Aug 13 2008
Make a Stand! Tell why the “R” word is offensive to you!
Today is the day of the boycott for Tropic Thunder. Disability Organizations throughout the US have come together to form a Coalition and have issued a Statement of Support and Solidarity.
International Mosaic Down Syndrome Association is one of those organizations who is taking this stand.
In conjunction with the protests, Special Olympics is leading an effort to address the negative attitudes and behaviors associated with the use of the word “retard” by launching the “R-word Campaign.” You can learn more about the campaign and take the pledge to ban the R-word at www.r-word.org. This is a great site and enables you to make a pledge about not saying the “r” word.
The DSALF (Down Syndrome Association Leadership Forum) is collaborating on what steps we, as DSA’s, can do to help educate the schools so children are protected.
Disability organizations throughout the country are banning together to protest the movie and many are planning to be on-site at their local movie theater to engage in a peaceful protest to allow others to understand Why it matters.
The list could, without a doubt, go on and on!
Today, and over this past week, I have learned a lot of things I didn’t know and some things I chose to wish were not there!
The things that I, like many others, chose to wish were not there, was the knowledge of the “R” word. Yes, I knew it was used in a derogatory manner. Yes, my own son has been called this many times in his life by his peers and it has affected him greatly. So, it isn’t that I didn’t know it was out there. I think I just didn’t realize how incredibly mean and cruel the majority of the non-disabled population was! I have read comments off of news sites in this past week that have absolutely left me speechless. (that is quite a feat!) And, it is BECAUSE of those horrible, mean statements that we need to help people to understand WHY IT MATTERS.
If any thing good can come out of this movie it is the UNITY that we all have created together. In less that seven days the ENTIRE COUNTRY has come together to make a stand on what we know is hurtful to those we love. It isn’t that this word has not ever been used. Because it is used over and over by so very many people every single day! However, BECAUSE of this movie, we have united even stronger to make this difference and stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
The thing I learned that I didn’t know was that 190 million peoplein the world have intellectual disabilities. Thanks to the Special Olympics of Texas I have learned my one new thing to learn for the day!
But after reading that, I thought of the colossal number of people who are offended by Tropic Thunder.
If 190 million individualsin the world have an intellectual disability and they have two parents, then the number of individuals around the world who are offended by Tropic Thunder is 570 million people.
Then, add in that each of these individuals has at least one set of grandparents. Then 950 million people around the world are offended by what Ben Stiller had to say.
Since most individuals have at least one sibling, then you have 1 BILLION 140 MILLION people who are offended by this derogatory comment!
If each individual has at least two friends (and I know they have more than two, but we are just assuming for the sake of numbers)
Then ONE BILLION FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY MILLION people are offended by Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller, DreamWork Productions, and the word RETARDED!
It’s NOT a minority any more is it!!!
STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
1. Call your local disability organization and ask them what they are doing in regards to the boycott
2. Find out what you can do with your local organization to help spread the word.
3. Click Here to sign this petition against the film. (just close browser after signing and don’t worry about the donation request. Unless you want to donate to the petition site
4.Leave a comment here on this site and tell the world WHY IT MATTERS to you! This is YOUR chance to have YOUR voice heard. Tell the world YOUR story! Let them know that Words HURT.
(this is for positive comments concerning this boycott.)
