regarding my being Deaf. People sometimes are just plain ignorant and sometimes they just have to show how ignorant they are. I am glad the manager showed that woman the door. Imagine the spectacle she was making of herself.

[Timmy Mac]

Sadly, I really do think she could be that ignorant. But I'll admit, I'm fairly ignorant about other diseases. The difference is I just keep my mouth shut and try not to offend anyone. Being ignorant is one thing, but using your ignorance to attack someone else is just sad. I did leave a person extremely confused when I told them I weighed 42lbs when Dx'd, but I've personally never had anyone do anything this bad to me! I really feel bad for those kids. Hopefully they know that that is not acceptable.

[BriOnH]

I remember a time when most people didn't even know what diabetes was and had to explain it to them in great detail. Now, we have the other end of the spectrum and everyone thinks they know what diabetes is. As I get older now everyone just assumes I am a type 2, being almost 40. Do I care? Not really. I just explain it to them. In this case, that lady is whack-o, and would have laughed her ignorance off or asked her to find a man to come talk to me that way.