Disabilities Are Not A Punchline
Letters To The Editor
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By Letters To The Editor
Published: August 28, 2008
Paramount Pictures’ new comedy “Tropic Thunder,” recently released, includes a character called “Simple Jack” played by the actor Ben Stiller. Simple Jack has an intellectual disability (formerly referred to as mental retardation), and is an object of derision in the film. The movie contains frequent use of the word “retard” and other insults used to describe this character.
The Arc of Sullivan County has a program called People Place that provides social and learning activities for people with developmental disabilities. We take this degrading depiction of people with disabilities to heart.
It is difficult to understand why people think it’s OK to make fun of people with intellectual disabilities, and we cannot fathom why people use the word “retard” to refer to someone in a degrading manner.
People with developmental and intellectual disabilities experience record unemployment, significant physical, mental, and sexual abuse, and limited rights more than any other group.
They have a history of institutionalization, genocide, forced sterilization, segregation, and being regarded as less than human.
People with intellectual disabilities need to be treated as any other person with respect and dignity. Join us in boycotting the film “Tropic Thunder.” Please stop using the word “retard” to make fun of others.
People Place extends an open invitation to our community to come and get to know us – a finer group of folks you’ll never meet!
Nancy Vartan
director, People Place
Bristol, Tenn.
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Posted by ( captainkona ) on August 29, 2008 at 12:49 pm
LOL
MODERATOR:
When a post reads “MODERATOR”, it’s for YOU, not for public placement. You read it then you delete it so as to keep the thread free of redundant posts.
Between the Mods and certain posters who are oblivious to the definition of the word “Fact”, I seem to have become this forum’s nanny.
Shouldn’t I be getting paid for this?
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Posted by ( captainkona ) on August 29, 2008 at 12:48 am
MODERATOR:
If you will tell me why my last post to this topic wasn’t publicized I might be able to correct whatever it is you don’t like.
Regards,
admin@tn420.org
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Posted by ( Russ ) on August 28, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I seen this movie. As a Vietnam veteran, I nearly walked out in the first five minutes. There’s just some things that aren’t funny and if you ever seen someone wounded, and in agony it’s not a pretty sight. I didn’t walk out, and I’m sorry I didn’t.
Don’t worry, because this movie stinks. It’s gross, with terrible language, and it makes no sense. Ben Stiller, Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., and Jack Black ought to be ashamed of themselves for being a part of it.
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Posted by ( captainkona ) on August 28, 2008 at 1:51 pm
It was just a movie, for Christ’s sake.
LOL
The worst thing about that move was Ben Stiller. The guy is a complete and total loser. He looks like a dweeb, acts like a dweeb, and I’m sick and tired of the Jewish establishment in Hollywood trying over and over and over again to push the same family members on movie goers.
Flop after flop, we keep seeing Stiller. Why? What does it take to make John Lovitz and David Duchovny go away?
Look, guys. If they’re good they’re good, if they’re not I don’t care who’s family member they are or who blew who. Just get them out of my entertainment.
Ben Stiller is a joke and that’s all he’ll ever be.
That’s why the writers wrote all the “retard” stuff into the script. Because they know that negative publicity is better than no publicity.
So, Nancy Vartan
director, People Place
Bristol, Tenn….
The more you complain, the more that movie gets publicity. You’re aiding your foe. Wake up and shut up.
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Posted by ( dadw5boys ) on August 28, 2008 at 4:26 am
Why?
Everyday people with disabilites are called freeloaders, waste of space, and many more by Right Wing talk show host and people who have yet to have a bad accident that leaves them disabled.
A self rightous use a few bad apples to call anyone who us not at work names. They do not see the number of drug a person may have to ake just to be able to walk. They never know how Doctors and Insurance Companys CONSPIRE by the Doctor givings the injured person a shot of a powerful drug and keeping them in a room till the drug takes effect. The person walks outside and feels great able to open doors without help, walk more erect without the need of crutches, actually lift somethig that weighs more than a gallon of milk, and excerise some for a change.
All the while the Insurance Companys man is out there taking pictures like crazy because he knows when the drug wears off the injuried person will be falling down in extreme pain because the drug has allowed him to injure himself more.
Protest a movie lol.
Retards call each other retards silly !!!!
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