Listen to NPR Interview here with Elisabeth's friend Lennard J. Davis, a professor of disability studies at the University of Illinois, who isn't amused by the use of the word "retard."
YOU GO LENNARD!!!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
STILLER'S Tropic Thunder Blunder
The review from our film critic Moria MacDonald in Seattle who says "no delivery"
HERE
Take Elisabeth's advice:
1)Stay home.
2)Watch your kids instead.
3)Count your blessings.
HERE
Take Elisabeth's advice:
1)Stay home.
2)Watch your kids instead.
3)Count your blessings.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Please Say Something, Don't Just Stare ...
It happens everywhere we go with Elisabeth. People stare. They stare and stare and stare and stare. I've become very self conscious about it.
Most of the time, I'm pretty creative or bring it to Elisabeth's attention that she has an audience and to be on her best behavior. If she's slurping or sliming, I usually tell her that's not going to go over big with her new friends.
Most people don't know the changes of cloths we go through or the amount of care we put into making our children presentable so they fit in with the rest. I can have Elisabeth ready for a shopping trip and by the time we leave, she's ready for a shirt change, a hair comb, lotion on her hands to work out the rubbery raisin skin, or whatever it takes to make her "presentable. Her sister's are very focused on "the look" that will get Elisabeth the desired attention and "the look" that will disgust people and stop them from coming up to her.
Today while in Target, two girls about about Elisabeth's age just stared. One even looked at her and said, "that's so gross" referring to Elisabeth's preoccupation with her tongue and chew aids. It hurt. It hurt Elisabeth.
At the Limited Too, recently, a group of girls probably younger than Elisabeth reacted the same way using the "R" word and laughed. Fortunately, her younger sister was trying on clothes while this was happening.
I guess I'm writing this because I want people to know it's okay to come up to us and say hello or even help me distract Elisabeth from being so fixated on her hand, fingers, cloths or hair. If you're with your children, remember children learn from example. They'll do or say what you, the adult, will do or say.
In this situation, it's okay to say "hello." If your kids ask "what wrong with her" tell them you don't know.
Should it matter?
You would be surprised how easy it is to get a smile from our kids. When people say "hello" she usually stops she's doing long enough to wave or smile.
Most of the time, I'm pretty creative or bring it to Elisabeth's attention that she has an audience and to be on her best behavior. If she's slurping or sliming, I usually tell her that's not going to go over big with her new friends.
Most people don't know the changes of cloths we go through or the amount of care we put into making our children presentable so they fit in with the rest. I can have Elisabeth ready for a shopping trip and by the time we leave, she's ready for a shirt change, a hair comb, lotion on her hands to work out the rubbery raisin skin, or whatever it takes to make her "presentable. Her sister's are very focused on "the look" that will get Elisabeth the desired attention and "the look" that will disgust people and stop them from coming up to her.
Today while in Target, two girls about about Elisabeth's age just stared. One even looked at her and said, "that's so gross" referring to Elisabeth's preoccupation with her tongue and chew aids. It hurt. It hurt Elisabeth.
At the Limited Too, recently, a group of girls probably younger than Elisabeth reacted the same way using the "R" word and laughed. Fortunately, her younger sister was trying on clothes while this was happening.
I guess I'm writing this because I want people to know it's okay to come up to us and say hello or even help me distract Elisabeth from being so fixated on her hand, fingers, cloths or hair. If you're with your children, remember children learn from example. They'll do or say what you, the adult, will do or say.
In this situation, it's okay to say "hello." If your kids ask "what wrong with her" tell them you don't know.
Should it matter?
You would be surprised how easy it is to get a smile from our kids. When people say "hello" she usually stops she's doing long enough to wave or smile.
PLEASE BOYCOTT TROPIC THUNDER
AAPD Condemns Portrayal of Disabled Character, Use of the Word 'Retard' in 'Tropic Thunder'
Last update: 6:29 p.m. EDT Aug. 11, 2008
WASHINGTON, Aug 11, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Depiction of character and repeated use of word "horrifying" The largest cross-disability membership organization in the U.S. on Monday condemned all of the entities involved in creating, producing and marketing the movie "Tropic Thunder" for the use of the word "retard" and their portrayal of an intellectually disabled character in the movie.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) helped organize a coalition of disability groups that have come together to boycott the film. Members of the coalition, including AAPD's President and CEO, Andrew Imparato, met with DreamWorks executives last week to discuss concerns about the film.
The movie is a movie-industry spoof depicting a caricature of an intellectually disabled person -- a character called "Simple Jack," played by actor Ben Stiller's character -- which is a continuation of the horrifying portrayal of disabled characters in entertainment.
AAPD is also disgusted at the use of the word "retard" numerous times in the movie and promotional items for the film, including the promotional slogan, "Once upon a time there was a retard," in the now-defunct Web site for the movie-within-a-movie, "Simple Jack."
"Both the use of this word and the appalling portrayal of an intellectually disabled character in this movie are incredibly damaging to people with intellectual disabilities," Imparato said after viewing the film Monday. "This movie perpetuates use of a hateful word the disability community is trying to eradicate from our country's vocabulary. Although the movie is considered satire, this depiction of a person with intellectual disabilities is far from funny."
"One of the biggest challenges for people with intellectual disabilities is when society encourages this portrayal of them," said Cheryl Senenbrenner, Chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities board, whose 38-year-old sister, Tara Warren, has Down Syndrome. "It's almost the worst adversity they face. People like Tara can do phenomenal things. She's very highly accomplished."
"As a person with a disability, the movie didn't make me feel good," said AAPD board member and President of Self-Advocates of Indiana, Inc. Betty Williams after viewing the film Monday. "I felt really horrible hearing them say the 'r' word so many times, so easily."
AAPD is also disappointed that the filmmakers included in the movie reportedly discussed the potentially offensive content of the movie with other groups before moving forward with production, but did not hold similar consultations with the disability community.
AAPD issued a joint statement as part of the coalition, which includes the Special Olympics, Arc of the United States and the National Council on Independent Living, criticizing the film and calling on Hollywood to remedy the harm that is being done by the film.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, organizes the disability community to be a powerful voice for change - economically, politically, and socially. AAPD was founded in 1995 to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To learn more, visit the AAPD website: http://www.aapd.com.
SOURCE American Association of People With Disabilities http://www.aapd.com
Last update: 6:29 p.m. EDT Aug. 11, 2008
WASHINGTON, Aug 11, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Depiction of character and repeated use of word "horrifying" The largest cross-disability membership organization in the U.S. on Monday condemned all of the entities involved in creating, producing and marketing the movie "Tropic Thunder" for the use of the word "retard" and their portrayal of an intellectually disabled character in the movie.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) helped organize a coalition of disability groups that have come together to boycott the film. Members of the coalition, including AAPD's President and CEO, Andrew Imparato, met with DreamWorks executives last week to discuss concerns about the film.
The movie is a movie-industry spoof depicting a caricature of an intellectually disabled person -- a character called "Simple Jack," played by actor Ben Stiller's character -- which is a continuation of the horrifying portrayal of disabled characters in entertainment.
AAPD is also disgusted at the use of the word "retard" numerous times in the movie and promotional items for the film, including the promotional slogan, "Once upon a time there was a retard," in the now-defunct Web site for the movie-within-a-movie, "Simple Jack."
"Both the use of this word and the appalling portrayal of an intellectually disabled character in this movie are incredibly damaging to people with intellectual disabilities," Imparato said after viewing the film Monday. "This movie perpetuates use of a hateful word the disability community is trying to eradicate from our country's vocabulary. Although the movie is considered satire, this depiction of a person with intellectual disabilities is far from funny."
"One of the biggest challenges for people with intellectual disabilities is when society encourages this portrayal of them," said Cheryl Senenbrenner, Chair of the American Association of People with Disabilities board, whose 38-year-old sister, Tara Warren, has Down Syndrome. "It's almost the worst adversity they face. People like Tara can do phenomenal things. She's very highly accomplished."
"As a person with a disability, the movie didn't make me feel good," said AAPD board member and President of Self-Advocates of Indiana, Inc. Betty Williams after viewing the film Monday. "I felt really horrible hearing them say the 'r' word so many times, so easily."
AAPD is also disappointed that the filmmakers included in the movie reportedly discussed the potentially offensive content of the movie with other groups before moving forward with production, but did not hold similar consultations with the disability community.
AAPD issued a joint statement as part of the coalition, which includes the Special Olympics, Arc of the United States and the National Council on Independent Living, criticizing the film and calling on Hollywood to remedy the harm that is being done by the film.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, organizes the disability community to be a powerful voice for change - economically, politically, and socially. AAPD was founded in 1995 to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To learn more, visit the AAPD website: http://www.aapd.com.
SOURCE American Association of People With Disabilities http://www.aapd.com
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